The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-01-13
HE FOUND THE NAN.

In my early days I wal q reporter On
The Clarion Gall. Only a dislike to WI
mysslf beaten and the occasional fascina-
lion which ccB3ensated for the more ire
quent discomfort kept me in the Office.
But all this was before the day I was sent
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
the notices concerning his disappearance,
had n evening after dinner gone out for
q stroll around the block. He had never
come back. His family was of course
FRUSTRATED 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-
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 SEQ hopeful, but the city Cd
itor's air Of granting me the opportunity
I had been longing for made mo loath 10
admit my fears.
I took the train for the Gregg they
lived q little way out Of town-and pre-
pared myself to meet the servants soorn
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 piokaxes and shovsla.
There sat opposite me and slightly for
ward q 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 faoe wa covered
with q stubbly growth Of gray beard. BE
looked unwashed. uukempt and generally
unpleasant. His blue overalls wers stain
ed with red clay and his red flannel shirt
opened at the front In q way that revealed
anything but q beautiful neck, burned
and blistered. But the mans twitohing
lips and oonvulsivs movements Of the jaws
attracted my attention, and bis deep ~
steely blue eyes that burned In caverneas
sockets fascinated me. He did not talk 10
the other men, but sat with his head sunk
upon his breast, only occasionally raising
II to cast Q look about him. He, with the
other laborers, left the train at Forestvilla,
where the Greys lived, and I soon saw
assigned to make various road repairs.
OF oourse Mrs. Grey would not see ma
I sat in the library while the servant took
my card to her, for there were other callers
In the drawing room. Over the mantal
hung a 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 shaven man, with fine
iron gray hair brushed off his forehead-a
more plebeian< cast Of countenanoe, but
strong and interesting. The face seemed
familiar. Istared at 1t until the servant
returned.
"Mrs. Grey is sorry, miss, but she oan
zee no one, and has nothing to say for
publication"
"Very WE'LL" said I. Then I rose to 60
SIS 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, ouriously shaped, keen blus
eyes. My heart leaped almost into my
mouth. I 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 faoe
startled me. The resemblance to the por-
trait I had seem Of Mr.. Grey was 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 CLEAN In
his eyeS
There wa Q telegraph office at the end
Of the street. I sent q message to the city
editor. "Send . mar to Forestville at
once" was my command. Then while !
paced the street and walked about tho
square I reflected upon the welcome I
would receive II I had made q mistake
Every minute I became moo and more
convinced that I had made the most colos.
raj blunder on record. By the time Nr.
Ellington Ellsworth, tho 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 wa properly skeptical.
He discouraged me thoroughly in about
two minutes, but I suddenly rallied.
"Well," I remarked, taking command,
II want you to keep that man in sight. ]
shall go to town and get hH lawyer. Find
out what train they 60 In ON, and I'll
meet you"
MI. Ellsworth didn't wish to aot upon
that suggestion, but he finally consented
to do 90. I went in, summoned Mr..
Grey's lawyer and with him met the
Workingmen's train. Mr.. Ellsworth, lsok.
Ing bored and unhappy, got out and point
ed out u suspected ''disappsarance' to
his lawyer. My heart stood In my mouth.
Was I to be forever dissraoed or made IN.
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 dissrsoed
"well." said the city editor 1ovially.
"what did they sayf"
"They didn't ray anything. They d'dAt
No me-"
$50 you didn't get the interviswp" ssid
the city editor shortly.
"No,"I replied meekly, "but I found
tho missing man."
And now, such II the irony Of fats, the
city editor, instead Of letting mo 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,
learned how overwork had worn cut his
brain and how In his half orazed oondi-
ton he wandered away and returned TO
his original occupation In life, to the hof.
TOR Of his wife with tho eameoltks fass. II
only l had never bean 90 briuiantt-&1-
change.
He Preferred Death.
Baron lie Malortie, q German who had
seryed in Mexico with Macmillan. told ia