Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-07-20

before l can go to work intellgently.
You will pardon it. Had your daugh-
ter ever had amy attachment previous
to this one:"
l saw Curtiss glance at her quickly.
SHAT solution of the problem had oc-
CURED to him, then. too!
Not the shadow Of one answered
Mrs. Lawrence instantly, II perhaps
it was only my fancy that the accent
Of sincerity vas a trifle forced. II have
been Marcia's companion and con-
tidante all her life. and I am sure that
until she met MIR. Curtiss."
But h no doubt Interested many
men," l suggested.
Yes. but never with intention"
That only makes the case more des-
perate sometimes
Il don't believe there were any des-
.perate cases. You Will remember" she
added, that We lived much abroad,
and so had few intimate acquaintance.
Besides, Marcia Observation-Disclosures
patriotic. She ofen said she would
marry only an American-and an
American who lived at home and was
proud of his country. One doesn't
meet many OF thai kind in Europe"
NO. agreed. Whatever my
doubts might be. it was clearly impos-
sible at present to proceed m further
hicIlS lIldl ilnG Oh llQUlTy.
And what other line lay open? It
seemed to me that l had com to an
impasse-a closed way-which barred
further progress.
sat silent a moment, bordering the
problem. Perhaps Mrs. Lawrence held
the key to it. and 1 turned to look at
her. She was seemingly sunk in
to time, as though she were repeating
to herself some fraEmentary words.
She seemed more self-Iossessed in the
presence OF this catastrophe than n
would have expected. Perhaps h
knew where her daughter was: perhaps
There was nothing to show that she
had left the house. It seemed ilnpossi-
BILE that a woman clad as she had been
could have fed. in broad day, without
attracting someone's notice. But
whether she had fed or not, I reflected,
the mystery remained the same, Ger
tainly, she had no appeared at the al
tar to keep her promise to Burr Cur
tiss.
Mrs. Lawrence" l asked, what
reason have you to beiev that your
daughter left the house,"
She started from her reverie, n sat
staring at me as though scarce under,
standing. '
Why she said at last, what else
could she ave done. She has disap-
pearcd-'
You're sure she isn't concealed
somewhere about the place."
'Concealcd?" and she paled q little
under my eyes. "Oh. no; that's impos-
sible! We've searched everywhere"
And you think III went Of her own
free will?"
She could scarcely have besn
abducted" she retorted. Marcia is q
strong girl. and n single scream would
have alarmed the house
That true" / agreed. Your room
is near hers?"
Just across the haN."
The wish flashed into my brain to
look through the house; perhaps I
should be able to arrange it.
There's no pit or hole or trap or
anything OF that sort into which she
could have fallen?"
oh. no.; nothing OF the Sort
Nor closet nor chest into which sho
could have accidentally locked herself?'
| went on. remembering the fate OF the
bride in the old song.
NO; besides, We've looked in them
all. We've searched eVerywhere-ev-
cry corner. She's not in the house-Tm
quite sure of that
And yet c say she loved Mr.. Cur
tiss?'
Loved him d~evotedly."
Then what possible reason sould she
have for deserving him? Why should
she
A knock at the door interrupted me.
Mrs. Lawrence, who vas sitting near
est it. rose quickly and opened it. I
caught a glimpse. IN the semi-dark-
ness OF the hall, Of q woman in a
maids cap and apron. She gave her
mistress a letter, whispering, as she
did so. a swift sentence in her ear.
/ heard Mrs. L~awrence's low <
clamation of surprise, as she held the
letter up to the light and read the
superscription. hen she turned swift
ly toward us. her face pale with emo
ton.
It's a note" she cried. "A note
from Marcia! 1t will explain and she
handed the envelope to Curtiss.
"A note?" he stammered. Addressed
to me?"
Tn Marcia's writing. Read 1t. It
will EXPLAIN she repeated.
He took 1t with trembling hand, went
to the window. and tore 1t open. I
saw his lips Quivering az he read IL; I
Jaw the white intensity with which
Mrs. Lawrence watched his face: I was
conscious. too. OF another presence In
n room. and I glanced around to SEQ
that h maid stood leaning forward in
the open doorway. her eyes sparkling
with eagerness. her mouth working.
her hands clasping and unclasping con-
vulsively. There vas something sin
her misunderstanding almost Of ex-
ulting, OF triumph
Curtiss crushed the letter in his hand
with a quick movement Of despair, and
turned to us distraught, flushed. as
founded.
1T tells nothing" he faltered: moth
ing: 1t-it-I can't believe 1t! Read