Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-18

Years ago. when there were no rail-
roads between the Atlantic and Pa
cific oceans. a wagon train was lost in
the Sierra Nevada mountains. 1t was
last seen by some Indian hunters
Searching parties went out to find it
without success. At last it was given
up and forgotten.
The leader of the party was Edward
Earle. He was u widower with a little
daughter. Elizabeth. whom he had left
in the east iii care of his sister. Eliza
beth was five years old when her IA
Their was last heard from, but she took
a deep interest in the story of his dis
appearance. What TO older people was
a mystery was TO her child's story
similar TO those she read in her fairy
books. 1t did not occur to her that
there was anything more wonderful in
the disappearance of a wagon train
consisting of half dozen teams and
ten or twelve people than in changing
a man into IL frog. In other words.
she did not realize that the one really
happened and the other was impoSsi-
bic.
But as Elizabeth grew beyond the
age to be impressed by the Imagination
this story of the lost wagon train be-
gan to grow upon her. Had it not been
given to her by those in whom she had
confidence she would not have believ-
ed it a man might disappear to re-
turn many years after with an expla-
nation. But how could wagons, horses
and men all go out like a candle?
Elizabeth was the only person who
fancied that her father would some
day come back. Her elders did not OPP
pose her in this, though they did not
pretend to agree with her. But as time
wore on she realized that the case of
the wagon train her father conducted
was like that of a ship going down un-
der some marine catastrophe. carrying
with it every living person. There
came q hope that her father had left
some message for her which she would
some day receive. She was told that
lie had had some property, but he
alone knew where it was located. No
will had ever been found nor any
other papers TO throw light upon his
affairs. But this was not strange since
he had all his effects with him
By the time Elizabeth had become
eighteen this question of her fathers
had grown upon her to
such an extent that it became a sort Of
monomania. Possibly this resulted
from trying to solve an iusOluble qUes-
lion. She was continually asking her
81 -.
One of her suggestions was that the
train had been carried away by a
Another was that it had
been buried under an avalanche. But
in the case OF the cloudburst the re-
mains of men. horses and wagons
would be carried down where they
would be seen. and IN the case of the
avalanche they would appear as soon
as the snow melted. 1t was brooding
on these problems that at last threat
ened to affect Elizabeth's mind.
When Henry Merry weather began to
court Elizabeth her aunt hoped that a
living interest would relieve her from
the burden of a dead one. Henry was
a fine fellow and grew more and more
wrapped in the serious girl, made so
by a mystery. BY delicate attentions
he endeayored to withdraw her mind
from the topic upon which it was alb
normally fastened. But his efforts
were a failure. Despite all he could do
he ELECTED only an occasional smile,
interest
The time had come when Elizabeth
felt that she must relieve her aunt of
Der support. and she accepted posi-
ton as teacher in a school. Occupa-
ton helped her in the matter that was
troubling her. but did not cure her.
Often in the midst of her duties she |
would find herself endeavoring to solve |
the problem of the lost wagon train.
AS a last resort Henry Merryweather |
resolved to go out TO the region where |
the train was last seen with a view to |
solving the mystery He hoped that if |
he could bring back any plausible solu |
lion Elizabeth would accept it and she |
would regain her normal status. With |
but saying anything to her in reference
to his intention he set out for the |
Sierra Nevadas and the region where
tue train had been last seen.
Fifteen years had passed since the
tragedy or whatever it was occurred. |
md settlers had come into the region