Evening journal., 1904-11-17
Her Disappearance
torlginall

tOrlginal.l
Adelaide Warren was possessed OF a
comfortable fortune, and it was nat
ural she should fear that the man she
married would be Influenced by this
rather than n disinterested love. How
ard Wright was the man who won her
preference, and she only hesitated to
accept him on account Of this dread
Howard had no fortune. He had been
graduated at the law and Dd only
commenced its practice. After much
hesitation on account Of the disparity
Of their resources and a halting encour-
agement from Adelaide he proposed to
her. She took the proposition under
advlsement
"True love-" she argued, "such love
as / wish for, is constant. If Howard
loves me as he says he does, he will
wait n long time for me, and IL l die
he will never marry. Why can't / die
and come to life again a few years
later just to see how true he has been
to my memory? why not disappear
and be forgottenY
The idea having once found a lodg-
ment. she put It into execution. She
was well situated to do so, having no
parents or brothers or sisters. she
made n will tying up her property for
two years after her death, then, taking
all the ready money she required, went
abroad, first giving Howard a favOra-
BILE answer to ~ suit She wrote him
from London. from Paris, from Con-
stantinople. This was the last heard
from her directly. News came that an
American lady had disappeared from a
steamer on the Nile whose baggage
showed plainly that she was Miss Ad-
elaide Warren.
Howard Wright was loath to believe
that his fiancee had walked into the
Nile either as a somnambulist or a
suicide or while suffering from delir-
lum. He rather believed that she had
not gone aboard the steamer as was
supposed. However, when three months
passed with no news Of her he scraped
together what money he could and
went abroad TO investigate the matter
At Alexandria he delved into It, ques-
tioning those employed on the steamer
from which Adelaide had disappeared
as well as police officials, but could
1 find no clew After a month spent in
these fruitless investigations he con
cluded to so home; but, meeting a col
lege classmate, Louis Hunt. who had
been sent out by his university to al
himself for a professorship of the
Greek language and literature. Howard
was persuaded to go over with him to
Athens Hunt was studying in Athens
and had gone 10 Egypt on a brief tour
Howard was Respondent at the loss
Of his betrothed, with whom he had
been very much in love- Indeed. since
there was doubt as to her death, he
loved her still. He was therefore loath
TO go with his friend. but the young
professor told him that he wished him
TO see a Greek lady with whom he was
much in love and whose consent to
their marriage he expected on his re
turn. While searching for the home OF
one Of the Greek poets he had encoun
I tered her in village near Athens
Hunt had found her more interesting
study than the homes Of the poets. She
was well educated, had spent many
years in England, spoke the Englist
language perfectly and was personally
very attractive. Her name was Helena
Merianis.
When they arrived in Athens the
young professor drove out alone to re
ceive an answer to his proposition oi
marriage. When he returned he was
jubilant, having been accepted. though
he was much chagrined at having beer
obliged to promise to become Greel
citizen and live with his wife in tina
country. In vain he had tried to mov'
the lady by telling Of the position
awaiting him in America and his un
fitness to make a living in Greece. Sh,
only reiterated that she would not z,
to America and would live in the yilli
which she was then occupying.
"Go with me to see her tomorrow
Howard" said Hunt, "and put the cas-
to her for me, as l could not put
myself"
Howard consented, and the mex
morning the two drove out to Heleni
Merianis' villa. The grounds wer
spacious, through which carriag
way led to the house. Hunt saw fig
ure at an upper window and wave,
his handkerchief. Wright was think
ing of his own lost love and unmind
full Of everything else. The figure DIS
appeared from the window, and tn
men alighted at the portal. Hunt toll
n servant to so and tell his mistres
that he had brought a friend to ca
upon her.
After a long walt-an impatient on