The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-09-16
HE FOUND THE MAN.

In my early days I was q reporter OF
The Clarion Gall. Only q dislike to own
mys,lf beaten and the occasional fascins.
lion which compensated for the moro fire.
quept discomfort kept me in the Office.
But all this was before the day I was sent
DO / interview the wife and daughter Of the
man who had just disturbed society by
disappearing from it.
Mr.. Grey, 80 IL had been learned from
the notices concerning his disappearance,
had one evening after dinner gone out for
q stroll around the block. he had never
come back. His family was of curse
Frustrated after the manner Of families on
such sad occasions. After giving him
time to come back, sending to his clubs,
bis Office and the houses Of his friends his
wife had finally told his lawyers, and sys-
tematio search was begun. The family
had retired from public life and denied
themselves to every one, consequently
my chances for an interview with Mira
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 10
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 such an
assignment. The coach was an ordinary
one, and there were several laboring men
In It, evidently travelling to some suburb
where they were to work upon the roads,
for they carried pickaxes and shovels. .
There sat opposite me and slightly for
ward a peculiar type Of man 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. BE
looked unwashed, unkempt and generally
unpleasant. His blue overalls were stain
ed with red clay and his red flannel shirt
opened at the front in a way that revealed
anything but q beautiful neck, burned
and blistered. But, the mans twitobing
lips and convulslve movements of the jaws
attracted my attention, and his deep ~,
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 . look about him. he, with the
other laborers, left the train at Forestville,
where the Greys lived, and I soon saw
them, under the direction Of q foreman,
assigned to make various road repairs.
OF course MIRA 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 q picture, presumably Mrs. Grey,
done in oil. She was as beautiful as q
cameo and as 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 abe can
zee no one, and has nothing to say for
publication"
every WE'LL" said I. Then I rose to go.
"Is that MI. Greys" I asked, nodding
toward the picture.
Eyes, miss" was the reply, and sud-
denly it flashed upon me where I had seen
those deep set, curiously shaped, keen blue
eyes. My heart leaped almost into my
mouth. 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 was remarka.
BILE. He worked with q fierce delight In
the severe labor. His face seemed more
mad than over, with the exultation Of mo-
ton and strength deepening the gleam In
his eyes.
There wa Q telegraph Office at the end
of the street. I sent q message to the city
editor. "Send q mar to Forestvilie at
once" was my command. Then while !
paced the street and walked about the
square I reflected upon the welcome !
would receive II I had made q mistake.
Every minute I became moe and more
convinced that I had made the most colos'
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.s I told Mr.. Ellsworth
my theory, and he was properly, skeptical.
He discouraged me thoroughly in about
two minutes, but I suddenly rallied.
"Well," I remarked, taking command,
~ want you to keep that mar in sight. ]
shall go to town and get his lawyer. Find
out what train they go In on, and I'll
meet you"
Mr.. Ellsworth didn't wish to act upon.
that suggestion, but he finally consented
to do so. I went in, summoned MI.
Grey's lawyer and with him met the
workingmen's train. MI. Ellsworth, look
Ing bored and unhappy, got out and point
cd out our suspected Disappearance" to
bis 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 meant"
And when I saw the man start wildly ]
knew that I was not forever disgraced
SWELL" said the city editor jovially,
"what did they sayf"
see me-"
$50 you didn't get the interviews" said
the city editor shortly.
"No,"1 replied meekly, "but I found
the missing man."
And now, such Is the irony Of fate, the
city editor, instead Of letting me rest on
my laurels, Is always exhorting me to live
up to the reputation I made In the Grey
case, when I found the missing man,
how ovepwork had worn out his
brain and how in his half orazed condi-
ton he wandered away and returned 10
his original occupation In life, to the hor-
ror Of bis wife with the oameolike faoa. II
I had never been 80 brilliants-E1.
He Preferred Death.
Rsron de- Malnrtie, q German who had