The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-08
The MISSING MINI
By MARY R.P. HATCH.
Author of
"The Bank Tragedy"

self. To speak plainly, Constance, il
is only too evident that the man is
terribly infatuated with you, and no
doubt he had some romantic notion
of shooting himself under your win
dows, so that you might understand
his devotion"
Mr.. Hamilton did not speak sneer-
ingly, but as if he were stating a
plausible idea, and it looked so reason
able that Constance was exceedingly
startled.
"Oh, don't think So" she said but
sank down, cold and trembling, on a
sofa, While her husband walked to the
window and looked out.
Primus Edes did not die. Indeed, he
began to mend rapidly, though his
mind wandered, the direct result of
the injury to his brain. DR.. Peck
stated that nothing less could have
been looked for, but that the disturb
ance would pass away in a few weeks
at furthest, in his opinion, when
1t might be safe to question him con-
corning his wound and how received.
Constance, though she felt much anx-
lety, never went near him, nor to the
house, but Mr.. Hamilton called each
morning, and questioned Mrs. Fry
regarding his progress in recovery.
He seems better to-day" said Mrs.
Fry, nearly three weeks after the
shooting. He looks bright and takes
notice of things. But, somehow, he
acts a little mite queer"
How? doesn't he know your"
Yes, he called me Mrs. Fry, but he
asked me why he was at my house,
and l told him because he was fetched
here, and then he wanted to know why
he wasn't taken home instid."
1T is but natural that his mind
should wander" said Mr.. Hamilton.
i wish you would just step in and
look at him."
Mr.. Hamilton hesitated Cor a mo-
ment and then followed Mrs. Fry to
the comfortable apartment where lay
Primus Edes on his bed, pallid and
emaciated, his dark hair cropped short
and his eyes shrunken.
Mr.. Hamilton has called in to see
you" said Mrs. Fry, approaching and
Strengthening the bedclothes.
"Mr-who?" asked the sick man,
staring at his visitor, and at her, with
wild look in his eyes.
"Mr. Hamilton" she repeated.
Are you my ghost?" asked Edes,
snatching at the bedclothes. Am l
| dead, then, and you my other self
come to haunt me?'
mo, no." said Mrs. Fry, soothing
ly, "nobuddy sha'n't ha'nt you, not if
know it. He just come to see how
you was, that's ALL"
But you said his name was Hamil-
ton, and he looks as I have seen my
self thousand times in the mirror"
"Oh, no; not a mite like YOU"
81 tell you he does"
We'll, then, he dooz, jest a mite"
That's So"
His name is Hamilton, you say"
"Lor', now, did 1? It's Hammerly,
l meant, our minister" said Mrs. Fry,
alarmed at the growing excitement of
her patient and lying with a glibness
surprising to herself.
Mr. Hamilton, meanwhile, had left
the room and stood waiting for Mrs
| Fry at the outer door.
odd what ideas sick folks taken
she said. HE amt as well as ]
| thought he was"
mo, l am afraid his brain has beer
permanently injured" said Mr.. Hamil.
ton, who seemed TO be not a little
disturbed. II will not go in again, my
! presence seems to agitate him. Car
you think of any reason why il
| should?"
mo, don't, unless-no, I can't think
of nothin'," and Mr.. Hamilton left her
and went on his way to his office al
the mill.
"Unless,' said Mrs. Fry, drawing
in her under lip, and setting her teeth
into it-"unless he is set against him
because he is her husband. Though
why he should be upset by the name
| when he has heard it hundreds OF
times, and why he should say he was
his ghost an looked like him, is more'n
| can tell"
Mrs. Fry kept out of her boarders
room for an hour, and when she en-