The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-11-11
HE FOUND THE MAN.

to interview the wife and daughter Of the
man who had just disturbed society BY
disappearing from 1t.
Mr.. Grey, % IL had been learned from
tho notices Concerning his disappearance,
had n evening after dinner gone out for
. stroll around the block. BE had never
come back. His family was of oourss
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 Mr..
Grey did not see hopeful, but the city ed
ltor'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 pro
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 1t, evidently travelling to some suburb
where they were to work upon the roads,
Tor they carried pickaxes and shovela.
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 a stubbly growth. Of gray beard. he
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 twitohing
lips and conIuisive movements of the jaws
attracted my attention, and bis deep ~,
steely blue eyes that burned In cavernous
sockets fascinated me. He did not talk 10
the other men, but sat with his head sunk
upon his breast, only occasionally raiains
10 to cast . look about him. he, with the
other lahorers, left the train at Forestvilla,
where the Greys lived, and I o 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 mantsl
hung a picture, presumably Mrs.. Grey,
done In oil. She was as beautiful al .
cameo and as had. Opposite hog was the
portrait Of q clean shaven man, with fine
iron gray hair brushed off his f~orehesd-a
more plebeian cast Of countenanoe, but
strong and interesting. The face seemed
familiar. I stared at IL until the servant
returned.
"Mrs. Grey Is sorry, miss, but she oan
Dee no one, and has nothing to say Ton
publication"
every WE'LL" said I. Then I rose to 90
SIS that Mr.. Greyf'' I asked, noddins
toward the picture.
eyes, miss" was the reply, and sud-
denly 1t flashed upon me where I had seen
those deep set, ouriously shaped, keen blus
eyes. Ny heart leaped almost into my
mouth. took n long look at the por'
trait and left the house.
The men were repairing the road, and ]
noticed one Of The workmen whose facs
startled me. The resemblance to the por.
trait I had sean Of Mr.. Grey wa remarka.
BILE. He worked with . fierce delight In
the severe labor. His face seemed more
mad than ever, with the exultation Of mo-
ton and strength deepening the gleam In
his eyes.
There was q telegraph Office at the end
Of the street. I sent q message to the city
editor. "Send q man to Forestville at
once" was my command. Then while I
paced the street and walked about the
square I reflected upon the welcome ]
would receive II I had made a mistake.
Every minute I became moo 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 was
nearly hystericaL I told Nh. Ellsworth
my theory, and he wal properly skeptical.
he discouraged me thoroughly In about
two minutes, but I suddenly rallied.
SWELL" 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 III
meet you"
Mr.. Ellsworth didn't wish to aot upon
that suggestion, but he finally consented
to do So. I went In, summoned Mr..
1E6y 3 1aWytT ouo "AoA ILL "oe NN9
workingmen's train. Mr.. 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 disgraced or made ia.
nous forever
"Mr. Grey" said the lawyer, stepping
forward, "what does this meani"
And when I On" the man start wildly ]
knew that I was not forever disgraoed
"well," said the city editor 3ovially,
what did they sayf"
"They didn't say anything. They dtdnS
seo me-"
$50 you didn't get the interview" saad
the city editor shortly.
"No,"I replied meekly, "but I found
the missing man."
And now, such Il the Irony Of fste, the
city editor, instead Of letting me'rest on
my ~laurels, Is always exhortinR me 70 live
up to the reputation I made In the Grey
case, when I found the missing man,
how overwork had worn cut his
brain and how In bis half orazed oondi-
ton he wandered away and returned 10
his original occupation in life, 70 ths hof-
rur Of his wife with the oameoliks faee. II
only l had never been . brtlliantEG1-
Ho Preferred Death.
n.--- L. Hf1o.It no.o,.~ -S> haA