The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-01

he told me. and that 1t had left him with a weak throat, and d hesitating, whisper ing fashion of speech. He was always we'll dressed, very neat and plain, but his eyes were weak, just as mine are, and
 he wore tinted glasses against the glare.
 Well, and what happened when MT
 Windibank, your stepfather, returned to
 France?'
 MT. Hosmer Angel came to- the house
 again and proposed that we should marry before father came back. He was in dread
 ful earnest, and made me swear. with
 my hands on the Testament. that what
 ever happened I would always be true to
 him Mother said that 1t was quite right
 to make me swear and that 1t was sign
 of his passion. Mother was all in his favor from the first, and was even fonder
 of him than l was. Then, when they
 talked of marrying within the week, be-
 gan to ask about father but they both said never to mind about father but
 Just to tell him afterwards, and mother said she would make It all right with
 him. didn't quite like that. Mir. Holmes
 It seemed funny that I should ask his
 leave, as he was only few years older
 than me; but I didn't want to do any thing on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux where the company has It's
 French offices. but the letter came back
 to me on the very morning Of the wed-
 ding"
 Tt missed him then?"
 "Yes, sir, for he had started to England just before it arrived"
 Hal that was unfortunate. Your we'd ding was arranged, then for Friday Was 1t to be in church?'
 "Yes, sir, but very quietly. It was to be at St. Saviour's, near Kings Cross and we were to have breakfast after wards at the St. Pancras hotel. Hosmer came for us in handsom. but there 1o r,,tf hnf trtn and stepped himself into a four-wheeler which happened to be the only other cab fin the street We got to the church first and when the four wheeler drove up we waited for him to step out, but he never did, and when the cabman got down from the box and looked, there was no one there! The .cabman said that he could not imagine what had become of him. for he had seen him get in with his own eyes. That was last Friday, Mir. Holmes. and 1 never have seen or heard anything since then to throw any light upon what became of him."
 "It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated" said Holmes "Oh no, siri He was too good and kind to leave me so. Why all the morn- ing he was saying to me that, whatever happened I was to be true, and that If even something quite unforeseen occurred to separate us, I was always to remem- Der that I was pledged to him, and that
 he would claim his pledge sooner or later It seemed strange talk for we'd ding morning, but what has happened
 since gives a meaning to it.' Most certainly it does. Your own opinion is, then, that some unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to hlm?' "Yes, sir. I believe that he foresaw some danger. or else he would not have talked so. And then I think that what | he foresaw happened"
 But you have no notion as to what 1 it could have been?'
 None"
 "One more question. How did your 1 mother take the matter?'
 "She was angry and said that Twas | never to speak of the matter again." l And your father? Did you tell him ?' ''Yes; and he seemed to think, with l me, that something had happened, and | that I should hear of Hosmer again. AS he said. what interest could any one have | In bringing me to the doors of the church | and then leaving me? Now, If he. had | borrowed my money, or If he had married 1 me and got my money settled on him. | there might be some reason; but Hosmer | was very Independent about money and | never would look at shilling of mine | And yet what could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives | me half mad to think of 1t, and I cant | sleep wink at night She pulled a little handkerchief out of her huff and began | to sob heavily into It.
 l "I shall glance into the case for you. ' | said Holmes, rising; "and I have nc 1 doubt that we shall reach some definite