La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1906-07-14

THAT STICK BELONGS TO BOSTON
ACTOR.
greatly berated for having left the rear
door OF the barn unfastened- Mean
while | went to the front of the house
and found Celia still leaning upon the
gate. but Mephistopheles had van
ished.
From the evidence In my possession
there was only one conclusion Celia
was involved in u nonsensicai romance
with man who was highly objection
able to her parents. l was deeply
sreved, for we were cousins True.
the tie of blood between us was as
thin as a homeopathic thirty-second di-
luton. still l had always called her
parents uncle and aunt and had thought
Of her az member of my family.
Such being the case. what was my nat
nral duty-to find the man. lead him
by the ears TO the end of Long wharf
and drop him overheard? That was at
least my first impulse. yet l could not
help feeling the need OF little more
Information before proceeding 10 exc
cute vengeance I would wish to act
in such way as would serve Celia
best. In order to act wisely must get
lt the facts.
! was not prepared to believe that
Asa and the unknown Romeo had been
so overbold as TO. choose my uncle's
barn as their dressing room. More
probably the exchange OF raiment had
been made In thick grove Of spruces
which stood in the field. and the inva-
sion of the barn had been an after
thought of Asa's.
Upon this supposition the place to en-
trap the bogus Mephisto was the grove.
and 50 withdrew to that spot US Sc
cretiy as possible and waited more
than an hour in vain. Meanwhile the
procession had formed In front OF the
town hall. and the air was shuddering
at the music Of the Bentonvillc band.
emerged from my hiding pInce aud
Intercepted the procession. Mephlsto
was not AMONG its attractions. and bis
absence was subject OF comment He
appeared later In manner sufficiently
mysterious to match the part. that he
played. and satisfied myself that he
was the real Asa Colby this time.
did not dare to question him, for II he
supposed that his harmless burglary Of
the barn was unsuspected he might
keep still about II. whereas. IL accused.
be might attempt too public justifica-
ton.
My only real clew lay In the initials
ON the cane. They would not fit the
name OF any young man in that com
munity: they puzzled me completely.
And yet .-G. So must have been in
away within a year. Perhaps he had
lodged at the B-ntonville hotel. and
upon this theory approached the land
lord OF that place Of entertainment and
exhibited to him the cane. which ] said
l had found in the woods.
That stick belongs to Boston actor
named Gilbert seabury.' said he.
Don't you take it up to your uncle's
house. II you do he'll have a ft."
"wby.- asked. with counterfeit
surprise.
'seabury was here n couple Of weeks
in June he replied Ills folks live In
I-ynde--a town about fifteen miles
north Of BentonvilIe. He got TO know
your cousin Celia. and he was talking
her head full Of theatrical notions.
She's a bit stage struck anyhow. you
know. Your Aunt Anne got on to il.
snd-weIl. you know Jour Aunt Anne
Here was a very serious situation In
deeA and no doubt IL was my duty to
lay the whole case frankly before my
auAt Yet no man likes To do that sort
Of thing ! resolved To End sut. Grsf
whether Seabury was still in town. and
50 I spent the whole affernoon hunting
for him. assisted by the lsnsilsrd's De-
rcriptiou and my own view Of TIE
actors clothes By supper the I was
euavinceSi DAT ~ had eoae away an
shat Celia was safe frsa his hisfFtmtc
v2ps<fngs for ne presezf-
TARse was to be . aieFAny ~ 1fe-
vug&s il - evenina wifhin tne f0<t
- - Ill . res5c ~ Enk4<A occgn-
~ - urvesuttsuasy tiDesL Ces,a -
NJ 49, - vesfmenfs sf Cseunbo
- - aoge4fe6 6wsuy - sfszgun
- . UUWn - vAiee aurk MA 49,
vesy bseuDfux AfenF supUzR. ~
~, - e1sGIr9 A<su2 - -
- unuR - : 49, -
hn1~u-n -