Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-09-29
CHAPTER III.
IL M,LI1oT DOLLARS HANSON.

a Il r. GRAYMAN on the morning
EW after the events already de-
VS scrlbed waited long at the
breakfast table, and at last.
growing impatient, he sent to his
daughters room. It was empty! So
the servant reported.
Empty" Mr.. Grayman exclaimed.
'What do you mean"
Miss Helen is not there, and her
bed has not been occupied. We can
find no trace of her or of Susan"
Mr.. Grayman could not believe bis
ears. He was Of choleric tempera.
ment. except in business.
You idiotw he said, brushing the
girl aside. "I'll go myself and see."
He assembled to his daughters apart
ments. In few minutes he had con-
WINGED himself Of the truth Of the in
credible report. Miss Grayman was
not to be found. and neither her bed
nor Susan's had been disturbed. He
was absolutely stunned. His daugh-
ter, although Of n romantic DISPOSE
tAohs was AAiOSL ACS uidi Ill AeT
and she had seldom spent a night out
Of the house when he was in 1t. He
treasured her as the apple Of his eye.
She formed the only bond between him
and the world of sentiment. He new.
er suffered her to be long out of his
sight. In summer they went together
to one Of his country places, or to the
mountains. or the seaside, or some
times to Europe. That she should van.
ish out Of his own house, from under
his very eyes. was thing beyond all
possibility Of belief. 1t simply could
not be so. And yet it was so.
After the first half paralyzing shock
produced by this tremendous fact Mr.
Grayman became angry. He abused
the servants who flocked, wondering
around Miss Grayman's door. wher
the housekeeper appeared. bustling t.
the rescue with an imaginary expIa
nation Of the disappearance half ut
tered on her lips. he lost oil patience
and chased her downstairs. Mr. Gray
man. the great Millionaire, noted fol
his GOODNESS and his nerve. had almost
gone mad. He had met his first check
in thirty years and In q form that be
could not endure.
The occurrence was so unprecedent
ed that he could not think connectedly
about it or about what to do. The
butler wac more clear headed than bis
master.
II think it will be necessary to seni
for the police. sir" he suggested.
THE police!' cried Mr.. Grayman
what have they got to do with it
What do the police know about my
daughter"
''But-but, sir" stammered the man
"she may-she may have been carried
off,"
Carried of! Who would carry he
off. you fool? Who could carry hel
off here"
II don't know, sir. But she wouldn'
have gone of herself, would she, sir !?
At this one Of the maids. In WHOSE
hard. practical brain the buffers re
mark had struck the spark Of an idea
said in an undertone to a companion:
Gould it have been that Lord Darn
ley? He was always hanging arount
her"
Mr.. Graynan's ear caught the words
Now. this was something which nigh
have been expected to anger him-tht
suggestion that his daughter would
rIo;e Eut instead II simply shocked
his mind back into IL normal state. IL
va instant he had become master o.
himself and of the situation.
Go about your duties" he said quiet
~ in his ordinary tones. I'VE are max
ing trouble about nothing. ! had real
~ forgotten what my daughter told
me last night. have been so over
pressed with business that 1t escaped
me. She has not disappeared. know
where she is. 1t was only my forget
fulness. Think no more about It,"
This was again the William Gray
man who knew how to make billions
In a fash he had reached his decision
If his daughter had run away ut the
instigation of one Of her suitors-s
thing he did not yet believeit wa.
absolutely essential that the fact should
be suppressed, ut least until he knew
all the circumstances. The idea of 6
forcible abduction did not occur t.
him. 1t would have appeared to hi:
mind too absurd to be entertained.
Still. he felt that he needed the aii
Of the police, as the butler had suggest
ed. but it must be secret aid. 1t mus
never be known-least Of all to hi.
servants. lie, of course, had the means
of securing secrecy. at least rs far q!
secrecy is humanity possible, for money
can shut as well as open all mouths
A million dollars would be bagatellt
to William Grayman II 1t guarded hi!
family from scandal.
His mind was made up as to the &C
ton that he should take. In his ordi
nary manner. at his usual hour, h'
summoned his wits. Before leavin;
the house he called for the house
keeper.
Il was little rude in my excite
ment this morning." he said to her
"and it was all SO absurd 1t was dut
TO my forgetfulness, inspired by intens,
application to business. My daughter
may be absent some time. She wen
away quietly with Susan last night t.
stay with some friends out Of town
but her absences are so infrequent ant
I am so accustomed to seeing her a
the breakfast table that the fact really
slipped my mind in the midst Of 81
many cares, and / made useles:
s.A