The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-10-24

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control, would have impelled me to
strike him in the face, / returned the
salute, despising myself the while for
my contemplate weakness and lack
| of manhood. Mile. Rogalie raised her
| eyes shyIy to my face, softly said,
good morning, sir" and then lowered
them again. What was the meaning of
her shy, timid, singular look? Did she
know my secret? Or was it that / was
in the mood to place extravagant con-
| structioDs upon the most insignificant
details Of social intercourse? I chose
the worse view, and, gazing with per-
turbed looks at them all, took my seat
at the table.
"You do not seem well this morning, .
| observed Mr.. Mortlock.
| Again Mile. Rosalie raised her eyes
to mine with the same strange look;
again she lowered them Immediately.
II am quite well, Mr., Mortloch,"
said, and in no courteous tone. what
makes you think otherwise?,
Mr.. Mortlock simply said, 'I beg your
pardon" and proceeded with his break
fast.
"Have you seen Mr.. Fleetwood this
| morning. asked Mile. Rosalie.
The question was not directed to
anyone in particular, and my wife an
swered no, that she had not seen him
Then, once more, Mile. Rosalie looked
at me. And now in her strange glances
seemed to detect hi6d51e meaning
which irritated and confused me, be-
cause could not interpret it.
"Do you wish particularly to know if
have seen himY asked.
mo, SIR" she replied, quietly. II
was asking generally. I observe that
he has not placed the usual flowers
on the table,
This was a reference to mark of
affection and graceful attention which
Samuel Fleetwood was in the habit
of paying my wife and daughter. Ev-
cry morning, when they came down to
breakfast, there was posy for each of
them placed before their accustomed
seats at the table, and they knew that
the flowers came from this faithful
servant. On this morning there were
none. MY wife had noticed the omis-
sion, but had made no remark upon it;
and if Mile. Rosalie spoke spitefully
respecting it, natural cause might
be found in the circumstance that
Fleetwood never honored her by such
mark of attention. In reply to her
comment my wife simply said:
"Mr. Fleetwood is too busily engaged
81, 1,fe Ir.kfoc NTH Mr. vHfTr4oo%
II dare say" responded Mile Resale;
and the conversation dropped.
A couple Of hours after breakfast, it
being then ABOUT half-past II o'clock,
Mile. Rosalie remarked that Mr.. Will
mot was later than he was ON the
preceding morning, and my wife con-
Cured, but added that he must on no
account be disturbed. AS she looked
toward me for confirmation, l said
that he had given explicit instructions
that no one should go to his bedroom
until he summoned them. It was an
evidence Of the wretched state of my
nerves that 1 should feel annoyed by
Mile. Rosalie's simple repetition of my
words, until he summoned them"
She was busy with piece of embroid
cry, which she was making for Eu-
nice.
Another hour passed without sign
from my uncle, and, with the intention
of seeking Samuel Fleetwood, | left
the ladies and proceeded in the direc-
ton of my uncle's apartments. On the
way entered my own bedroom for a
clean handkerchief, and l casually OBJ
served piece Of thin whipcord, the
end of which was hanging down from
beneath the pillow OF the couch upon
which had slept It did not further
attract my attention, and, without re-
moving it, went in search of Fleet
wood. He was not to be found. !
questioned the servants, but not one
of them had seen him. asked whether
he had had his breakfast. and the an
swer was that he had not presented
himself at the breakfast table, and
that his absence had been commented
on. Knowing that he was suffering
from acute heart disease, and that my
doctor had said he had not long to
live, l proceeded to his room, adjoining
that of my uncle, fearing that he might
be i'll. But Fleetwood was not In his
room. His bed had been made and
the apartment was in clean and
orderly condition. l sought the cham
bermaid whose duty it was to attend
to the bedrooms, and ascertained that
she had attended as usual to Fleet
woods room.
1.-THE bed had been slept in?'' in
quired.
''Yes, sir" replied tine chambermaid.
"You are sure you have not seen
himr'
II am sure, sir. noticed that his
room was not as tidy as I've seen it
generally. Things seemed to be in con-
fusion"
l returned to Fleetwo0d's apartments,
between which and my uncIe's, as
have mentioned, was communicating
door. 1 placed my ear to this door
and listened heard no sound.
softly tried the door. It was locked;
but whether it had been locked from
the inside or the outside could not
| tell. BY this time it was / O'clock, and
/ began to feel uneasy. went to my
wife and consulted her. She hardly
knew what to advise, having gathered
from me how peremptory were my
uncle's instructions that he should not
be disturbed But when another hour
/ had passed we decided that in the
strange and unaccountable absence Of
Samuel Fleetwood. we would make 4
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