Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-08-10
Roth he and Mrs. Y,aw

p%orters, but the decorator and some O.
the Lawrence servants had evidently
made the most of their opportunities
for the papers had the details Of the
disappearance substantially as | hai
learned them. And nobody had beei
found who had seen the bride leave the
house, or had caught a glimpse of hei
during her flight.
That was the gist of the information
contained in the papers. Both of then
gave space to much speculation as te
the reason for this remarkable event
but plainly both We're wholly al
sea and had no theory TO fit tn.
facts. So. finally, l folded Their
up, put them in my pocket. made
hasty toilet and went in to dinner
nat over, / again sought the reading
room and lighted a reflective cigar.
I had said to Mrs. Lawrence that the
cause of her daughters disappearance
concern me: yet that was by far The
most interesting feature OF the case.
To trace the girl must prove an easy
task-indeed, l fancied it already a:
good AS accomplished. But to probe
the secret-ah, that would not prove
so easy. There was no reason why !
should attempt it, and yet i could moi
keep my mind from dwelling on 1t with
a sort of fascination. For l knew IL
| was no ordinary secret-it was some.
thing dark and Notwithstanding
beside which a woman's happiness II
reputation had seemed a little thing.
Before l could hope to make any fur.
Their progress in that direction, l real
lied that l needed to know more of the
falniiy-of it's history and social stand.
ing. Besides. l must be armed cap-a.
pie before I went to that interview
| which l had determined to seek, in the
morning. with Marcia Lawrence.
Beg pardon. sir" said a voice at my
elbow. n looking up, I saw the hotel
clerk standing there. "This is Mr.. Les.
ter. isn't it?"
YES" L answered.
II have a package here for you,' he
| went on. and handed me a square en-.
velope. 1T was left here for you this
afternoon"
"Oh, yes" I said; thank you," and
I slipped the envelope into my pocket.
You've had rather an exciting time
here today" l added.
You meal the wedding that didn't
come off? he asked, smiling. 1T has
torn the town wide open, and no mis-.
take
$50 l judged from the papers. The
Lawrences are pretty prominent, aren't
they?"
Yes; top-notchers; especially in
church circles. III bet Or. Schuyler il
all broken up"
"Dr. Schuyler"
Pastor of their c~hurch-First Pres.
b~yterian-that big church just down
the street yonder. They've been great
pets of his"
He was to have performed The cere.
mony?"
Sure. They wouldn't have had any
body else. Nice old fellow, too. Be.
sides. he's been their pastor for years."
Here was the source 1 had been look.
draw detailed and accurate informa.
ton. if l could only reach it.
II suppose that house next to the
church is h parsonage" l ventured.
l had never seen the church, but IL
seemed a safe shot.
Yes: the one this side of it,"
I nodded.
Il thought SO. Thank you for givins
me the package" I added, and glanced
at my watch and rose.
oh, that's all right, sir" he an.
swered. and turned away to his desk.
AS for me-. / lost no time in starting
out upon my errand. l would see DR..
SchuylerlI would put the case before
him, and ask his help. 1t was nearly
S o'clock. doubtless we'll past his dinner
hour. and / resolved to seek the inter-
view at once.
Lights had sprung up along the
street. casting long shadows under the
trees which edged either side. The win.
dows of the houses cleaned through
the darkness. and here and there, where
the blinds had not been drawn, ]
caught gliimpses of families gathered
together about a paper, with heads
eagerly bent. From the dim verandas
l heard the murmur of excited gossip
and / knew too well what it was all
about. Tonight. this city, from end I'd
end, could ave but a single allah
sorbing subject to discuss-to wonder
at and chatter over with that insatia.
bic curiosity which we inherit from the
monkeys.
But l had not far to go. The tall
straight snire of a church told me
tf"t 7 he'd reached my destination, and
l turned In at the gate Of a house
Ml.4sn was Enthusiastically the parson.
age. The maid who took my card al
that DIR. Schuyler was in his study and
would see mo. l followed her and
found the clergyman seated beside
table upon which were lying the eve.
ming papers. A glance at them showed
me what he had been reading, and hi,
perturbed face bespoke great inward
agitation. He was a small MAJ Of per
haps 60 years, with snow-white hail
and beard and a delicate. intellectual
face. He arose to greet me, my card
still In his fingers, and then motionel
me to a chair.
~"Candidly. Mr.. Lester" he said, %
was half inclined to excuse myself