Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-08-04
AFFAIR AT
IT ~ ARETH BY Burton E. Stevenson.
HonsdayC Case" Etc
New York-aenry Holt & co-lar.
CHAPTER V-(Continued.)
don't. Rather the contrary"

-" don't. Rather the contrary"
It's a little out of our line" he add
ed. But for a f~riend--and I certainly
pity the poor fellow-we lawyers have
to do peculiar things sometimes"
I've done more peculiar ones than
this" l said. This is, at bottom, mere
ly a matter Of finding an important
witness who Is missing"
Thank you, Lester" he said, and
held out his hand. II didn't want to
seem to be imposing or you"
You're not" / assured him again,
and rose. Now ! think I'd better be
getting to work"
Can l be Of any help" he asked,
rising toe. IF not, I'll al the four
ten back to New York. I think Curtiss
needs a little looking after. III hunt
him up and take him with me. Be-
sides, my wife is SO wrought up over
this affair that she wants to get home
Very WELL" l assented. "Curtiss Will
need some one to protect him from the
reporters. It's a wonder they haven't
freed him before this"
They tried to-" said Mr.. Royce, smil-
ing grimly. Il succeeded In keeping
them off. He was too preoccupied to
notice. There's nothing else l can
dor"
No, I think not, If I need you' I'll
wire"
You won't need me-" and he smiled
again. You know I'm no good at this
kind Of work"
II know you'll be working harder
than I will, keeping UP with things at
the office"
Don't worry about that. You in
tend to stay hereT" =
Yes; but only for a day or two, !
trust. I can't think 1t a very difficult
task to find a young woman VINO mas
run away in broad daylight In her we'd
ding finery. Somebody must have seen
her-that is, If she ran away at all"
mo doubt" he agreed. 0 course
you'll find her-it's not about that I'm
worrying so much; it's o her mo
tive for doing such a thing. 1t seems
preposterous to suppose that any woman
In her right mind would run away half
an hour before her wedding. Curtlss
saw her at 10 o'clock and found her
happy, vet an hour later she had taken
this desperate step. / wonder, Lester,
II you realize just how desperate 1t
was2"
Yes" I said; "I think I do"
well, I'm free 70 confess I didn't I'M
til I saw its effect on my wife. Why.
Lester, it was suicidal-it means social
ostracism-no less. Even If 1t doesn't
/ altogether ruin her life, it will always
shadow It. It's something she can
never outlive."
YES" 1 said again; its all that"
"And yet she was a thoughtful, self
controlled, well-balanced woman, who
would foresee all this-who would real
lie the consequences more clearly than
we can do. Lester-what was 1t drove
her to it?"
"Ah, if I only knew! But I'm going
to find out!"
IT hope you willard yet I fear 1t,
too. I'm afraid to think OF tim
afraid to try to guess the secret-lm
afraid I'll unearth some grisly, loath-
some skeleton, which should never have
seen the light! But I'm sure Of one
| thing" he added, his face hardening.
IT think you suspected, too"
What was that?
Whatever the secret is, Mrs. Law
renee knows It,"
Yes" / agreed, II believe she does
And had a hand IN her daughters
disappearance"
Yes" I said again. II think that
very likely"
He stood for a moment longer, look
ing at me as though half inclined to
say something more; then he shook
hands abruptly and left the room.
AS I turned to sit down again, I no
| ticed, in the chair from which l had
arisen, something white crushed into
n corner Of the seat. I picked 1t up.
1t was a handkerchief Of dainty lace
and 1t was damp-with tears?