Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-06-09

suggested the thought that she might
have forgotten something and slipped
off TO her home alone for it. This was
of course highly improbable, especial
ly as she was hatless and in evening
dress, but We were no longer dealing
with probabilities, and started with
out further delay for her home in
Larch Place.
But l neither met Lisa returning,
nor found her in her home. OF course
the anxiety of her parents upon hear
ing my report equaled my own. but
they, with me, dreaded, for Lisa's
own sake giving our fears publicity
by calling the police to our aid. The
question was hard one, and it had to
be decided instantly. At length the
greater dread prevailed over the less;
| went to the telephone and gave the
facts TO the police.
All at once, in the instant of replac,
ing the receiver, my thoughts shot
back to special point in Mrs. Sefton's
and my own joint search, and an
agonizing fear possessed me. We
had started with the ladies' dressing
room at the head of the stairs, and as
we left it and passed the door i'm.
mediately adjoining, she had said:--
THAT door is locked and has been
all summer. 1t is useless to go 70,
the key, it is down in my desk-it's
only the coal slide"
1t was that closed door that now
suddenly confronted my imagination---
and | was sure, with horrible sure
ness, that Mrs. Seton had been wrong.
that the door had not been locked
and that Lisa had fallen down the
open slide! Just how | held myself
together when this came to me | do
not know. | only remember sense of
sudden intense self-restraint, while \
asked Lisa's father to telephone the
police to wait until | had followed up
new clew, and then the sense of
dragging weight in my legs, such as
have sometimes felt in dreams, as
fastened back to the house had LETT.
| found the program in full swins
and Mrs. Seton with placid ex,
terror nervously awaiting my return.
stated my fear at once, and she
fastened to refute it, but even as she
spoke she turned white and passing
me sped upstairs to put the matter to
the test. | followed, and-how can
write it? the door yielded under her
hand. She drew back exposing the
black and open shaft, then shrieking
as | have never heard any one before
or since, she sank in a heap on the
floor and buried her face in her hands,
while | made frantic dash for the
cellar, pushing my way as ran
through the frightened and question
ing guests, who with their host, were
already crowding upward as | reached
the foot of the stairs. On | rushed,
finding my way by some sort Of in,
stincl, down to where the opening of
the shaft ought to be. The coal cellar
was dark, and even now it maddens
me to recall the necessity for striking
match and finding the gas burner
but it had to be done. and | did it, and
then, quite alone with what agony of
dread God alone knows, | opened the
fateful door, and oh, the horror and
the pity of 1t! there lay my darling!
Not mangled, as | had seen her in my
imagination, but white and lifeless
against the background of the black.
ened boards Many such moments as
that was for ME would make life not
worth the living.
But still had to act. and | leaned
forward to lift her from the horrible
black hole where she lay. As | did So
Mr.. Seton joined me, breathless wan
running up and down, and the double
fright of his wife's Shrek and the &C.
cident she reported.
ut may not be as bad as we fear"
he painted, 'if the slide was up she
would have come too slowly to hurt
her. Yes, thank Cod" as lifted her
out, Il believe she has only tainted
from the fright and close air." and
even as the words left his lips her
dear eyes opened and she saw me.
Jack, dear Jack" she whispered,
clinging to me with the nervous ire
NOR of frightened child, take me
home!"
And so up again, through the same
confused throng of guests. who were
now hurrying down the basement
stairs, | carried her back to the en-.
trance hall, and in few minutes we
were driving toward her home.
81 can't talk now, Jack" she said as
[ closed the carriage door, but oh,
have so much to tell you."
SO We sat in silence till we reached
her door; | of course wondering-not
only as we drove along, but after our
arrival, while Lisa was being duly
kissed and wept over by her excited
parents-just how much, and so
much" might be. A lovers second
sight told me that "the climate had
changed" but just what or how great
the change was | dared not not try to
think.
| had not, however, long to wait.
Mrs. Hargadine, with an inspired tact,
soon got herself and Mr.. Hargadine
out of the way and lisa and I were