Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-07-28
p V.
DEEPER ~ THE MAIZE,

impossible But why was 1t impossible?
Clearly not from any lack of affection.
If the note proved anything, 1t proved
that Marcia Lawrence loved Burr Cur
It's far beyond the usual application Of
the word.
Why, then, had she fed? 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 she no doubt believed it.
Something had happened; there had
been some sudden and startling rev.
elation-the revelation Of q secret so
hideous that, rather han .betray 1t,
rather than risk. ar explanation, she
had fled. But that was such a desper-
ate thing TO do; such a suicidal thing;
and q 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, mortified?
Or was there, after all. another man?
A man, perhaps, whom she had never
intentially encouraged, yet who a
fallen thrall to her, non the less, who
had determined to possess her, and who
by some trick, some desperate throw,
had managed at the last moment, to
snatch her away from CurtiSS? Had she
fed from the house Of her w voli-
ton? Was there any possible explana-
ton of such a flight? None. except
that she had suddenly found herself
face TO face with the fact that she no
longer loved the man she was about
to m~arry-faCe to face with a future
so intolerable that any shame, any dis
grace, was preferable to it. Yet as /
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 ever in Mrs.
Lawrence's attitude, ] seemed TO dis
Germ an affection for him more intense
h is usually bestowed upon q SON.
inlaW-at least until he has been tested
In the Crucible of marriage.
There could be, / told myself, only
one other explanation. Marcia Law
renee had been abducted. II was true,
as her mother had pointed out. hat a
single scream would have alarmed the
house; but perhaps that scream had
never been uttered. 1t could have been
prevented easily enough. And there
had been no one with her at the time
except her maid. Her maid! And 1
sat suddenly upright: l felt that 1 had
found the key!
1T was your daughters maid gave
you this, Mrs. Lawrence?' I asked.
Yes" she answered, turning toward
me with a start which told me that she
had again sunk into reyerie. she said
she had just found it on Marcia's
dresser"
It's strange" I said, that It wasn't
found before this. Tou were in your
daughters room. 1 suppose after she
disappeared?
Yes; several times"
And you didn't see this note?"
mo; l did not notice it."
rs the maid an old servant"
Yes" she said: Lucy has been in
the family for many years"
And you've always found her
perfectly trustWorthy?"
Il have 10 cause of complaint
against her" she answered, and though
her voice showed no sign Of emotion,
l saw a sudden trembling seize her
and shake her convulsively for a NOM
ent. Was it fear? Was it anger? Was
#?
Curtlss 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. l
must get rid Of them, If 1 was to have
freedom of action-and without free
dom Of action l could do nothing.
l turned again to the sheet of paper
IN my hand and examined it with
care. 1t was an ordinary linen, I'M
ruled. / held it to the light and tried
to ~decipher he watermark, but only
two letters were on the sheet, RE"
The remainder Of the word had been
cut away when the sheet was trim
med to its present size. IT seemed to
me scarcely to possess the quality
which one would expect in Miss Law
rence's 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
ined the writing more closely, / though
the ink seemed strangely fresh-scarce-
~ dry, la fact; and yet, If the maids
story were true, the note had been ly-
Ing upon the dresser for nearly three
hours. And lying there unnoticed!
There's no doubt that Miss Law
renee wrote this 2" I asked.
None whatever" answered Curtiss,
with a quick shake Of the head. It's
her writing-I knew it instantly
/ read the note again. and, satisfied
that j a 1t almost by heart, handed
II back to him.
"Of course, Mr.. Curtiss,' I said. you
must decide n thing before we go
any lartner. VIII o try TO follow her,
even though she expressly forbids it?'
He sat with knitted brow and CULVER
ing mouth. reading the note word by
word.
Yes" he said brokenly, at last. eyes
I'll try to follow her. III do everything
i can to ind her. / can live without
herr"
But IL the marriage be really impos-
sible?" / suggested.
IMPOSSIBLE" and he turned upon me
hotly. How could it be? What could
make 1t impossible? / tell you. sir
there's nothing on earth can keep US
apart"
but this and / leaned forward and
tapped the note.
"Yes-that-I can't explain 1t. At
least. the only explanation l can give
Is that it's a hideous mistake"
"A mistake? But Miss Lawrence
wasn't an emotional wcrlan2" / ques-
toned. Not q woman to be carried
away by a momen's passion"
"Oh, no! Quite the contrary"
mot a woman who would Jump at
a conciusion?' / persisted. mot a
woman who would condemn a man un-
hea rd-who would overlook the posi-
bilify Of a mistake and be convinced
by what we lawyers call circumstan-