Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-27
DAILY SHORT STORY
MY KIDNAPPING.


! was told that my father and had
idoIized each other. but as l was only
four years old when. as my mother al
ways expressed il, he left us / did
not remember him.
When | was a girl of sixteen | was
one day watching a hOusemaid move
d desk She was about to put it back
In its place when / noticed the corner
Of an envelope sticking out FROM the
back of the desk took hold OF it
and drew it out. 1t was addressed to
my mother. had never been opened, and
the post mark bore a date Of twelve
years before. 1 concluded TO open it.
1t read:
II you are convinced. write me definitely
by return mail. After Saturday II will be
too late
1t was signed with a single letter.
either an NJ or W., l could not be
certain which
placed the note in one of the little
drawers in the upper part of the desk.
My mother was absent at the time. and
l intended to call her attention to it on
her return, but forgot all about it.
One evening | visited a friend who
lived few doors from our house and.
on taking my leave, started To go
home alone carriage was standing
by the curb. and two men were loiter
ing on the sidewalk. As l passed they
approached NE, and almost before ]
knew what had happened they had
lifted me of my feet and put me in
the carriage Then they both got in and
shut the door, and the coacbman drove
away.
| begged them with tears Ia tell me
what II all meant and what they were
going to do with me. One OF them as
sured me that no harm would come TO
me and had best calm myself. After
driving some distance they entered
large grounds. and stopped under the
porte cochere of n dwelling. The door
Of the house opened, and a matronly
woman came out, put her arm about
me with pleasant smile and led me in
~ the house and up into bedroom,
where sac said would spend the night.
/ questioned her. but she gave me no
Information. though she assured me
that no harm would come TO me. |
learned something, however. from over
hearing n telephone message, the in
strument being fixed in the hall. One
of the men who had kidnapped me was
talking
shes here"
a pause.
no. I'll guarantee that. Not hui
man being except those concerned
knows where she is or can track her"
A pause.
she behaves very well, though, Of
course. she's pretty badly cut up
The man listened to something more,
then hung up The receiver and went
downstairs A few minutes later !
heard the carriage drive away.
| will not attempt 10 describe my
feelings. which were rather puzzled
than otherwise, for 1 was so kindly
treated that il was impossible to con
tinue to be frightened. The motherly
woman brought me a nightdress and
asked me If Id like any supper. She
had no fear Of my getting out through
the window, for | was on the third
story
In the morning after breakfast / was
directed To go into the library. gen
tleman was waiting for me who as |
approached regarded me with face
on which sadness had been stamped.
but which now lighted up with kind
ness, love, admiration.
Marjorie. my child, what a splendid
girl you are"
1 drew back, astonlshed. who are
your / asked.
Your father"
My father is not living"
Has any one ever told you that he
Is dead?'
l could not remember that any one
had ever said so.
Marjorie" he continued drawing
me To him, II am really your father
Your mother has had you long enough;
a least IL is now my turn for awhile.
We shall sail this afternoon for Eu-
rope
was convinced that he was really
my father both by his bearing toward
ne and picture l had seen OF him.
temporized with him. neither asserting
nor dissenting. We were still talking to
gether when several men forced their
way into the house, and soon after my
mother drove up In a carriage She
found me with my father. Seizing her
by the hand. | endeavored To draw her
to him. begging them to be reconciled.
impossible" said my father Il
gave your mother a last opportunity
more than ten years ago"
You did not" said my mother. tears
starting to her eyes. You left me
without "a word"
Il wrote to you that If you were con
WINGED your suspicious of my infidelity
were unfounded 10 write me within
a kISen time. After that IL would be
eFlate"
The words recalled the letter I had
found
sYnu yyrofa M Sugh latfar Won laff