The Forrest City times., 1912-11-29
CHAPTER VII.
Two Disappearances.

looked at my watch and saw that 1t was nearly noon. l remembered that l had not yet called up Louise as I 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 here father and sister lay dying. per maps dead, with the black shadowy mystery still hanging over her and them! What must she think of me? Filled with self-reproach I sprang up without word of apology or explana- ton to the others and hastened to the telephone booth I had observed in the hall
 Give me OH Madison" demand ed of central
 Whats the matter?" she repeated With surprise in her tone, which struck me peculiarly until I considered that long-distance calls from Ardway must be such rarity as to surprise even the operator
 Il want long ng-distance-New York" I explained. enunciating distinctly. "O141 Madison"
 Again" central replied, fippantly. 1t appeared to me
 repeated the number. more than annoyed by her response. "Oh, I've got your number all right by this time"
 1t was good thing for her that she tried no more jocularity with me, or the rules of the company against pro fanity would have been shattered There was wait of several minutes. hlled with the usual false alarms of long-distance telephoning, during which l stood and fumed At last I 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 apologized for not having called up be fore. She told me that while her ia. ther's 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 MT. Kent" said Louise's voice how l wished she would call me by my first name-"who do you suppose called up?"
 "Who?"
 Hugh Crandall"
 Whats 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. told him my sister was i'll 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 l 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 sudden he asked. Did she shoot herself?' and before l thought answered Yes Then he cried out, oh. my Godr or something like that and asked if she was fatally injured. l told him that she was alive but unconscious. and then. Harding. he asked if had seen anything of yellow letter. 1 thought had better tell him nothing about that. so l answered No and then he rang off
 That was right" l said. Where did he call up from?"
 "I have no idea"
 When was 1t? How long ago?"
 Not very long-within the hour"
 Hastily l explained to i.ouise 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 l got the Ardway central again and from her learned what had be gun to suspect-that "O14: Madison" had been called from the very booth in which l stood. not over an hour be fore. There was no longer any doubt about 1t in my mind--Cook was Cran- dall. He evidently had gone straight to the telephone booth after slipping