The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-07-07

como u6r. lnlo one succeeded In DO
Ing with my help: and. once In the
vestibule, recovered herself 80 COM
pletely, and met all my inquiries with
such gay shrug Of the shoulders,
that should have passed the matter
over as mere attack of nerves, II I
had not afterwards detected In her
face, through all the hurry and ex-
element Of the ensuing reception, q
strained expression not at all natural
TO her. This was still more evident
after the congratulations of a certain
guest. who. am sure. whispered to
her before he passed on; and when
the time came for her to 60 upstairs
she was 50 pale and unlike herself
that became seriously alarmed and
asked II she felt well enough to start
upon the journey we had meditated.
Instantly her manner changed. She
turned upon me with a look have
been trying ever since to explain to
myself. and begged me not to take
her out OF town tonight but to some
quiet hotel where we might rest for
. few days before starting on our
travels. She looked me seluarely in
the eye as she made this request and,
seeing In her nothing more than q
feverish anxiety lest l should make
difficulties Of some kind, promised
to do what she asked and bade her
run away and get herself ready to go
and say nothing to any one Of our
change Of plan. She smiled and
turned away towards her own room,
but presently came hurryfng back to
ask II ! would grant her one more
favor. Would be so good as not to
speak to her ov expect her to speak
to me till we got to the hotel: she was
feeling very nervous but was sure that
q few minutes Of complete rest would
entirely restore her; something had
occurred (she acknowledged this)
which she wanted to think out; would
not ! grant her this one opportunity
OF doing so? II was q startling re-
quest, but she looked 90 lovely--par.
don me. must explain my easy ac-
Quiescence-that I gave her the as
surance she wished and went about
my own preparations, somewhat dis
concerted but still not at all prepared
for what happened afterward. l had
absolutely no idea that she meant to
leave me-"
Mr.. Ransom paused. greatly affect
ed: but upon the detective asking
him how and when HRS. Ransom had
deserted him. he controlled himself
sufhcientiy to say:
Here; Immediately after that silent
and unnatural ride. She entered the
ONCE with me and was standing close
at my side all the time / was writing
our names In the register; but later,
when turned to ask her to enter the
elevator with me. she was gone, and
the boy who was standing by with our
two bags said that she had slipped
into the reception-room across the
hall. But didn't find her there or
In any of the adjoining rooms. Nor
has anybody since succeeded in fnc.
Ing her. She has left the building.
lett me, and"
"You want her back agasn?"
This from the detective, but very
dryly.
"Yes. For she was not following
her own inclinations in thus abandon.
Ing me so soon after the words which
made us one were spoken. Some influ-
ence was brought to bear on her
which she felt unable to resist. I
have confidence enough In her to be-
lieye that. The rest Is mystery-a
mystery which I am forced to ask you
to untangle. ! have neither the nee.
essary calmness nor experience my.
SELF"
"But you surely have done some
thing" protested Gerridge. "Tele.
phoned to her late home or"
"Oh, yes. have done all that, but
with no result. She has not returned
to her old home. Her uncle has Just
been here and he is as much mysti-
fed by the whole occurrence as / am.
He could tell me nothing, absolutely
uClnlnS.
Indeed! and the man. the one who
whispered TO her during the recep-
tion, couldn't you learn anything
about him?"
Mr.. Ransom's face took On an ex-
preston almost ierocious.
mo. He's stranger to Mr. Fulton;
Mr.. Fulton's niece introduced him to
me as a relative"
"A relative? When was that?"
AT the reception. He was intro
duced as Mr.. Hazen (my wifes maid
en- name, you know, and when l saw
how his presence disturbed her,
said to her, "A cousin of yours?' and
she answered with very evident EN-.
barrassment, "A relative;'-which
you must acknowledge didn't locate
him very definitely. Mr.. Fulton doesn't
know OF any such relative. And
don't believe he II q relative. He
didn't AFT with tho rest NJ tha family