The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-12-04
A MYSTERY AND
ITS SOLUTION
Story of a Strange Wooing
and Happy Ending.

EZRA. 1t was her sweet face that at
|tracted him, q face that bespoke some
[great sorrow. She kept her eyes turn
led upon the stage, but he noticed that
bit was where there was acting rather
than music. All those in the box with
| her were chatting during the opera,
while she, resting her cheek on her
hand and her arm on the rail, her fig
| lure partly covered by n curtain, SEEM
'ed to be absorbed by her own dreams.
|The opera was Faust" During the
scene where Mephistopheles and the
nurse are walking in the garden and
Faust and Marguerite are singing their
Dove she turned her eyes away, and
they fell on Whittemore in the parquet,
bis head turned toward her, his eyes
fxed intensely on hers. She blushed
$lightly and looked again at the stage.
When the opera was ended and all
rose to so Whittemore was watching
her box. An elderly man put a wrap
hround her shoulders, and the others
bf the party were also getting ready to
leave. Whittemore watched to see some
bf them speak to her; but, though they
were chatting with each other. no one
bald word to her.
Winter passed into summer, and
Nhlttemore went to the seashore. The
morning after his arrival at bathing
ime he strolled down to the beach.
There. sitting under a sun umbrella,
was the girl he had seen at the opera.
She was peering far out where the wa
er and the sky met and here and
here q CLINT of sunshine on the hori-
ton bespoke a sail. She was alone.
Nhittemore would have given worlds
or some one to take him to her and in
roduce him, but he knew no one there.
lie had come to be alone and for rest.
lie waited, expecting that some Of her
riends would join her, but they did
bot, and after the bathing she arose
nd went away. AS she passed him she
tarted. Evidently she remembered
him.
The next morning he was at the
leach early, watching for her. When
he came 1t was with a party Of girls
nd an elderly man, all in bathing suits.
hughing She alone was quiet. Surely
he must have some sorrow.
The beach was shelving, and few
ared venture beyond the breakers.
The man of the party took the fair one
y the hand and led her beyond their
epth. Suddenly Whittemore saw him
truggling In the water. The fair one
ad gone under. With all his clothes
n Whittemore plunged in and brought
er out
They stood on the beach, Whittemore
resenting a poor appearance in his
ripping clothes. The fair one looked
him with an expression so distressed
hat he thought she regretted that he
ad saved her Then without a word
thanks she turned and ran away to
be bathing house. The man who had
aiken her beyond her depth had been
ragged out of the water, and White
bore saw him coming toward him.
Ehittemore, indignant, turned his
ack upon him and walked away. The
ext evening he saw the fair one be-
hg driven toward the railroad station.
IS she passed him she regarded him
18th the same panied glance.
Winter came again, and Whittemore,
Fho had detested society for its hol-
bwness, plunged into the gay world,
oping that he might meet the girl who
ad absorbed his whole being. He ap-
cared at teas, receptions, balls. Re
rent to the opera, to concerts, every
there where music was to be heard.
t last, at a musical entertainment at
be home Of one Of his most intimate
riends, he saw her, but where? Sit
ng alone in a recess, so immersed be-
ind curtains as almost to be indistin-
Unstable! Although he was looking
pr her, when he found her he was
ken completely aback. He stood still
hd trembled.
Pardon me-" he said. 81 am per-
itted to speak to you here under our
utual friends roof but l will not
vail myself Of the privilege. Remain
ere for a few minutes, and I will
ring him to introduce me-"
Without waiting for her consent he
urried away, found the host and
Fought him to the recess.
1t was empty.
In vain he dragged the man through
be rooms looking y her. She was
ot In any of the rooms below. They
Faited in the hall, and presently she
s ine down, followed by her maid.
"Ahw said the host. Now / under
and. That Is Clara Van Cleve. an or
han. She Is deaf mute"
Whittemore went home in great dis
ess. He was desperately IN love, but
was a practical man and considered
hat 1t would be to be tied to one upon
hom there was such blight. For
eek he suffered torture, then made
his mind that to go on through life
: lffering without her would be worse
IAN suffering with her. Then he spent
me time studying the deaf mute sign
u,bto xrIfhn,,k non