Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-07-27
v.
DEEPER IN THE MAZE.

lAc WRITER, ler passionate earneStneSS.
II cannot be your wife; it is quite, quito
impossible" but why was it Impossible ?
clearly not from any lack OF affection.
III the note proved anything, it proved
that Marcia Lawrence loved Burr Cur
tbs far beyond the usual application of
the word
Why. then. had she fed? "There can
ing left but flight; the marriage was
impossible. But why should it be inn
possible? Was that not too strong a
term? Yet she nc doubt believed 1t.
Something had happened; there had
been some sudden n startling rev.
e~lation-thc revelation Of a secret so
hldeous that. rather than betray 1t,
rather than risk an explanation. she
had fled. But that was such a desper-
ate thing to do; such a suicidal thing;
and a m does not throw away her
happiness thoughtlessly!
glanced at Curtiss, who had sunk
down again into his chair and sat star
ing straight before him. Was there
In ms 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
lntentially 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 he house Of her own Volt
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 marry-face to face with a future
so lntolerable that any shame, any dis
grace. was preferable to 1t. Yet as /
looked again at the notes wording.
recognized anew the a%bsurdity 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. 1t was certain that now she
loved only him. And even in Mrs.
Germ an affection for him more intense
than Is usually bestowed upon a SON
least until he has bee,l 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 that scream had
never been uttered. 1t could have been
prevented easily enough. And there
had been no n with her at the time
SASSRS iGA Ildlu. F1cT INdlU. Ana
sat suddenly upright; 1 felt that I had
found the key!
1T was your daughters maid gave
you this. Mrs. L%awrence?" 1 asked.
Yes" she answered. turning toward
me With a start which told me thai she
mad again sunk into reverie. She said
she had just found 1t on Marcia's
dresser"
Its strange I said, that it wasn't
FOUND before this. You were in your
daughters room. l suppose after she
disappeared?"
Yes: several times"
And you didn't see his note?,
Mo-: I did not notice it,"
is the maid an old servant?"
Yes she said: Lucy has been in
the family for man years.
And you've always found her
perfectly trustworthy?"
y nave no 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
ant. Was 1t fear? Was 1t anger? Was
tt?
curtiss saw 1t too. and. a%ttributing
patiently In his chair. 1 felt that 1
was hampered by these witnesses. I
must get rid OF them. IL I was to have
freedom of actiOn-and without free
dom of action / could do nothing.
! turned again to the sheet Of paper
In my hand and examined 1t with
care: It was an ordinary linen, UNI
ruled. I held It to the light and tried
20 dectpher the watermark, but only
Two letters were on the sheet, IRE"
The remainder Of the word had been
cut away when the sheet was trim
med to Its present size. It seemed to
mo scarcely to possess the quality
which would expect in Miss Law
rence's writing paper. The writing
was In q woman's hand. a little irregu-
lar; but haste and stress Of emotion
would account for that. AS I exam
ined n writing more closely, 1 though
the Ink seemed strangely fresh-scarce-
~ dry. in fact: and yet. IL the maids
etory were true. h note had been ly-
hours. And lying there unnoticed!
There's no doubt that Miss Law
renee wrote this 2" 1 asked.
None whatever" answered Curtiss.
with q quick shake Of the head. cts
her writing-I knew it instantly"
! read b note again, and, satisfied
nat ! It almost by heart. handed
"Of course. Mr.. Curtiss." I said. .you
must decide n thing before we 60
any farther. VIII you try to follow her.
wen though h expressly forbids it?''
He sat with knitted brow and culver
a mouth. reading the note word BY
word. -
yes" he said brokenly. at last. EYE.
I'll try to follow her. ri do everything
her!"
But II the marriage DO really impos-
Glble?' I suggested.
"lmpossibls!" and he turned upon me
hotly. How could Il be? What could