Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-17

might be perfectly innocent of any
wrongdoing. But | remembered how
deceptive criminals are. what nerve
they have. and l was puzzled 10 under
stand why this one gave herself away
so plainly at the sight of a detective.
Perhaps It was this that affected me.
Not that had much pity. The $4,000
l was TO receive for her capture coun-
teracted that But someho W every
once in awhile II came over me that
something was wrong in the case. and.
remembering that my chief had taken
it from private parties. doubts would
constantly be coming up as TO whether
/ was on profitable hunt or whether
would catch a tarter.
However. | resolved to remain on
the train till and tue woman reached
Philadelphia. and from Pittsburgh teie-
graphed the chief TO have some one in
that city to shadow the lady TO her
stopping place. for II was plain that 1t =
would not do for me 10 follow her.
Meanwhile on the way. fearing she
would elude me by getting of the
train. never let her out OF my sight a
moment. In fact. did not close my
eyes during the night OF the journey.
The $4,000 was to earn was quite
enough 10 keep them open.
Our train should have reached Phil
adelphia early in the morning, but a
delay had thrown us three hours be
hind time. Between two cities at the
eastern part OF our journey the train
made no stop for more than an hour.
We were running very fast TO make
up time. and. not being able TO think
of any way Miss Vane could get or
the train, even If she wished TO, and
l being very sleepy after my nights
vigil, permitted myself to drop into
a doze.
From a doze I must have sunk TO
sleep. for when | awoke forty min
utes had elapsed. Naturally | looked
to make sure my quarry was still
present.
She was not in the car.
l went at once TO the saloon and
tried the door. 1t was unlocked. No
one was within. l went through the
train. looking into every seat, every
corner. Miss Vane was not to he
found. I asked the conductor II we
had made any stop during the period
l had been asleep. He replied in the
negative.
l shuddered. The woman. driven to
despair. must have jumped Off the
train.
That was the last I saw of Miss
Vane. at least for more than a year.
/ watched the newspapers with a
view to finding information of body
of a woman having heeI found on
the line of the railroad had travelled
| on. but never saw any such mention.
/ did not stop at Philadelphia. going
| right on to New York. where l re-
| ported the strange case to my chief.
/ He was very cool to me. blaming me
! for having gone to sleep and saying
| that the train had doubtless slowed
| up going through a town and the wo-
man had jumped off.
Some fourteen months after this
! mysterious disappearance | saw a no.
tice in the society columns of news
| paper that Henry Gregory of Chicago
would the next day marry Hiss Edith
| Vinton, n New York heiress. Curiosi-
ty led me to the church where the
| ceremony was performed. and who
| should the bride he but my quarry.
was not long in getting an eXplana-
I ton. The party who had given us the
case was an uncle of the lady. He
/ had succeeded in having her placed in
retreat as feeble minded in order to
retain possession of her fortune. he
being the administrator OF her estate.
/ She had escaped and in order to dodge
. those he employed to catch her had
passed under various names. The chief
was deceived in the premises 10y the
administrator taking the case without
the proper information.
AS to the lady's disappearance from
the train. it was done In this wise:
Passing through n town. our train
steamed at a good rate Of speed be-
side another going the same way.
Miss Ninton. confident that was after
her TO return her to the retreat she
. dreaded. went to the rear door Of the
/ car without being observed and passed
out on to the platform. AT the mo-
ment the two trains were moving at
t'i4dl SlN'''i tifll ufl wv II lIdlil sbt'
gan TO gain on the other. but very
{ slowly When two platforms came to
gether she brayely stepped aboard the
/ other train.
This information got from the lady
herself for called on her husband and
told him Of my efforts TO make an ar
rest Of Miss Vincent before she be
came Mrs Gregory under a misappre-
. hensiOn II the facts | apoloGiZed
through him and begged him TO permit
me to apologize directly to his wife.
He promised to secure me this permits.
sion. 81 possible. and after time sent
me an Invitation. After had explain
cd my connection with the matter
asked her how she had ESCAPED and
received the explanation given above.
Il could never have done it, she
said. except that was sure you were
intending 10 take me back 10 that
dreadful Imprisonment
She was then In possession Of large
fortune.