Bradford County telegraph. (Starke, Fla.) 1888-current, 1910-08-12

some distance back Of Frascati there
Is q village consisting Of 500 people.
40 Of whom bad been In. jail for one
offense or another. When persons are
seen on the hill, especially foreigners,
the Italian mounted police. riding two
together. usually keep them In view.
that they may not be attacked by some
Of these jailbirds. The police assumed
that since Helen White bad been up
there alone and had either been md
dered for what valuables she bad
about her or had been captured Tor
ransom No ransom having been de-
manded, there could be no doubt thae
she had been murdered.
/, Indeed. there WINS no other alternA-
tive 1t Is seldom that the mystery. o4
a disappearance Is so satisfactorily
solved. Baxter was obliged to be con
tent with II, and the Alexanders. who
had come to take a strong sympathet.
ic interest IN him. persuaded him to
divert his mind by making a brief tour
with them. This, under the cIrcur,.
stances. was the best thing he could
do. Together they visited Florence,
Venice and the lakes Of Northern Italy.
These localities, new to Baxter, were
admirably calculated to withdraw his
mind from the horror under which he
suffered The quaint, medieval town
on the Arno, with its treasures Of art:
the city Of water streets on the Adri-
attic, where under the moonlight hum
dreds Of gondOlas filed with pleasure
seeking people congregate in sight Of
the doge's palace and the lion Of St
Marks to listen to music. were surely
calculated to draw the poison Of sor-
row and restore a normal condition.
Usually a man who has lost a mate
feels that something has been taken
away which be is eager to replace. To
supply this need Baxter turned to
Alice Alexander. Drawn to him
through sympathy. a girl Of a kind
heart ana high principle. she felt con-
strained by both to do all In her power
to cause him to forget the tragedy Of
his lost love.
Later one evening while seated in a
boat on Lake Maggiori Baxter asked
Miss Alexander to Gil the void that
had been made vacant and become his
wife. She accepted, and their be-
trothal was approved by the girls par
entA Then after fortnight's ocean
trip together the couple reached home
and again took up the thread Of or
binary life.
Just three months after Helen White
had sailed for Europe Baxter. who
had but recently returned. received q
letter from her saying that she would
be due to arrive on the day he would
receive her letter..
It would be impossible to describe
the sensation Of a man In his position.
AFTER taking time to right himself
from the effect of the squall that had
struck him nsresolved to hear Helen's
story. then be guided BY tt in bis fu-
tune course.
When Helen White reached port and
did not find Joe Baxter on the deck to
receive her. Der heart sank. She re-
membered that when she had accused
him In case Of her loss Of replacing
her within six months be had respond
ed banteringly, better make It three"
She. too. remembered that II was Just
three months since her departure.
On the evening Of her arrival Joe
called. He did not exhibit the relief
to be expected In one who had lost
and regained a love; be did not take
her In bis arms. bestowing caresses in
place Of words checked by emotion.
he stood looking ut her as II she had
returned from the spirit world
~Oh. JoeI' she exclaimed.
Explain"
Have you stood the testT
what teStT
"Joe, dear, what I went away for
was to test you. You know / always
liked to be certain OF everything and !
wished especially to be certain Of the
man ] would marry. ! intended to
disappear that you might show your
constancy. o, Joe. do tell me that Jon
have been true"
Baxter continued TO gaze at her, but
there was nothing in his expression
from which she could derive any COM
fort. Presently he said:
what became Of you after you wen
last seen at Frascatir'
IT bad a disguise with me which /
put on. and. returning to Rome. tool
train porthward. l have sinre beer In
small village In Switzerland"
Suddenly the hard look he wore dis
appeared and was replaced by ole OF
sympathy.
you have made an awful mStaker
She whitened and waited for him TO
20 on.
"You remember told you pat while
waiting to find q secure place on
which to step some one would get
ahead OF your"
She sank In a chair and covered her
face with her hands TIeD suddenly
starting up and facing hJn. she said:
| LEU VIC ala
Baxter told her OF bis agony on
learning Of her disappdrance. Know
ing the reputation Of the Italians Of
southern Italy. be pelievsd she had
met with foul play, vut hped she had
been kidnapped ra.hsr thin murdered.
He told her Of his trip. he sympathy
and kindness Of thf Alexander family.
Of bis hunt fbr trsces her his con-
illusions. his tour With b newly made
friends. his eng .gems1
And nowr' she uShed
-And now l am blat "a asa Judge on
the bench I haks|bo f1sht to be
moved by aught e1 jnstsess-Whils
you were supposed osseesd another
took your plsce. l were q chattel
l 1T