The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-07-20
CHAPTER V.
DEEPER IN THE MAZE

abNh iCau IL tIuouSh dsdlH-l1cTe
could be no doubling the sincerity of
the writer, her passionate earnestness.
1 cannot be your wife; it is quite, quite
impossible" But why was 1t impossible
Clearly not from any lack OF affection.
II the note proved anything, 1t proved
that Marcia Lawrence loved Burr Cur
tbs far beyond the usual application of
the word.
Why, then, had she fled? There can
be no explanation" There was. moth
ing left but flight: the marriage was
impossible. But why should 1t 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 a secret so
hideous that. rather than betray it,
rather than risk an explanation, she
had fed. But that was such q desper-
ate thing to do; such a suicidal thing:
and woman does not throw away her
happiness thoughtlessly!
l 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 TIL 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 had
fallen thrall to her, none 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
ned from the house of her own Volt
Uon? Was there any possible explana-
zion OF such a flight? None. except
that she had suddenly found herself
race TO face with the fact that she no
longer loved the man she was about
to marry-face to face with future
SO intolerable that any shame. any dis
grace, was preferable to ii. 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 Lawrence's love for Burr
Curtiss whomever she had loved in
the past, II was certain that now she
loved only him. And even in Mrs.
Lawrence's attitude, 1 seemed to dis
than is usually bestowed upon a 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. 1t was true,
as her mother had pointed out, that a
single scream would have alarmed the
houSSp Jul lHlt scream nau
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 I
sat suddenly upright; l felt that 1 had
found the key,
1T was your daughters maid gave
you this, Mrs. Lawrence?" | asked.
Yes" she answered. turning toward
me with start which told me that she
had again clynlx infn he !; 4
she had just found 1t on Marcia 8
dresser"
It's strange" l said. that it wasn't
found before this. You 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,"
us 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"
II have no cause Of complaint
against her" she answered, and though
her voice showed no sign Of emotion,
1 saw sudden trembling seize her
and shake her convulsively for q NOM
ent. Was 1t fear? Was it anger? Was
tt?
Curtiss saw 1t too, and, attributing
1t to very different cause, moved inn
patiently in his chair. L felt that I
was hampered by these witnesses. /
must get rid OF them, IL was to have
freedom of action-and without free
dom Of action / could do nothing.
l turned again to the sheet of paper
In my hand and examined 1t with
care. 1t was an ordinary linen, I'M
ruled. / held II to the light and tried
TO decipher the 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. 1t seemed to
which one would expect in Miss Law
rence's writing paper. The writing
was In womans hand, 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 Renaissance
ly dry, in fact; and yet. IL 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?" l asked.
None whatever" answered Curtiss,
with a quick shake of the head Its
her writing-I knew it instantly"
/ read the note again, and. satisfied
that / had it almost by heart, handed
1t back to him.
"Of course. Mr.. Curtiss," said, you
must decide one thing before we go
any farther. Will you try to follow her,
even though she expressly forbids il q
He sat with knitted brow and CULVER
ing mouth. reading the note word by
word
Yes" he said brokenly, at last. Yes
I'll try to follow her. I'll do everything
I can to find her. I can't live without
her!'
But IL the marriage be really impos-
sible?' j suggested.
impossible" and he turned upon me
holly. How could IL be? What could
make II impossible? tell you, sir
there's nothing on earth can keep us
apart
But this" and 1 leaned forward and
tapped the note.
"Yes-that-I can't explain 1t. At
least, the only explanation l can give
As that it's hideous mistake"
"A mistake? But Miss Lawrence
wasn't an emotional woman?" l ques-
toned. Not a woman to be carried
away by :nomen's passion"
, "Oh. no! Quite the contrary"
Not n woman who would Jump at
a conclusion?" I persisted. Not a
woman who would condemn a man un-
heard-who would overlook the posi-
bility Of mistake and be convinced
by what.we lawyers call circumstan-
tial evidence?"
she was not such woman at ALL"
q =