The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-12-05
CHAPTER WI.
Two Disappearances.

| looked at my watch and saw that
1t was nearly noon. remembered that
| had not yet called up Louise as
had intended to do the very first thing
that morning. What laggard lover
she must think me! How heartless 1t
must seem to her for me to leave her
alone so long in the mansion where
here father and sister lay dying, per-
haps dead, with the black shadowy
mystery still hanging over her and
them! What must she think of me-?
Filled with self-reproach l sprang up
without word of apology or explana-
lion to the others and fastened to the
telephone booth had observed in the
hall
Give me DIAL Madison" I demand
ed of central!
What's the matter?" she repeated,
with surprise in her tone, which struck
me peculiarly until | considered that
long-distance calls from Ardway must
be such rarity as to surprise even
the operator.
Il want ong-distance-New York, "
explained, enunciating distinctly,
"O141 Madison"
Again" central replied, f1ippantly,
1t appeared to me.
l repeated the number, more than
annoyed by her response. ooh, I've
got your number all right by this
time
1t was good thing for her that she
tried no more popularity with me, or
the rules of the company against pro-
family would have been shattered.
There was a wait of several minutes,
filled with the usual false alarms of
long-distance telephoning, during
which l stood and fumed. At last |
heard my dear Louise's voice and has
tened eagerly to ask after her well
fare. Her voice seemed strong and
cheerful, though she admitted that she
had slept little the night before. l
apologized for not having called up be-
fore. She told me that while her ia.
theirs condition was unchanged, the
doctor thought he was in no immedi-
ate danger, and that Katharine was
much improved. The doctor believed
now that she could live. She was con.
scious, but very weak, and Louise had
been forbidden to speak to her and
was allowed in the room only for a
minute at a time. / hastily sketched
for her the events of the morning.
ooh, Mr.. Kent" said Louise's voice
how l wished she would call me by
my first name-"who do you suppose
called up?"
Whoa"
Hugh Crandall."
Whats that?" l exclaimed, hardly
believing my ears.
Hugh Crandall," she repeated a lit
tie louder and more distinctly. "He
asked for Katharine, and the maid
called me TO the telephone. told him
my sister was ill and could not come
to the telephone. He seemed greatly
agitated and insisted on knowing what
the matter was. He was so agitated
and persistent / finally told him she
had met with an accident. He was
silent for so long l thought he had
left the telephone, but all of a sudden
he asked, Did she shoot herself?' and
before / thought ] answered Yes
Then he cried out, oh, my Cod. or
something like that and asked if she
was fatally injured. / told him that
she was alive but unconscious. and
then, Harding, he asked if l had seen
anything of a yellow letter. l thought
/ had better tell him nothing about
that, so | answered No. and then he
rang off,"
That was right said Where
did he call up from?"
Il have no idea"
When was it? How long ago?"
Not very long-within the hour"
Hastily l explained to Louise that a
man that believed was Crandall was
here in the hotel with me and that
would find him at once and make him
explain the mystery. Before / left the
booth | got the Ardway central again
land from her learned what / had be-
gun to suspect-that "O14s Madison"
had been called from the very booth
in which | stood, not over an hour be-
fore. There was no longer any doubt
about it in my mind-Cook was Gran
dali. He evidently had gone straight
to the telephone booth after slipping
out of the room as I had asked the
question about the yellow letter. From
the questions he put to Louise. he
must have been suspecting that Kath-
arine would try suicide. Why else
had he asked if she had shot herself?
He must have known her motive. He
surely could explain the dark mystery
that burdened her father and herself.
| resolved to seek him at once and,
even II had to have him arrested on
some pretext, or if had to use physi-
cal force. to make him disgorge all he
knew. felt in my pocket to make
sure that the revolver Davis had CIV
en- me was there. and hurried back to
the othcs.