The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-07-06
CHAPTER II.
A BRIDES G


Two minute later, I was speeding
downward in the elevator, having
paused only long enough to give a word
of instruction to the head clerk. A
glance at my watch showed me that if
| would catch the 1888, I had no time
to lose: but luckily a cab was passing
at the moment. and I Jumped aboard
the boat for Jersey City just as the
gates were closing.
Not until I was safely aboard the
train did I give myself time to con-
lecture what this imperative summons
meant, but during the half-hour run to
the little New Jersey city, 1 had ample
time to try to puzzle it out.
One thing was quite certain-it was
no ordinary emergency which had
moved Mr.. Royce to summon me from
the office at a time when l was SO
badly needed there. ] got out the tele-
gram again, and read 1t, word by
word. 1t affected me as a wild cry for
help would AVE done, at midnight, in
some lonely place-and it was just that
"a wild cry for help. But why had he
needed aid, when he himself was so
clear sighted, SO ready-witted, SO fer
tile OF resource? What was this as
founding occurrence which confronted
him, this crisis SO urgent and over
whelming that it had shaker and
startled him out Of his self-control?
The message itself was proof of his
deep excitement. Apparently he had
wired for me instinctively, finding him
self suddenly in the tolls of some di-
lelnma, which left him dazed and
nerveless.
Ever since the time I had succeeded,
more by luck than anything else, In
discovering the whereabouts Of Frances
Holiday, and solving the mystery of
her fathers death, our Junior partner
had conceived a tremendously exalted
opinion Of my abilities as an %untangler
Of abtruse problems, and never lost an
opportunity Of referring to me such as
came in his way. Every firm of trac-
ticing lawyers knows how frequently
a case hinges upon some puZZling point
of evidence-how witnesses have a way
of disappearing-and Graham & Royce
had their full share Of such perplexing
tangles. 1t had come to be one Of the
unwritten rules Of the office thai such
points should be referred to me, and
while l was by no mean uniformly
successful in solving them, 1 always
took a lively pleasure in the work. It
was 10 doubt that habit which had
caused our junior to turn to me in this
emergency. I could guess how terri
flying it must have been to ~overwhelm
so completely a man SO well balanced
and self~controlled-I could almost see
the trembling hand with which he had
penned the message.
So 1T was with a certain q~uickening
Of the pulse that I stepped from the
train at the triangular Elizabeth sta
ton, and an instant later Mr.. Royce
had me by the hand.
I've a carriage over here, Lester"
he said, drawing me toward it, and
noticed that he was fairly quivering
with excitement. 1T thought you could
make this train ne added, az we took
our seats and the driver whipped up
smartly. II knew you Wouldn't lose
any time. and l can't tell you how
glad 1 am to have you here. Curtiss is
all broken up-doesn't know which way
to turn. Neither do l.. I had Just sense
enough to send you that wire"
Il thought it was a mystery of some
sort" I said. beginning to tingle in
sympathy with him. "Wha has hap
pened?"
The bride-to-be has disappeared,'
answered Mr.. Royce simply; van
ished-skipped out."
For a moment / scarcely understood.
1t seemed prepoSterous to suppose that
I had heard Alright.
"Disappeared." I echoed helplessly.
Skipped QUIT"
YES. skipped OUT" and Mr.. Royce
his fingers and hurled it through the
carriage window. IT haven the slight
est doubt that she deliberately ran
away
The sight of his emotion Gained me
a little.
A the last moment?" I questioned.
practically at the last o.nent-le
h an hour before the time set for
the ceremony. She was getting ready
for twas in her wedding dress, in
fact. I tell you. Lester"
Wait" I said, putting out a re-
strainihg hand Begin at the begin
ming. What's her name?"