The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-28
HE FOUND THE MAN.

The Clarion Call. Only q dislike to own
mysolf beaten and the occasional ~fascina-
ton which ccI2snsated for the more fire.
quept discomfort kept me In the office.
But all this UgE before the day r was sent
to Interview tas wife and daughter OF the
man who had Just disturbed society by
disappearing from it.
MI. Grey, so 1t had been learned from
Abe notices concerning his disappearance,
had one evening after dinner gone cut for
q stroll around the block. He had never
come back. His family was of course
prostrated after the manner of families on
such sad occasions. After giving him
time to come back, sending to his clubs,
his office and the houses Of his friends his
wife had finally told his lawyers, and sys-
tematic search was begun. The family
had retired from public life and denied
themselves to every one, consequently
my chances for an interview with Mrs.
Grey did not see hopeful, but the city ed
itor's air of granting me the opportunity
I had been longing for made me loath to
admit my fears.
took the train for the Greys' they
lived q little way out Of town-and pre-
pared myself to meet the servants scorn
and the other attendant evils Of suoh an
assignment. The coach was an ordinary
one, and there were several laboring men
in 1t, evidently travelling to some suburb
where they were to work upon the roads,
for they carried picka1es and shovels.
There sat opposite me and slightly for
ward a peculiar type Of nan to whom ]
found my gaze wandering every few min
utes. His iron gray hair was thick and
very unevenly out. His face was covered
with q stubbly growth Of gray beard. he
looked unwashed, unkempt and generally
unpleasant. His blue o~veralls were stain
ed with red clay and his red flannel shirt
opened at the front In a way that revealed
anything but a beautiful neck, burned
and blistered. But the mans %twitohing
lips and oonvulsive movements Of the jaws
attracted my attention, and his deep sst,
steely blue eyes that burned in cavernous
sockets fascinated me. He did not talk to
the other men, but sat with his head sunk
upon his breast, only occasionally raising
1t to cast q look about him. He, with the
other laborers, left the train at Forestvile,
where the Greys lived, and I soon saw
them, under the direction Of o foreman,
assigned to make various road repairs.
OF course Mrs. Grey would not see me.
I sat In the library while the servant took
my card to her, for there were other callers
In the drawing room. Over the mantel
hung a picture, presumably Mrs. Grey,
done in oil. She was as beautiful as q
cameo and a. hard. Opposite her was the
portrait Of q clean shaver man, with fine
iron gray hair brushed of his forehead-a
more plebeian cast of countenanoe, but
strong and interesting. The face seemed
familiar. I stared at 1t until the servant
returned.
"Mrs. Grey is sorry, miss, but she can
Bee. no one, and has nothing to say for
publication"
every WE'LL" said I. Then I rose to 60
ISIS that Mr.. Greys" I asked, nodding
toward the picture.
eyes, miss" was the reply, and sud-
denly 1t flashed upon me where I had seen
those deep set, curiously shaped, keen blue
eyes. My heart leaped almost into my
mouth. 7 took one long look at the por'
trait and left the house.
The men were repairing the road, and !
noticed one Of the workmen whose face
startled me. The resemblance to the por-
trait I had seen Of Mr.. Grey wa remarka-
BILE. He worked with q fierce delight In
the severe labor. His face seemed more
mad than ever, with the exultation OF mo-
ton and strength deepening the CLEAN In
his eyes.
There was q telegraph office at the end
Of the street. ] sent q message to the city
editor. "Send q mar to ForestVille at
once" was my command. Then while /
----l A. .4~oo I'D r-alHn1 ahNnt thu
square I reflected upon the welcome /
would receive If I had made a mistake.
Every minute I became moe and more
convinced that I had made the most oolos.
sal blunder on record. By the time Mr..
Ellington Ellsworth, the only man who
happened to be available when my tele.
gram was received, had arrived I wal
nearly hysterical. I told Mr.. Ellsworth
my theory, and he was properly skeptical.
He discouraged me thoroughly In about
two minutes, but I suddenly rallied.
"Wel," I remarked, taking command,
II want you to keep that man in sight ]
shall go to town and get his lawyer. Find
out what train they 60 In on, and I'll
meet you"
Mr.. Ellsworth didn't wish to aot upon
that suggestion, but he finally consented
to do so. I went in, summoned Mr..
Grey's lawyer and with him met the
workingmen's train. Mr.. Ellsworth, look
ing bored and unhappy, got out and point
ed out u suspected disappearance" to
his lawyer. My heart stood in my mouth.
Was I to be forever disgraoed or made IA.
NOUS forever
"Mr. Grey" said the lawyer, stepping
forward, what does this meanf"
And when I saw the man start wildly ]
knew that I was not forever dissraced.
"well." said the city editor jovially.
"whst did they sayP"
"They didn't soy anything. They didn't
seame."
$50 you didn't get tho interviswl" said
the city editor shortly.
"No,"I replied msekly, "but I found
the missing ian"
And now, such Is the irony Of fats, the
city editor, instead Of letting me rest on
my laurels, is always ~exhortinR me to live
up to the reputation I made in the Grey
case, when I found the missing man,
learned how overwork had worn out his
brain and how in his half orazed oondi-
ton he wandered away and returned 10
his original occupation In life, to the ho1-
TOR of his wife with the cameolike fsoe. II
only I had never been 20 brilliAntHEx-
change.
He Preferred Death.
Baron de Malnrtie, a German who had
served in Mexico with Macmillan, told to
Sir NJ. Grant Duff, who records 1t in his
"Diary," the following story OF an In.
dian,s deyntion to his leader: