Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-05-20
cHAprER xxI1.-fcontInued.l


was just going 10 leave. when Mr..
Montgomery came up to me again, dress
ed for the street.
Il can't find it now. Silas: will bring
It home with me and you can do it to-
morrow"
Vexet and annoyed at this trihing. l
ran round to the front OF the house.
But to re enter the pit was impossible.
The people were crowding out in one
dense stream; so | was obliged to stand
inside until my companions should APP
pear, or until the passage was sutti-
ciently cleared for me to 90 back to
seek them.
had net stood there many seconds
before / saw Mrs. Wilson forcing her
self through the crowd. and looking wild
ly about hen She caught sight of me in
an instant
"Where is Clara?" she cried. gasping
for breath. Il have lost her in the
crowd. Some men pushed between us,
and separated her from me- and from
that moment l have lost sight Of her
Look about you. She must be in the
street"
The audience were now dispensing in
all directions. Up and down, in and out
the crowd, hare, there and everywhere,
l eagerly sought for her. but she was
nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Wilson, stand
Ing in a doorway. trembling and wiring
ing her hands, soon collected a small
crowd round her
Had they selu a young lady, in a
black dress. with 'ong golden hairf" she
never ceased asking.
At last a man Suggested that the po-
..~l,, 10
the door during the latter part Of the
performance was The most likely person
to have seen her.
Yes. He had seen young person an
swering the description. She had been
one among the first Of the crowd to come
down the passage. She looked as if she
had lost some one. When she got into
the street young man touched her upon
the arm and said something, and she
walked away with him. Then he lost
sight OF her.
What was the man likeT Isasked.
"Oh, he was a youngish, smooth faced
fellow, with cap on" was the reply.
The very man who had beckoned me
out Of the pit. 1t was a plot. then;
but by whom originated, and for what
purposel
Take a cab; go to Bow street police
station at once. and l will follow you in
a few minutes" l said TO Mrs Wilson.
Back l rushed to the stage door, Had
Mr.. Montgomery left the theater? He
had followed out at my heels, was the
answer.
Suddenly l betholght me OF the public
house frequented by Josiah and Mr..
Montgomery. Away | ran thither. No;
they had not been there that evening.
Then l went down to Bow street, where
l found Mrs. Wilson, more dead than
alive, giving her deposition.
Are you quite certain that the young
lady has not gone off of her own free
will?-some sweethearting case, per
haps-only for a little walk-met some
one she knew. and finding that she had
missed you, he has taken her home =
suggested the functlonary who was tax
ing down the dispositions.
Pray disabuse your mind Of such an
idea, the young lady in question has NO
friends except those you see here
knows no others-associates with nc
others"
The solemn earnestness of my tones
seemed to convince him Of his error, fol
from that time he gave us a more seri
Gus attention.
"A description shall be sent to the diff
ferent heats and police stations, and YOU
had better issue bills, and if you care
to go to the expense, advertise in th'
daily papers If we hear anything, We
will let you know. But you can make
your mind easy upon one point-at least
| think so; wherever she is, she hat
gone with her own free will There
no accounting for the vagaries Of girls.
Both myself and Mrs. Wilson felt yer!
angry at the light and skeptical mamie
In which subject so momentous to IL
, was treated; but the officer only smile,
at our warmth.
, Mrs. Wilson expressed her intention
Of issuing bills early the next morning
offering a reward for her discovery
There was nothing more to be done il
that place, for the cab was waiting
and | persuaded her to return home i'm
mediately. She implored me TO accom-
pany her No, | would search the neigh
bcrhood; l might chance to get som
tidings.
Finding that all her entreaties wer
In vain the old lady reluctantly depart
5 ed alone.
p Mr.. Jonathan was standing upon tn
doorstep when the cab drove up. Befur
the cabman could descend from the box
he had the door open.
"Where is she-where is Clara p h
asked, seeing but one person within.
Too utterly terrified and bewildered {
think of the oddity OF such n questio
+, from stranger whom she had neve
g seen before, Mrs. Wilson could only gasJ
q 'She Is gone-run away with"
Ten minutes afterwards, Mr.. ions
than jumped into the cab that ha
brought her home, and which he ordere
a to stay. "To the Bow street polio
. station as fast as you can drive" h
: cried.
n
I All that night l wandered about in
, frenzied state up and down the streets
down by the river. | know not wher,
1t came on to rain. and | was soake
J. 10 the skin. Still, hour after hour. 1 lii
4 gered about the same spot: the daw
{ broke and merged into broad dayligh
= and the hustle Of the day began, yet sti
Z l could not tear myself away; the pas
ers-by shrank from me-they must hay
thought me an escaped lunatic. At las
= felt that nature could hold ont no Ion,
e err; that l must fall down upon III
e pavement II | walked about any longe
!. l can remember dragging myself dow
s 10 my lodging. throwing myself in IN
|. wet clothes upon the bed, and then
all is a blank.
CHAPTER XXIII.
l. Wild. grotesque phantasma-a sen,
e OF intense suffering, aching pains, parcl