Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-06-24

and ! concluIy1 that 'he must Il
asleep. The next morning, much I
my establishment, he did not saunte
n and out Of my room as he was a,
customed to do Of a morning, bu
- It was late ! did not stop to invei
tigate But when ten o'clock came
and still no Vincent, / went up to hi
room, for ! thought he should be vi
ana doing on this, his last day at Cas-
tie Wyckhon, when he was to leav'
Tor London on the AIS train that aft
srnoon. ! say '-he" not "we," for
felt more confident Of my success
with Agatha Sixth that day than / haC
done the evening before, and although
! nad not yet had the opportunity tc
put the great question, felt that II
was very possible that In the guise OF
accepted lover / might not have to
take the Ais that afternoon.
When 4 reached vincent's room !
Knocked twice, and, receiving no an
swer. entered, and was somewhat
alarmed to find that he was not there.
though his bed had been slept in.
Anxious. without knowing why. tore
downstairs and called for Mrs. Armi-
stead. That good lady met me at the
loot OF the stairs in answer to my sum-
mons, with an air as anxious as my
own.
Have you see Lord vincent?" /
asked her,
Have you seen my secretary" 2" she
replied, without answering my ques-
ton. She's not in her room. though
her bed has been slept in. But she
hasn't had her breakfast, and l can't
find her anywhere"
You don't mean it!"'I calculated,
and sickening fear turned me cold.
Perhaps this has something to do,
with It," said Mrs. Armistead. II
found it on the front hall table under
meath the mail bag"
Her anxiety was apparently sincere,
and yet somehow 1t rang false to mi
With impatient fingers l seized the
folded paper she drew from her reti-
cule. It read as follows:
Dear Old Arch: Sorry to deceive
you so, but I've gone and done it--that
rash, foolish thing you told me not to
40; at least, by the time you get this
note the deed will be done. And I 80
dreaded your reproaches that I never
So much as asked you to be the best
man But couldn't help 1t, Arch. hon
est i couldn't. Not to save my soul
She shouldn't have had eyes Like stars
ana hafr like autumn leaves. As for the
money hang the stuffy old millions /
say! Every pound of ii is so many
glass beads to me in comparison to
what have this day gained / wish
you JOY Of them and of the Honorable
agatha. Dear old boy, forgive me If
you can; and II you want to do me one
asst favor come down to the station
n time to meet the eleven-seventeen
or London and hear my last injunc-
ions. yINcENT"
When did you find this?" / gasped.
But didn't wait to hear her reply.
or glance at the hall clock told me
hat it was five minutes OF eleven. Bare
headed ! rushed around to the stables
md fortunately found Christopher Just
'utting the mare into the dogcart.
Get in" yelled, 'and drive like SIM"
Sin, sir? Where, sir?" asked Chris
opher.
The station!" cried, jumping up |
eside him; and we few down the |
winding drive at a pace that / would |
OF think Of attempting in cold blood.
Through Mrs. Armisteads criminal
clay in handing me the note many
aluable minutes had been wasted, yet
thought should still be in time per
aps to save Vincent from carrying
ut the last fatal step of his incredible
'lly.. Il might not be too late to part
lem, for In spite Of what he had said
his note could not believe that the
oFst had actually happened. AS We
,proached the last strip Of woods be-
re we reached the station / caught
ght Of q pun OF white smoke down
e track. A moment later, when we
'ew up at the platform, the great
comotive thundered into the station.
a there, at the other end OF the plat
rm, ! saw them. There was vim
Mt, clad In the things he had worn
the train when We had first come
rough the fields Of Wye, and with
y was 9 remarkably pretty girl with
autiful wavy red hair, in 4 gray
Tor suit and smart black hat. or
lrse It was the secretary.
waved At them frantically and they
we'd IN return. and could sea win. =
II smiling happily at me as they IS
tered one Of the carriages. As q
ne up with their carriage Vincent a
sned the window wide and thrust II
head out. "Oh. Vincent" was ali 81
aid; "am too later" se
NOT at all" he said. geniaIIv. pc
u're Just n time to congratulate IA
But what wanted or you, Arch, "a
nd he leaned toward me- and low. Of
q his ycice-"was to ask YOU to ex
Ak II to my father m'
Then ~ trueg" l said. not quite ne
] 10 believe II, even vet. Nv
Yes, it's true" he said aloud Ana tai
radiant smile he drew back \ an
2 ~ that could zee the erstwhilo thl
. Marsh. ''It's true xthRt r'ye mar is
the secretary Hlr
3ut It's not said that LADY. mueh Ro
ny surprise, ana thrustIng Out her Ge
~ head. .It's not trus bIt ne de
H married the secretary AZ Ill. Fn
only playing secretary. Hc'a prc