Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-12-05
CHAPTER VII
Two Disannearances.

-'- = go - T. ~1t' 2 ilAs-aF
looked at my watch and saw that
It was nearly noon. I remembered that
had not yet called up Louise as
had intended to do the very first thing
that morning. What a laggard lover
She must think me, How heartless it
must seem to her for me to leave her
alone SO long in the mansion where
hcre father and sister lay dying, per
maps dead, with the black shadOwy
mystery stilI hanging over her and
theml What must she think Of NE?
Filled with seIf-reproach / sprang up
without a word of apology or explana-
tion to the others and FASTENED to the
telephone booth had observed in the
hall
Give me DIAL Madison" ] demand
ed of central
What's the matter?" she repeated.
with surprise in her tone, which struck
me peculiarly until / considered that
l0ng-distance calls from Ardway must
be such a rarity as to surprise even
the operator.
4 want long-distance-Ne York, -
explained, enunciating distinctly,
OH Madison"
Again" central replied hippantly,
il appeared to me.
repeated the number, more than
annoyed BY her response ooh, I've
Got your number all right by this
time
It was a 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.
filed with the usual false alarms of
long-distance telephoning. during
which stood and fumed. AT last I
heard my dear Louise's voice and has
tened eagerly to ask after her vel
fare. Her voice seemed strong and
cheerful. though she admitted that she
had slept little the night before. /
apologized for not having called up be
fore. She told ME that while her ia
TIERS 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. I hastily sketched
for her the events Of the morning.
oh, Mr.. Kent" said Lctdse's voice
how I wished she wouZd call me bv
ny first name-who do you suppose
called up"
"Who2"
Hugh CrandaI"
What's that" I 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. I told him
my sister was i'll and could not come
10 the telephone He seemed greatly
agitated and insisted on knowing what
the matter was. He was so agitated
and persistent I finally told him she
had met with an accident He was
silent for so long | thought he had
left the telephone, but all of a sudden
lie asked, Did she shoot herseIf?' and
before I thought l answered Yes.
Then he cried out. oh, my Godn oil
something like that and asked if she
was fatally injured. l told him that
she was alive but unconscious. anG
then, Harding, he asked if | had seer
anything Of a yellow letter tLought
had better tell him nothing about
that, 50 I answered No, aud then he
rang off.
THAT was right" I said. Where
did he call up FROM"
4 have no idea"
when was it2 How long ago."
Not very long-within the hour"
Hastily ! explained to Louise that q
man that I believed was CrcndalI was
here in the hotel with me and that
would find him at once and make hin
explain the mystery Before 1 left the
booth / Sos the Ardway central again
and from her learned what [ had be
gun to suspect-that "O14S Madison
mad been called from the very bootE
in v hich / stood, not over an hour be
lore. There was no longer any doubt
about it in my mind-Cook was Gran
5all He evidently had some straight
10 lie telephone booth after slippi1s