Smyrna times., 1904-10-05
THE .....
INTERRUPTED
FLIGHT By ST..
TINSLEY
Copyright, 1901, by S. L. Tinsley

SssSSSeSSSSssoSsS0So0oeO0o .
Tomorrow then at the latest, but
Il would be worth a thousand dollars
more to you if you could leave on the
midnight train"
Mr.. Factore took up the roll of papers
and started toward the door
If you change your mind so that
YOU can manage to leave tonight, why,
call me up, will you"
Mr.. Franklin Thickerton, who was
opening and closing the drawers of
his desk, turned around hastily.
Yes, yes, I'll see, my boy, I'll seew
Pierce Factore nodded his head, and
was about to leave the room when
Mr.. Thickerton whirled around sud
denly in his chair, with an expression
of dismay upon his thin, smooth face
"Eloise! What will do with Eloise?"
Pierce Factore uttered an exclama-
ton of impatience.
Marry her to some onel' exclaimed
Factore in evaporation, hardly know
ing what he was saying. To his
amazement Mr.. Thickerton seized upon
his idea with delight
"By George, the very thing! Glad
you thought of it. I'll attend to it at
once. Perhaps, after all, I'll be able
to leave on the midnight express" :"
Then, whirling his chair around, Mr..
ThickertOn applied himself to work.
Having finished his letters, Mr..
ThickertOn hurriedly rang the bell and
then impatiently awaited the arrival
of his daughter, ElOise. Eloise Thick
ertOn was a TALL slim girl, with pale
4 face, large gray eyes and short, curly,
light brown hair. When she entered
the room in answer to her fathers
summons, she looked about her with a
frightened expression. A summons
from papa meant something extra.
Mr. Thickerton was always too busy
to say more than good morning OIL
good night to his daughter When
Eloise had closed the door, her father
began speaking.
MY dear, l lnust leave at once fol
Russia on business. l may be gone
months, and I may be gone years"
Eloise grasped her fathers arm IL
surprise.
Papa" she exclaimed.
Yes, l must go at once. This dea
means much money for me. There
fore l have sent for you to tell yol
that you are to be married at once
this evening by s o'clock at the lat
est. That is all, my dear. You rul
away. l am busy, very busy
Poor Eloise! The room swan befOr
her eyes. She sank into a chair, be
cause she could not trust herself t
stand.
Papa, dear-dear papa, what do yo1
meanY"
Her voice was so pitiful that eve
her busy father found time to tur
around and look at her.
There, there, my dear, don't fret
it will soon all be over"
Eloise shuddered. Papa, dear, yo
don't mean it, do you? You're jus
teasing me, aren't your
She clasped her hands. He did nc
look at her, but shook his head an
drummed nervously upon the desk.
There, there, my dear, run ava
now and don't bother me. l am yer
busy. But remember, be ready by 6
Eloise walked sadly toward the doc
Then she hesitated and looked bac
timidly at her father.
Whom am l going to marry, papa
Franklin Thickerton dds not unde
stand his daughters question, and
was too busy to ask her to repeat it.
he answered absently, Never min
my dear, never mind"
Eloise silently left the room.
One hour later Franklin ThickertC
was sitting in Judge Wilton's oftic
The Judge listened while Mr.. Thicke
ton talked. The conversation CO.
cerned Judge WaltOn's son.
"You have always favored a ma
riage between Eloise and Harry. As
start for Russia tonight and have
one with whom l could leave L
daughter, why not let'us have the ms
rlage performed this evening? VIII
do you say?"
The lawyer looked at the judge.
'What does Eloise say?" replied t
Judge.
"She will do what 1 say"
Very well, Harry shall be on ha
at o'clock tonight"
The two men shook hands, and La
yer Thickerton hurried away to ma
the final arrangements for his journ'
At a quarter before 8 o'clock
Thickerton household was in a state
excitement. Eloise was missing. l
housekeeper was weeping in the sittl
room. The lawyer had locked hlms
in the library. The servants were d
died together whispering in the Kitten
Eloise had left the house an III
before, and her father had eXpec
her to return in a few moments. J
had not returned, and the housekee
had found a note in her room
dressed to Mr.. Thickerton.
This note informed the lawyer t
his daughter would not be mari
that night. She had gone away
Eyo1YId ,,o.-o. or.,f,, fror1nIa har 70 IN