Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-08-31

u couldn't make it. Those Kingdom
sisters are u pair of Tartars. Both of
them were there. The elder one was a
beauty when she was young. / fancy,
but shes seen some trying times since.
to Judge from her face. She got
mighty handsome eyes. even yet--and
my! how they can flash. Well. they
sent me to the right-about as soon as
they learned my errand. 1 tried all
my wiles," he added, with a little ruefu,
smile, AN in VAIN
But intuition's hardly enough to 90
on" l suggested.
y course there's more tha that.
It's the only house she could have
reached without being seen. There's n
path leads to 1t through a grove which
screens 1t from the street. IL she'd
gone In any other direction. she'd have
to venture out into the open, where
somebody would have been sure to see
ner. remember, h was in her we'd
ding dress. and there were probably a
good many people standing around
watching the house. as they always do
at these fashionable weddings"
Perhaps something in my face be-
trayed me; at any rate, he looked at
me with a sudden intent interest.
See here. Lester" he said. II believe
you're in on this thing YOURSELF
Not for publications"
Agreed. Now let's have it,"
Well" explained. I'm working for
Curtiss. I'm trying to find Miss Law
renee. He thinks he's entitled to an
explanation"
Godfrey nodded quickly.
ANY man would think So he said.
How are you going about it,
I'm going to tai advantage Of the
mint You just gave me-
yes. l believe Miss Lawrence is
there, myself. 1 thought so last night
when l came to it after following that
path through h grove"
SO you'd discovered it, too! Well.
l wish you luck. OF course. we may be
other pointers I "a give you." he add
ed, "or I'd be glad to. suppose you
saw Mrs. Lawrence"
"Oh yes"
How was she Affected"
Not SO deeply as you'd expect" /
said.
He gazed at me with narrowed ewes.
HAS 1t occurred to you, Lester" he
said. at last. that Miss Lawrence may
not have gone away of her own accord
at all; that there may be a plot against
her; that h was forced 20 go. or
perhaps even shut up in some room in
the Lawrence house,"
Yes: I'd thought Of it. 1 even put
1t to Mrs. Lawrence"
And what did She say?"
She laughed at me. She said her
daughter was a strong girl, who
wouldn't let herself be abducted with
out q struggle. and that a single scream
would have alarmed the house"
But suppose she'd been drugged.''
suggested Godfrey. Then she would
have neither screamed nor Struggled
Last night" I said. II was half-in-
clined to believe that something of the
sort had happened. I'd forgotten one
fact which absolutely disproves it. She
left q note behind her-or. at least.
! wrote it and sent it back after she ran
away"
"Ah-she did?"
"Yes-a note saying the marriage
was impossible, though her love vas
unaltered, n that Curtiss wasn't to
attempt to find her"
Godfrey sat suddenly upright with
| grim countenance.
h there's only one explanation
Of it." he said. There's only one thing
could make a girl drop everything and
run away like that-only one thing in
the world. She's already married. and
her first husbands turned up."
I'd thought of that, too; but her
mother swears her daughter never a
a love affair previous to this one"
o course she'd say SO. Has any
other possible explanation occurred ia
your"
XNOs ! answered frankly. ana I've
tried mighty hard to find another"
Lets go back a bit. The discovery
whatever it was--was made at the
last moment"
"Yes-at the moment she left the
decorator n started upstairs to get
| her veil"
WAS it made accidentally"
Il don't know"
But I do. It was not accidentally
it was by design. Things don't happen
accidentally, just in the nick Of time"
NO" I agreed, they DON'T"
1T was his revenge" continued Cod
frey. with growing excitement. He
the last moment. 1t was certainly
artistic"
III he really wanted to crush her" !
suggested, my lips trembling with the
horror Of h thought. he'd have wait
ed a little longer"
eyes.
YOU'RE right" he agreed. after a mo-
ment. He didn't want to get even,
then: he wanted her back. So he sent
a letter
1T wasn't a letter. Perhaps it was a
telegram"
mo. 1t wasn't a telegram looked
that up. Are you sure it wasn't a let
ter"
Yes. The morning mail was deliv-
cred shortly after 8. She was happy as
usual until the moment Of her disap-
pearance. two hours later. II it wasn't
a letter or "a telegram. he must have
come in person."
Godfrey sat for a m with intent
face.
Il hardly think So" he said. at last
Some n would have noticed a
stranger, and l made special INQUIRIES
on that point, though it was a lover i
was looking for. not a husband.
| rather imaRined that there u,as anoAhA.