The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-01-12


my solicitor | must defer giving in
structions for my will until tomorrow.
jumped into a cab, and drove to Lin
coins Inn Fields, No 36, ready to make
the fullest apologies for my unpunctu-
atty
went up stairs, found Mr.. Monks
Office. and sent my name in to him by
his clerk. am invited TO enter his pri-
vate room. Mr.. Monk was busy with
some papers.
You will find your friend in the next
room, Mr.. Lorraine he said Il will
join you in a moment
The clerk opened green-baize door
through which passed, and found my
self in another office. In it, however.
was no sign OF Viola and Grant. re-
turned to Mr.. Monk, and told him they
were not there.
"Then they must have grown tired Of
waiting for you, and have gone for a
stroll. There Is a door which opens in
to the passage. No doubt they went
that way. You must sit down and take
your turn at waiting Mr.. Lorraine
waited half an hour then determin-
ed to go in search Of them. 1t was pos
sible they had gone to look for me; so
/ went down into the street. and asked
the driver Of the brougham II he had
seen the lady.
Yes. sir; she went by about an hour
ago with a tall gentleman"
(which way?"
Il don't know sir. saw them hail
cab and drive of. didn't notice in
which direction they went
Why In the world should they have
taken a cab. when the brougham was at
the door? ! was very cross at the
though OF Violas driving about London
in a cab with Eustace Grant; but, as
the brougham was still waiting at No
36, il was clear that they meant to re-
turn. After all. the rest thing that
could do was to wait Il yet, not a
thought Of the truth had yentured TO
invade my brain.
So / waited on the pavement out
side Mr.. Monks office for at least an
hour longer. Still no sign oi my wife.
II I grew nervous and anxious. Surely
some accident must have happened
something that obliged her to go
straight to the hotel But even then
Grant would have come to let me know
It. Still not a thought Of the dreadful
truth But where could she be2
/ I jumped into the brougham. and
drove to the hotel No; Mrs. Lorraine
was not there.
drove to Miss Rosslter's. Viola had
been there in the morning. but had left
about half past eleven o'clock. did
not see Miss Rossiter. WHO. I was aorry
to hear. was III in bed As last re-
source, | drove to Grants house. and
asked for him. He was out Had not
been home since the morning. Quite
uncertain when he would return.
1t was now past three o'clock. Anx-
ious and annoyed, could do nothing
but 20 back to the hotel end wait for
my wifes return. Still not a thought
OF the truth
I sTent the rest Of the afternoon and
evening passing from the hotel to Miss
Rosters, from there to Grants lcdg-
ings. and from Granite lodgings back to
the hotel. Only at one OF these three
places could hope to find tidings Of
Viola Repeatedly as | had called. It
was not until nearly eleven o'clock that
found Eustace Grant at home.
But by now was In a different mood.
Shall I be blamed for saying that this
long and unexplained absence OF Vio-
las. in company. it seemed. with Grant,
brought horrible dread which l scarce
" dared to breathe tomyself? The news
that Grant was at last at home lifted a
weight from my heart He would be
able to tell me when and where he part
ed with Viola. No doubt be had a mes
sage for me that would clear up every
thing.
But although Mr.. Grant was at home.
the servant informed me that he would
see no one tonight. / made no COM
ment on this denial | simply forced
the door open, and putting the fright
ened servant aside, strobe through the
hall and entered the sitting-room in
which Grant had. on the night when
l first met him. interrogated me. 1t was
empty threw myself into a chair, and
waited until some one made my pres
ence known to the man whom l was
bent upon seeing.
No doubt he heard the noise OF my
forcible entrance In a minute the
folding-door, which, as Is often the
case in lodgings. divided the sitting
room from the bedroom opened, and
Eustice Grant appeared AS he did so.
caught glimpse Of the bedroom from
which ne emerged. An open portman-
teau, apparently half-packed. was lying
on the bed. and there were other evil
dences Of preparation for journey.
Grant advanced toward me. but he
made no pretense OF greeting me. He
neither offered his hand, nor bade me
good-evenig. ! rose and faced him.
He was pale. almost ghastly pale. His
brows we're bent. and slight twitch Of
the nostril told me he was suffering
from some great, though suppressed
emotion. He looked at me haughtily