Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-09-15
AFFAIR AT
As BY Burton B aT + nsl E sts a,,..o5 IN.
.s Holiday Case" Etc. n
Nw York-EIen IIt e cn-1ar- -- /
BY Burton E. Stevenson
New York-Henry Holt & Co-l9N.

SSla, perhaps this VIII give us a clue
Il do wish TO find her"
This form win tell US which station
this message was sent from, / think.
Wait here q minute" and l crossed the
hall 70 the brokerage Offices of Sims 81
Wesson. May l speak to your opera
tori" l asked OF the junior partner.
Certainly he said, and waved me
TO the little room Where the instruments
were clicking merrily away.
Can you tell me what these charac.
teTs mean| asked, placing the ta2s-
sage before the operator and pointing
70 the row Of figures n letters at the
top OF it-"6lCWDDSASPD."
The ST." he said, means that this
was the 6lst message received at Eliza
beth this morning; CIV means that the
message was fled at the Christopher
street ofiiCe-corner Christopher and
West; ID ana 'SA are the initials OF
the operators who sent and received
the message; SPD' means that there
are eight words in the message and that
1t was prepaid. It's the regular form
used on all Western Union messages"
Thank you" / said, and hurried back
across the hall elated, for I had learned
more than l had dared to hope.
"Well?" asked Curtiss, looking up
with anxious face.
THE message was flied at the Chris
topher street Office" l said, Christie
pher and West street"
west street," eachoed Mr.. Royce
What or earth was she doing there %
She could have been doing only one
thing" l pointed out exultantly. when
a woman goes down to the docks, it
must be"
ITO take a boat"
Just so! And when she goes to that
| particular norton nP the 6npLC ~ pntrcr
be to take a trans Atlantic liner"
Curtiss stared at me for a moment as
though not understanding; then he rose
heavily to his feet.
We'll l can follow her even there"
he said, and started for the door.
But Mr., Royce had him by the arm.
MY dear Curtiss!" he protested.
Think what a wild goose chase you're
starting onl"
Better than sitting idle here" re
torted Curtiss doggedly; and l could
not but agree with him.
Perhaps we can narrow the search
down a little" I said. Suppose we
drive around to the West street office"
Just what l was about to do" said
Curtiss, and led the way to the eleva-
tor.
During that drive across town, we
found little to say. Curtiss was deep
in his W thoughts, and I saw from
the way Mr.. Royce looked at him, how
anxious he was concerning him. But
at last we reached u destination.
Can you give me any description OF
the person who sent this message?" I
asked, and spread out the telegram be-
fore the man at the desk. Perhaps
you'll let us see the original"
He glanced at the message and then
at us.
mo question OF a mistake, I hope?"
he said. The message reads straight
enough"
mo" I answered; rather a question
of preventing q mistake. / hope you
won't refuse u.s."
He glanced US over again and seemed
It's a little irregular" he said. but
/ guess l can do It."
He opened a drawer, and ran through
a sheaf OF papers.
Here it Is" he said, and laid = sheet
before us. you see the message was
correctly sent"
Yes" l agreed; but it was not at the
message 1 was looking; it was at the
sheet upon which 1t was written-a
sheet which had embossed at the top
the words IS. S.. Umbria."
who sent the message ?" I asked.
1T was brought In by a messenger
from the Cunard liner pier.
What time did the Umbria sail?"
"She was to nave sailed at IL O'Clock,
but vas delayed by a little accident Of
some sort. Perhaps she's still at her
pier"
/ thanked fortune that l had told our
cabman to wait; l think Curtiss would
have been craZed by any delay. As 1t
was, we rushed from the office and
crowded in.
THE Cunard pier!" cried Mr.. Royce,
a in a hurry" and he waved a bill
under the claimants nose.
Not until we were under way did
Curtiss speak.
did you seer ne asked, In a voice
which shook convulsively. 1.-THE mes
sage was in Marcia's writing"
Yes" / said. II recognized IT."
I'VE must catch the boat. Why don't
that fellow whip up?"
Hes going as fast as he can" said
Mr.. Royce. sit still, Curtiss," and he
threw an arm about him.
What a ride that was over the cob
BILE stonesi Half a dozen times I
thought a collision inevitable, but we
had fallen into sk1llful hands, and were
safely piloted through openings In the
crowd OF vehicles where It seemed a
hand barrow could not hope to go.
Here we arel' cried cabby, and we
tumbled out. He had done his best to
earn his tip. and got It.
The pier was crowded, but we forced
our way along 1t with scant regard for
the feelings Of other people. Had the
ship sailcd-were we in time.
shes gone" said Mr.. Royce, as we
gained the front Of the crowd. "See
there"
There she was. headed squarely down
the stream, just gathering speed. There
was q flutter of handkerchiefs from her
deck, we could see the people crowding
against the rail In their eagerness to
wave q last goodby-
Curtiss, who had been staring at her
stnridly, suddenly flushed and pulled
himself erect.
There she Isl" he cried. "See-stand-
ing alone by that forward boat
I stared with all my eyes. There was
indeed a figure there-a clad
In black-but the face was the merest
blur.
You think so?" I asked incredu-
lously
II know sol" and he swung sharp
round, his face alight with eagerness.
"Come-there must be some way to
catch her-a tug"
He accosted the first blue coated OF
fetal he could find, but that worthy
Shook his head. No tug could catch
the Imhria pow. havfdaS 49,. ra~