River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-01-25
CHAPTER XXX.
The Search for the Missing.

The Search for the Missing.
The note of unrestrained joy of re
lief in the womans voice rang through
the room, stilling all else. and caus
ing those who heard to forget for an
instant the steiner purpose of their
gathering. ESkTbain bent over her
like fat gueEtvfan angel patting hel
shoulder, her essea SO blurred with
tears as to be practically sightless, YET
still turned questiorA'"tI.y upon Waite
The sheriff was firSaa To recover
speech, and a sense of duty.
Then this lets Miss Mac.@ila out
uf the conspiracy charge he said
.yravely, "but 1t doesn't make it Nay
brighter for Hawley SO far as | cSG
nee-there's a robbery charge agains
lim if nothing else. Any one herr
know where the fellow is?''
For moa,ent nc one answered. 81
though Keith TOOK :, step forward, re-
minded instantly OF ho2a's predics.
ment. Before he could speak, hcWever
Christie looked up, with swift gestr2s
pushing back her loosened hair.
He was to have met me az tbs
theater tonight" she said, her voicS
trembling, but was not there whel
/ came out; he-he said he had i'm
portant news for me-
"And failed to show up-did na send
no messenger"
Doctor Fairbain was waiting fol
me instead. He said that Mr.. Ha8ley
was called suddenly out of town
The eyes of the sheriff turned *
Fairbaia, whose face grew reddea
than usual, as he shifted lis s,a9='s
toward Keith
THAT was lie," he confessed
lamely II was told to say that.
Just a moment, Sheriff" and Keitr
stood before them, his voice clear anc
convincing. MY name is Keith, and
have unavoidably been mixed up in
this affair from the beginning Just
now | can relieve the doctor of his
embarrassment. Miss Hope Waite
and l have been associated together
in an effort to solve .his mystery. This
evening, taking advantage of the re
markable resemblance existing be
tween herself and Miss Maclaire, Miss
Hope decided upon e. mask"
Whats that" Waite broke in ex
citedly. rs Hope hsre?"
Yes, has been Err a week; we've
had all the police Force of sheridan
hunting you"
The old man stared at the speaker
open-mouthed, and muttered some
thing about Fort Hays, but Keith, pay
ing little attention to him, hurried OIL
with his story.
LAS say, she decided upon imper
sonating Christie here, hoping in this
way to learn more regarding Hawley's
plans. We had discovered that the
two were to meet after the evening
performance at the stage door OF tho
Trocadero. | escorted Hope there
dressed as near like Miss Maclaire as
possible, and left her inside the vesti
bule waiting for Black Bart to ap
pear. At the heal of the alley | rar
into Fairbain. told him something 81
the circumstances, and persuaded hin
TO escort Miss Christie back to the
hotel. He was net very hard to per
suade. Well, HaTley came, and Hope
met him; they went out of the alley
way together arm in arm. talking
pleasantly. and turned this way 60
ward the hotel The doctor and
both saw and heard them. | wass de
layed not to exceed two minutes
speaking a final word to Fairbain, and
when | reached the street they had
disappeared. | have hunted them
everywhere without finding "a trace
have even beer through the resorts
She has not returned to tie hotel, and
I burst in upon you here hoping thai
Miss Maclaire might have some infor
nation"
She shook her head, and Waite
glaring impotentlg at the two of them
swore sharply.
Good God, mar! my girl! Hope
alone with that Damn villain. Come
ON. Sheriff; we've got to find her
Wait. thought" and he strobe almost
menacingly across the room. First
want to know who the devil you
-are?''
Keith Strengthened up, looking d.
rectly into the fierce questioning eyes
CTO BE CONTINUED