Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-07-14
CHAPTER II.
A BRIDES vAGARY.

Two minutes later, I was speeding
downward In the elevator, having
paused only long enough to give a word
of instruction to the head clerk. A
glance at my watch showed me that II
l would catch the 1888. l had no time
to lose; but luckily a a was passing
at the moment. and l jumped aboard
the boat for Jersey City just as the
gates were closing.
Not until l was safely aboard the
train did I give myself time to cor
| lecture what this imperative summons
meant, but during the half-hour run to
the little New Jersey city, l had ample
time to try 70 puzzle 1t out.
One thing was quite certain-it was
ne ordinary emergency which had
moved Mr.. Royce to summon me from
the office at a time when / was SO
badly needed there. ! got out the tele-
gram again. and read IL, word by
word. 1t affected me as a wild cry for
| help would have done, at midnight, In
some lonely place-and 1t was just that
"a wild cry for help. But why had he
needed aid, when he himself was SO
clear sighted, so ready-witted, SO fer
tile OF resource? What was this as
founding occurrence which confronted
him. this crisis SO urgent and over
whelming that 1t had shaken and
startled him out of his self-control?
The message itself was proof OF his
deep excitement. Apparently he had
wired for me instinctively, finding him
self suddenly in the tolls Of some di-
lemma, which left him dazed and
~nerveless.
Ever since the time l had succeeded,
more by luck than anything else, In
discovering the whereabouts Of Frances
Holiday. and solving the mystery of
her fathers death, our junior partner
had conceived a tremendously exalted
opinion of my abilities as an untangler
Of abtruse problems, and never lost an
opportunity Of referring to me such as
came in his way. Every firm of prac-
ticing lawyers knows how frequently
a case hinges upon some puZZling point
OF evidence--how witnesses have q way
OF disappearing-and Graham g. Royce
had their full share OF such perplexing
tangies. 1t had come to be one of the
unwritten rules of the office that such
points should be referred to me, and
while / was by no means uniformly
successful IN solving them, / always
took a lively pleasure in the work, II
was no doubt that habit which had
caused our JUNO? to turn to me In this
emergency. I could guess how terri
flying 1t must rave been to overwhelm
so completely a man so well balanced
and self~controlled--I could almost see
l the lItIlLOAiIi6 liAiAa III WHICH uS ndU
penned the message.
So II was with a certain Quickenine
OF the pulse that / stepped from the
train at the triangular Elizabeth sta
ton, and an instant later Mr.. Royce
had me by the hand.
i've q carriage over here, Lester"
he said, drawing me toward It, and ]
noticed that he was fairly Quiverine
with excitement. II thought you coud
make this train" he added, as we took
our seats Inc the driver whipped up
smartly. II knew you wouldn't lose
any time. and / can't tell you how
glad I am to have you here. Curtiss Is
all broker up-doesn't know which way
to turn. Neither do /. I had just sense
enough TO send you that WIRE"
II thought II was q mystery OF some
Sort" I said, beginning to tingle In
sympathy with him. What has hap
pened?"
1.-THE bride-to-be has disappeared
answered Mr.. Royce simply; wan
ished-skipped out!"
For a L scarcely understood
II seemed prepostercus to suppose tha'
/ had heard Alright.
Disappeared" I echoed helplessly
skipped out!"
YES, skipped out!' and Mr.. Royce
crushed his unlighed cigar saws eiy ir
his fingers and hurled 1t through the
carriage window. IT haven't the slight,
est doubt that she deliberately raj
away"
The sight OF his emotion calmed me
a little.
AT the last moments" / questioned
practically at the last moment--les.
than an hour before the time set fol
the ceremony. She was getting ready
for it--was In her wedding dress. II
fact. ! tell you. Lester
wait" I said, putting out q re,
straining hand. Begin at the begin
ming. What's her manner"