The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-01-29
THE MISSING BRIDE.
BY HI. HI. Hudson.

My friend Barton had applied
4 himself to money-getting. His
/ success had been phenomenal. Re
[ firing from active business In
/ middle life, he prepared to enter
H the castle of his dreams. A mag
Dificent suburban residence was
erected on a beautiful site sew.
eral miles from the city. Barton
next turned his attention to So
ciety, and his engagement was
ooon announced.
Clara Crystal was handsome
TOO handsome. I thought. The pc
culiar luster OF the eye and tint
OF the cheek were not indicative
Of health.
/ was away from the city at the
time of the marriage, but l learn
cd of the wedding and the sad fate
of the bride. The excitement and
nervous strain attending the
preparation and ceremony had
been too severe, and Clara Crystal
had fallen dead in the arms of
her maid a short time after the
Wedding. / was told that the flu
neral had been private, and that
the remains of all that Barton
held dear had been laid away In
the family vault.
/ knew that the blow would go
hard with him, and was not sur
prised upon hearing that he was
changed man to all who knew
him. / at first hoped that time
would heal the wound, but as the
years passed / realized that his
life lad been ruined by his mis-
fortune.
Some Is years later I heard of
pearance of my friend. I went i'm
mediately to his residence. /
found the servants and secret ser
vice men making a careful exam
nation of the premises In a vain
search for the proprietor.
The case was indeed a strange
one. I learned that the capitalist
was known to have entered his
home at a late hour on the fatal
night, and the night Waterman
said that he had never left the
premises.
/ spent several hours ransaking
the upper portion OF the house for
places of concealment, but found
nine. II was not until I reached
the huge basement underlying the
obtained. The place was parti-
TONED into yeritable maze OF
rooms. most of them being used
for storage purposes. The pass
ages were dark, and as ] stumbled
along, something told me that /
Was on the right track.
Finally I reached the wine eel
lar and stood tracing the network
of pipes which were strung long
the walls and rafters. With some
curiosity I noticed two cooling
pipes passing through the upper
portion OF high antique cabinet
which stood against the wall. I
suspected another room beyond,
bat q careful examination reveal
% no entrance. opened the cab
1ncf, and, after hasty examiEa-l
puscpuu1 <nn11 4lse1u woe . xalDe1
neI back Of It. ! moved the
1ne1 and entered . dinaiy lighted
<rnn11. The frost-covered pipes
Wafe on either side. and, as pur-
UxGo my course. my teeth began
20 chatter from the cold.
At the end OF the passage /
found q door. This pried open
With considerable difficulty, and
= It gave way stumbled and fell
<nfo room flooded with such
0&xxIing radiance that at first the
Hight blinded me completely. This
Ees tlumined by incandescent
Tampa.
Then Amusement was overshad-
/. Qwed BY horror. for / beheld two
1ofluk. Ono was that of an old
ram seated In o chair before me.
( r Was Barton. His eyes even In
6esth were fixed in admiration on
+ ths lns&e standing in the center
7 ok the Room. Rising before him,
1acased In a Sarge block OF ice.
t1s Clara crystsi, as young and