The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-07-20
CHAPTER i
DEEPER IN THE MAIZE

/ WIN pS III uOuUlllS lil6 sincerity OF
the writer, her passionate earnestness.
4 cannot be your wife; it is quite, quite
impossible" But why was it impossible?
Clearly not from any lack Of affection.
II the note proved anything, it proved
that Marcia Lawrence loved Burr Cur
us far beyond the usual application of
the word.
Why, then, had she fied? There can
be no explanation" There was moth
ing left but flight; the marriage was
impossible. But why should it be i'm
possible? Was that not too strong a
term? Yet h no doubt believed it.
Something had happened; there had
been some sudden n startling rev.
elation-the revelation of u secret so
hideous that, rather than betray it,
rather than risk an explanation, she
had fled. But that was such a desper-
ate thing to do; such a suicidal thing;
and a woman does not throw away her
happiness thoughtlessly!
I glanced at Curtiss, who had sunk
down again into his chair and sat star
ing straight before him. Was there
IN his past some unnamable stain
which had lain hidden till this last
moment; which this stainless woman
had shrunk from, horrifiad?
Or was there, after all. another man?
man, perhaps, whom she had never
~iltentiaiiy encouraged, yet who had
fallen thra1l to her, none the less, who
had determined to possess her, and who
i'Sy SOME trick, some desperate throw.
a managed at the last moment. to
snatch her away from CurtiSs? Had she
fled from the house of her own Volt
ton? Was there any possible explana-
ton of such q flight? None. except
that she had suddenly found herself
face TO face with the fact that she no
longer owed the man she was about
to ~marry-face to face with a future
SO intolerable that any shame. any dis
grace, was preferable to it. Yet as L
looked again at the notes wording, [
recognized anew the ~absurdity of such
a theory. Whatever the solution Of
the mystery, there could be no doubt
ing Marcia L~awrence's love for Burr
Curtiss; whomever she had loved in
the past, 1T was certain that now she
loved only him. And even in Mrs.
Lawrence's attitude. I seemed to dis
Germ an affection for him more intense
than is usually bestowed upon a SON
inlaw--at least until he has beel tested
In the crucible of marriage.
There could be, l told myself, only
one other explanation. Marcia Law
renee had been abducted. 1t was true.
as her mother had pointed out, that a
single scream would have alarmed the
house; but perhaps tina scream had
prevented easily enough. And there
mad been no one with her at the time
except her maid. Her maid! And |
sat suddenly upright; Ilfelt that l had
found the key,
1T was your daughters maid gave
you TINS, Mrs. Lawrence?' | asked.
Yes h answered, turning toward
me with a start which told me that she
mad again sunk into reverie. ''She said
she had just found it ON Marcia's
dresser"
It's strange" 1 said, 'that it wasn't
fOnnf hnfnTa thic Va, "
daughter's room, l suppos after she
~diSappeared?"
"Yes;. several times"
And you didn't see this note?"
No; did not notice it"
is the maid an. old van
Yes" she said; Lucy has been in
the family for many years"
and you've always found her
perfectly trustworthy"
Il have no cause Of complaint
against her" she answered.. and though
her voice showed no sign of emotion
and shake her convulsively for a NOM
ent. Was it fear? Was it anger? Was
#?
Curtiss saw 1t too, and, attributing
1t to a very different cause, moved i'm
patiently in his chair. l felt that I
was hampered by these witnesses. /
must get rid of them, if l was to have
freedom of action-and without free
dom of action 1 could do nothing.
l turned again to the sheet Of paper
IN my hand and examined it with
care: 1t was an ordinary linen, un-
ruled. L held 1t to the light and tried
to decipher the watermark, but only
Two letters We're on the sheet, RE"
The remainder of the word had been
cut away when the sheet was trim
med to its present size. 1t seemed to
me scarcely to possess the quality
"h1nh nnn ~ 49, =.
rences writing paper. The writing
was in a woman's hand, a little irregu-
lar; but haste and stress of emotion
would account for that. AS I exam
med the writing more closely, I though
the INK seemed strangely fresh-scarce-
~ airy, In fact; and yet. if the maids
story We're true. the note had been w.
ing upon he dresser for nearly three
hours. And lying there unnoticedI
There's no doubt thai Miss Law
renee wrote this 2" / asked.
None Whatever answered Curtiss.
with a quick shake of the head. It's
her writing-I knew it instantly"
l read the note again, and, satisfied
that had it almost by heart handed
1t back to him.
"Of course, Mr.. Curtiss." 1 said. "vn,,
must decide one thing before we go
any farther: Will you try to follow her.
even though she expressly forbids it p"
He sat with knitted brow and culver
ing mouth, reading the note word bv
word.
Yes" he said brokenly, at last. Yes
III try to ollow her. I'll do everything
! a to find her. / can't live without
herr"
But II the marriage be really impos-
sible?" l suggested.
lmpossible!" n he turned mon ma
holly. How could 1t be? What could
MAKE Ht.posStb!ec I ;eii Won sir
there's nothing on earth can keep us
apart" "
'"But this" and 1 leaned Onward and
tapped the note.
"Yes-that-I ant explain it. At
least, the only explanation l can give
is that it's a hideous mistake"
"A mistake? But Miss Lawrence
wasn't an emotional woman?r I cues
toned. Not a woman to be carried
by a :nomen's passion"
"Oh, no! Quite the contrary"
Not a woman who would jump at
a conclusion?" 1 persisted. Not a
woman who would condemn a man un-
heard-who would overlook the posi-
bility of a mistake and be convinced
by what we lawyers call circumstan-
tial e~vidence?"