The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-06-28
CHAPTER w.
Continued.

-,
and reluctantly approached.
I'm sorry" I began. Il hope
have not offended you, Ebut-"
She turned and raised her veil
Julia Smith was really very pretty.
and the eyes that looked at me SO
reproachfully were like wet violets,
but it was not for this reason ]
paused so abruptly. On the third
finger of her left hand had seen a
signet ring knew intimately.
In fact, it was my own. and she
wore it with calmness that was
| staggering. / 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 on one memorable occa-
sion.
We'll" she prompted, you were
| saying"
But the officer returned, and I
said no more. His preoccupied man
ner 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 l 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
part-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
mornlng, in the presence of witness.
For my own part, hoped we might
doubt Julia Smith entertained the
same sentiments. At any rate, she
looked them.
| passed restless night, and as
soon as possible in the morning de-
tnanded the papers. Startling black
headlines confronted me, and l read
them twice without compromising
them.
STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF
MISS HARRIET SCHUYLER.
TouL PLAY SUSPECTED.
SUPPOSED MURDERER. STANFORD DE
COURSEY STARR.
STARR rs MISSING.
I rubbed my eyes and read again,
only to discover that though Starr
himself was missing, one H. d. Casey,
presumably his accomplice, was al
ready in custody. Shorn of padding
the facts were simply these:
Miss Harriet Schuyler, maiden
lady Of uncertain years, had left the
house of relative about four O'Clock,
in the best of health and intending to
return to dinner. She had gone to
the rooms OF nephew she had not
seen for some years, intending to
surprise him, and had black bag.
Said bag also contained another par
Gel which she appeared to value
greatly, but her friends did not know
what was in 1t.
When she failed to return they be-
same 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 janitor, ascending the
stairs that led to STAIRS room, but
Mrs. Stubs had not seen her come
out again. All that day, however,
Mrs. Stubs had noticed signs of agi-
tation 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
tso far as she knew, beyond being
very uncertain with the rent and friv-
olous of manner. She did not think
they ever went to church.
laid down the paper with my
brain whirling After while a pic
ture slowly separated itself from the
chaos of my mind. 1t was the old
lady I had collided with when ran
downstairs that memorable night. I
seemed to hear her labored breathing
as she climbed heavily upward and to
feel the soft velvet of her cloak as
my hand brushed against it. Again
] read the article, and noted the num-
Der of the house from which she had
come.
1T is not possible" I calculated.
But in my heart knew Aunt Har-
riet bad gone to sec BERTHE" hoping
to surprise him.
And Starr was missing.
CHAPTER v.
Casey told me about it when he
came to see me that morning. Or at
least he told me all he knew, embel-
lishe6 with many unnecessary COM
Vran -. a. : n . - n