The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-04-03

Shsckleton.t The next nrinted
lines here and there illed with VIII VIII
ing He moved so that the Iuli The
fell on it through prea IN t ~ be-
fore he grasped its real meaning. P Nl,
he knew the name of Lucy FraseiI' . [o0
Mariposa had once toiC MIN IL hau
For a space he stGoc motlonleSS III
der the tree. staring at the paper, t iSs
cusing his mind on IL. seizlng on w. 70
the surface of his memory 1t dazeu
him at first. Then he began TO uhdeI-
stand. The mysterious drama tnat en-
vironed the girl upstairs began 70 slow
clear to him. This was the document
that had been stolen from her Iase
night. the loss Of which had tnroM rs
her into frenzy of despair-the record
of a marriage between her mother ana
Jake Shackleton.
Without stopping to think further he
thrust it into his pocket and ran 10
the house AS he mounted the porcn
steps the scene of his first meeting
with Mariposa flashed suddenly Ike
magic-lantern picture across his MIND
He heard her hysterical cry lie
was my fatherr Another veil of the
mystery seemed lifted.
And now he shrank from penetrat-
ing further. for he began to see II
Mariposa. had some sore secret to hide
let her keep it shut in her own breast.
All he had to do was to give the paper
to her as soon as he could. In the mo-
ment's passage of the balcony and the
pause while he inserted his latch-key
in the door he tried TO think how he
could restore it to her without letting
her think ne had read it. The key
turned and as the door gave he decided
that it must be given her at once with
out wasting time or Dothering about
comforting lies.
He burst into the hall and then stood
still. the doorhandle in his hand. In the
dim light the two Garcia ladies and the
two boys met his eyes, standing in
group at the foot of the stairs. There
I, t,As.- = 1ff
tudes that bespoke uneasiness and anxi-
ETY.. Their four pairs of eyes were fas
tened on him with curious alarmed
gravity
He kicked the door shut and said:
'How's Miss Moreaug
The question seemed to increase their
we don't know where she is" said
young Mrs. Garcia.
Isn't she in her ROOM he demanded.
''No-thats what's SO funny. / thought
/ Just peeked in and she isn't there. And
Benitos been all over the house and
can't find her. 1t seems so crazy Of her
to go out in all this rain. but her out
side things are not in the closet or any
where.
They stood silent for moment. cycling
one another with faces of disturbed
query.
The opening Of Pierpont's door reused
them. The young man appeared in the
aperture and then came slowly forward.
Have you seen Miss Moreau?" he sIid
to young Mrs. Garcia.
No" said Barron hurriedlys but
yes: she was down in my room this
Singing echoed the others in wide
Yes, and 1 am rather anxious about
her. That's why / came out when 1
heard your voices. She's had a pretty
severe disappointment, I'm afraid. She
seems to have lost her voice"
Lost her vofceP calculated Mrs. Gar
ella in a low gasp of horror. Good
The boys looked from one to the other
with the round eyes of growing fear and
dread. The calamity. announced by
Pierpont, did not seem adequate for the
CONSERVATION it caused. but Oppres-
sive sense of apprehension was in the
air.
What made her want to sing?" said
the widow; she was too sick TO sing"
That's what / told her. but she in
sisted She was determined to. She said
she was going to Europe to study;
deep voice that put the question this
time Mrs. Garcia being too astonfshed
BY this last piece OF Intelligence TO have
ing to Europe?"
I'm a day or two-as soon as she could
pack her trunks, she said. 1 don't really
think she was quite accountable for
what she said. She was burning with
fever and she seemed in a tremendously
wruught-up state | think the fright OF
tried to cheer her UP. but she ran away
as if she was frantic Have any of you
seen herr"
ously fiat. she's gone.
''Gone?' echoed Pierpont. Gone
where?"
1--WE don't any of us know. But she's
not in the house anywhere. And now it's
getting dark and"
There was a pause. one Of those preg-
nant pauses of mute anxiety, while each
eyed the other with glances full of an
alarmed surmise.
Perhaps the robber came and took her
away" said Benito in voice of terror.
No one paid any attention. As if by
common consent all present fastened
questioning eyes on Barron. He stood
looking down. his brows knit The 81
lence of dumb uneasiness was broken by
the entrance of the Chinaman from the
kitchen. With the expressionless phlegm
Of his race he lit the two hall gas jets,
gently but firmly moving the sonora out
Of his ;; way, and paying d no ate attention to
Ching" said Barron suddenly, have
you seen Miss Moreau this afternoon
Yes" returned the Celestial, carefully
adjusting the tap of the second gas, she
go out hap-past four. She heap hurry.
She look welly bad-heap sick I guess;
no umblella; get awful wet.
With his noiselesS tread he retreated
up the passage to the kitchen
shes just possibly gone out to see some
one and will be back soon. But no UNI
brella in this rain, Have her room warm
and everything ready"
He turned round and in an instant was
gone. The little group at the stairpost
1t was possible that Mariposa had gone
out to see some one. But the dread Of
disaster was at every heart