The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-10-24
A MYSTERY AND
ITS SOLUTION
Story of a Strange Wooing
and Happy Ending.

era, IL was ueT SWEET idIt liial ~
tracted him, face that bespoke some
great sorrow. She kept her eyes turn
ed upon the stage, but he noticed that
1t 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
ure partly covered by curtain, see l.
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
love she turned her eyes away, and
they fell on Whittemore In the parquet,
his head turned toward her, his eyes
fixed intensely on hers. She blushed
slightly and looked again at the stage.
When the opera was ended and all
rose to go Whittemore was watching
her box An elderly man put a wrap
around her shoulders, and the others
of the party were also getting ready to
leave. Whittemore watched to see some
of them speak to her; but, though they
were chatting with each other, no one
said a wSrd to her.
| Winter passed into summer, and
| Whittemore went to the seashore. The
morning after his arrival at bathing
| time he strolled down TO the beach.
| There, sitting under a sun umbrella,
was the girl he had seen Mt the opera.
ha yxns naprfnu fnr nnf 4 hnFp tho
ter and the sky met, and here and
there a CLINT of sunshine on the hori-
zon bespoke sail She was alone.
Whlttemore would have given worlds
for some one TO take him to her and in
troduce him, but he knew no one there.
He haa come to be alone and for rest.
He waited, expecting that some Of her
friends would join her. but they did
not, and after the bathing she arose
and went away. AS she passed him she
started. Evidently she remembered
him.
The next morning he was at the
beach early, watching for her. When
she came 1t was with party of girls
and an elderly man, all in bathing suits.
All the party save her were talking and
laughing. She alone was quiet. Surely
she must have some sorrow.
The beach was shelving. and few
dared venture beyond the breakers.
The man of the party took the fair one
by the hand and led her beyond their /
depth. Suddenly Whittemore saw him
struggling in the water. The fair one
had gone under. With all his clothes
on Whittemore plunged in and brought
her out.
They stood on the beach, Whittemore
presenting a poor appearance in his
dripping clothes. The fair one looked
at him with an expression so distressed
that he thought she regretted that he
had saved her. Then without word
OF thanks she turned and ran away to
the bathing house. The man who had
taken her beyond her depth had been
dragged out of the water. and White
Whittemore. indignant, turned his
back upon him and walked away. The +,
next evening he saw the fair one be-
ing driven toward the railroad station.
AS she passed him she regarded him i
with the same panied glance.
Winter came again, and Whittemore, ,
who had detested society for its hol |
owness. plunged into the gay world, l
hoping that he might meet the girl who S
had absorbed his whole being. He ap- G
Deared at teas. receptions, balls. He {
went to the opera. TO concerts, every t
where where music was to be heard.
At last, at musical entertainment at
he home of one Of his most intimate
friends, he saw her but where? Sit. i
ing alone in q recess. so immersed be- (
lind curtains as almost 70 be indistin Il
.uishable. Although he was looking v
or her, when he found her he was t
aiken completely aback. He stood still c
nd trembled. b
Pardon me-" he said. II am per- t
nitted to speak to you here under our q
mutual friends roof, but ! viii not
vail myself Of the privilege. Remain
ere for a few minutes, and | will
ring him to introduce me-"
without waiting for her consent he
urried away, found the host and
him to the recess.
1t was empty.
In vain he dragged the man through
be rooms looking for her. She was
OF in any of the rooms below. They
'aited in the hall, and presently she
anne down. followed by her maid 4
ABR said the host. Now / under
and That is Clara Van Cleve, an or
han. She is a deaf mute
Whittemore went home in great dis
ess. He was desperately in love. but
, was practical man and considered
hat IT would be to be tied TO one upon
hon there was such blight. For
eek he suffered torture, then made
, his mind that to go on through life
iffering without her would be worse
an suffering with her Then he spent
me time studying the deaf mute sign
nguage This mastered. without call
& in any one as go-between. he
rote to her. intimat ting that he knew
her misfortune and begging TO be
rmitted to share it with her. When
q two met the next evening at her
me Whittemore astonished her by
draCcfnV hnr bv bar own Dnafhod NJ II