The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-06-22
CHAPTER w.
Continued.

1oi L uA4lAl lCI
the back Of a chair and her shoulder:
shook suggestively. I had an I'm
comfortable idea that Julia Smith
was crying and I was responsible
So I believed apologies incumbent
and reluctantly approached.
I'm sorry" 1 began. II hope
have not offended you, but"
She turned and raised her veil
Julia Smith was really very pretty
and the eyes that looked at me sc
reproachfully were like wet violets
but it was not for this reason
paused so abruptly. On the third
finger of her left hand I had seen
signet ring I knew intimately.
In fact, it was my own, and she
wore it with a c. :mness that was
staggering. I was quite sure, for in
addition to my crest there was the
little bit Clipped off the corner where
Randy had accidentally hit it with
the poker CD one memorable occa'
sion.
WELL" she prompted, you were
saying"
But the cficer returned, and
said no more. His preoccupfed man
Fner led me to think that something
more serious than our unfortunate
: complication had been reported, and
the hasty conclusion of our examina'
{ ton confirmed this belief.
"Do I understand, madam" he
said, "that you claim you were mere
ly on your way to church to marry
this MANI"
Then did Julia Smith amply re-
venge herself for any lack of chiv-
airy on my part.
II marry that?" she said, and
made no further comment.
Well, we were finally disposed OF
after fruitless ~telephoning on my
Spart-not even Mrs. Stubs respond
ing. My companion was entrusted to
the matron, and we were promised we
might see each other again in the
morre.g, in the presence of a witness.
For my own part, 7 hoped We might
never meet again, and I have no
doubt Julia Smith entertained the
same sentiments. At any rate, she
looked them.
I passed a restless night and as
soon as possible in the morning de-
tnanded the papers. Startling black
headlines confronted me, and I read
them twice without comprehending
them.
STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF
\ MISS HARRIET SCHUYLER,
FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED.
SUPPOSED MURDERER, STANFORD DE
s COURSEY STARE.
is MISSING.
I rubbed my eyes and isad again,
only to discover that though Starr
himself was missing, n H. D. Casey,
( presumably his accomplish, was al
ready in custody. Shorn of padding
the facts were simply these:
Miss Harriet Schuyler, a maiden
lady of uncertain years, had left the
house of a relative about four o'clock,
in the best of health and intending to
return to dinner. She had gone to
the rooms of a nephew she had not
seen for some years. intending to
surprise him, and had a black bag.
Said bag also contained another par
. eel which she appeared to value
= greatly, but her friends did not know
what was in it.
When she failed to return they be-
GAME anxious, and, finding the tele-
phone Of no avail, had sent to the
address she had given. She was not
there.
She had been seen by Mrs. Stubs,
the wife of the j~anitor, ascending the
stairs that led to Starts room, but
Mrs. Stubs had not seen her come
out again. All that day, however
Mrs. Stubs had noticed signs of agi.
tat!on among the young men who
rented the top floor and had suspect.
ed that something was wrong. She
had never entirely approved of them
but up to the present time they had
done nothing actually reprehensible
Nso far as she knew, beyond being
very uncertain with the rent and friv,
olous of manner She did not think
they ver went to church.
I laid down the paper with my
brain whirling. After a while a pic,
ture slowly separated itself from the
chaos Of my mind. 1t was the ole
lady I had collided with when I raj
downstairs that memorable night.
seemed to hear her labored breathing
as she climbed heavily upward and t.
feel the soft velvet of her cloak a!
my hand brushed against it. Agar
I read the article, and noted the mum
Der Of the house from which she hac
come.
ut is not possible" I calculated.
But in my heart I knew Aunt Har
riet bad gone to sec "Eertie," hopin:
TO surprise him.
And Starr was missing.
CHAPTER v.
Casey told me about it when b,
came TO see me that morning. Or a
least he told ME all he knew, embel
lisheG with many unnecessary com
ments. AS he was decidedly out o
temper at the time, 1 will repeat onl,
what actually happened and ignor
ut, sr.t ~-:~-z -l:l l--,