The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-11-19


copyrlg 1t. mo ~ American Press
y Z y, Association.
Despite tlle oppe sition Of my parents
and certain bead shaking on the part
ofi intimate friends, 1 psrsisted III my
engagement 10 Edward Illsley. There
was something abopt bin beyond
these warnings that made me uncom-l
Portable ne wenld make aii engage
imentito DO with me dlrlng ian evening.
break Ii and give mo satisfactory ex-.
planntion. After he had done this
several times resolved the next time
to corner him by forcing him 10 tell
me where lie Ind been. When that
! next time came round be claimed that
between the hours 81 s and 4 / he had
been :at home. without his knowledge
i asked. his sister as 10 his where.
abouts on5the evening In question and
she told inc tfiat he bad not been at
home, but said be had been with me.
This convinced me that he WIS de-
ceivipg me. and / told him he must
either make a clean breast Of the mat.
ter vi would sbreak our engagement.
He took aJsoiemn oath that be never
left his home between 6lo'clocls during
the evening he was supposed stosibe
With me and 0 o'clock the, next morn.
tng. When ] asked how that could be
he fold me that to ten wonld Involve
others whose acts he had no right to
divulge. ~ Slss4 ,52 I
Curiosity now became my dominant
motive. would have broken with my
fiance habit not been that believed
Ieopld getshls secret by Remaining en-.
gagged to him. whereas IL Il sent him
away; = would never knows IT.; ]. pre-.
tended 10 be very much hurt at his
want Of confidence In, me. aud he
seemed eauallySput, out that did not
feel INSURED his statement was true
and because ] should cndeavor 10
force him 10 reveal a secret which In
VOWED others 81. Ill i y
The result Of a half hours probing
gave me the impression that he was
connected with several persons Of both
sexes who were united tby.some secret
bond. but that This bond was. of any
especial importance, did not appear, lit
did not IN any way explain how Ed,
ward could Sbaye been in the! house for
three. hours one evening when he was
supposed TO he visiting me-. Ard what
had the events Of these three hours 10
idoiWith the persons whose secrets bn
woHld betlay BY ,naklng ansesplaua-
flon? & ss d 3 <, !, IA ia,.t.t
After. III long period Sof questioning
!, and waiting, quest onipg again. and
waiting againaI save, lip ,trEins, to get
the Secret: d However. applied; one
7testtefofe,t taking. fnaf action. asked
TO lie admired o'this coterie 81 which
Edward was supposed 10 be a mem,
beBg Hefsaldl; thatSl must be elected
.ahduthe number was complete. 4 BY
this. time 4 knew thatl lshouid get'no
satisfaction and Rincej wasinot mind
cd: te marryi 4, 9 i man who bad o secret
from; me. ! broket the engagement,
Alltthis was n few months before, the
great earthquake when our city was
destroyed. Among those who. did not
turn UP after that dreadful calamity
was my former fance. His house was
one that fell ut the first shock. and
only one member Of. the family had
had time to escape. This person said
that Edward lllsley was not In the
house ut the time Of the quake When
the debris was. removed every body
was found except his. This indicated
that he had probably been killed else
where. But. enough hfs friends kept
track of all She bodies taken ont. ibis
was never touud-at least not. Identi,
6ed. u. 80, 4 A i1ie 8 y,
Very naturally ! connected his uys.
FERROUS disappearance with the reasons
for which, | had broken my. engage.
rnent. II had Beentpnzzled before. i
was more puzzled now. A new deyel,
opnlent was that one Sof Edwards
most lutimaia friends was among the
missing. apdJhls Body lssas not found.
There were other persons not. nc.
counted for, SlutJ tbs thian mentioned
was the. only one happened to know
as, one OF his friends. This deepened