The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-04-15
81 Bound by a Spell
CHAPTER XXU.-(Continued.)

He left me. SeVerdl mIHuIeS ci"poou'
and he did not return. l was becoming
uneasy at my absence from my compan-
ions Then l heard the curtain fall.
was lust going to leave, when NE.
Montgomery came up to me again, Dress
ed for the street.
II can't find it now, Silas; will bring
II home with me and you can do II To-
morrow"
Vexed and annoyed at this trif1ing, 1
ran round to the front OF tie mouse.
But to re-enter the pit was nnpossloie.
The people were crowding out In one
dense stream; so l was obliged to stand
aside until my companions should ap-
pear. or until the passage was sum-
GENTLY cleared for me to go PACK TO
seek them.
had not stood there many seconds
before 1 saw Mrs. Wilson forcing her
self through the crowd, and looking wild
ly about her. She caught sight Of me in
an instant.
Where is Clara?" she cried, gasping
for breath. II have lost her In the
crowd. Some men pushed between u.s.
and separated her from me: and from
that moment 1 have lost sight Of her.
Look about you. She must be i'll the
street"
The audience were now dispensing in
all directions. Up and down, in and out
the crowd, here, there and everywhere.
1 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 seen a young lady, in a
black dress, with long golden hair!' she
never erased asking.
A -, man suggested that the po-
lceEr yho had been standing about
the door during the latter part of the
performance was the most likely person
to have seen her.
Eyes. He had seen young person an
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 like?" asked.
'Oh, he was a youngish. smooth-faced
fellow, with a 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
purpose?
Take a cab; 60 to Bow street police
station at once, and l will follow you in
q few minutes" 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 bethought me of the public
house frequented by Josiah and Mr..
Montgomery Away l ran thither No;
Then l went down to Bow street, where
/ 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 little walk-met some
one she knew, and finding that she had
missed you. he has taken her home 2"
suggested the functionary 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 no
others
The solemn earnestness of my tones
seemed to convince him of his error, for
from that time he gave us a more seri-
Gus attention.
"A description shall be sent to the diff
fereDt heats and police stations, and you
had better issue bills, and il you care
to go to the expense, advertise in the
daily papers. II we hear anything, we
will let you know. But you can make
your mind easy upon one point-at least,
1 think so; wherever she is. she has
gone with her own free will. There's
no accounting for the vagaries of girls. I"
Both myself and Mrs. Wilson felt very
angry at the light and skeptical manner
in which subject so momentols to us
was treated; but the officer only smiled
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 in
that place, for the cab was waiting,
and l persuaded her to return home inn
mediately. She implored me TO accom-
pany her. No. would search tie neigh
bcrhood; l might chance to get soine
tidings.
Finding that all her entreati.s were
in vain, the old lady reluctantly depart
ed alone.
Mr.. Jonathan was standing upon the
doorstep when the cab drove up. Before
the cabman could descend from the box.
he had the door open.
Where is she-where is Clara ?" he
asked, seeing but one person within.
Too utterly terrified and bewildered TO
think Of the oddity of such a question
from a stranger whom she had never
seen before, Mrs. Wilson could only gasp.
"She is gone-run away with"
Ten minutes afterwards, Mr.. iona
than jumped into the cab that had
brought her home, and which he ordered
to stay. ITO the Bow street police
station as fast as you can drive" he
cried.
All that night 1 wandered about in 4
frenzied state up and down the streets
down by the river. l know not where,
1t came on to rain, and l was soaked
to the skin. Still, hour after hour T lin.
gered about the same spot. RI. dovr