The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-03-07
ms FELLOW
(Contlnned from page ID


appointed Office.
Tim sorry. Mr.. Bnrnell,r said Mr..
Ridgely, as he shook hands with the
painter and babe him be seated, "but
my sister, Miss Afalinda Ridgely, who
WINS to sit for her portrait, is quite
indisposed today and cannot see you.
| trust she may be able to talk to you
tomorrow"
Il trust her illness is not serious"
remarked Burnell. rising to 60, but
the other waved him back into his
seat.
Don't go. l would be happy If you
will dine with US tonight, though you
viii find US anything but cheerful COM
pany under the circumstances" he
threw himself into a chair. "As you
win see more or less of my family, 1
may as well take you into my conf
dence. at present we are In great
trouble
Burnell looked interested as he
lighted the cigar Mr.. Ridgely offered
him.
81 have n daughter, an only child, a
beautiful girl" said Mr.. Ridgely. his
voice trembling with emotion. "She
has been reared with the greatest care,
and my sister has been n second moth
er to Frances. Four weeks ago you
can imagine how shocked we were
when my daughter-she is only eight
een-confessed that she wanted to
marry her music master. young Ger
man. clever enough in his way, but Of
whose antecedents know nothing.
forbade the match, of course, until the
man could give some account of him.
self. hut he must have exerted some
influence over my daughter, for few
days after her confession of love for
the musician Frances left home, taking
only small sum of money with her.
She left note saying that she would
go away and earn her ow1iiving until
Felix could afford to marry her.
"You can imagine our grief and con-
sternatiou. OF course put detectives
on her track Immediately, and she has
been under surveillance ever since. 1t
seems the fellow went to Providence to
play in some orchestra there, and
Frances has seen him only once since
she went to New York. She has been
working in department store until.
yesterday afternoon; then received
word from my agent that she had left
the employment Of the firm and had
told her landlady she was going TO
Providence to be married. Somehow
Alden, my agent, lost sight of her, and
she has slipped OF to meet this fellow.
IF only could catch her. am sure
she would listen to reason, for she
loves us dearly, but her Ridgely pride
has been reused, and have been let
ting her fight it out alone, hoping she
would tire of it and come back to US.
But l let it go too long. This German
chap undoubtedly is after her money
as well as herself"
Il think i can help you out, Mr..
Ridgely," exclaimed Burnell. II be.
lieve your daughter came down on tie
train with me last night" And he Ie-
lated his adventure to the impatient
father.
1T is Francesm cried Mr.. Ridgely,
reaching for his hat. II thank you
thousand times for your kindness to
my child. Mr.. Burnell. Now, If Alden
will only come along we can get that
1908 and reach Providence in time to
prevent their marriage"
In FIVE minutes the detective arrived,
and as they fastened down to the
station Mr. Ridgely told the story of
Burnell's meeting with the girl in
black and his knowledge of her having
gone to Providence.
Burnell afterward learned from Mr..
Ridgely's own lips what had happened.
1t seems that his daughter had grown
somewhat dislllusioned concerning her
German lover. but her pride forbade
that she give in, though her tender
heart was breaking for reconcilia-
ton with those whom she had loved
and from whom she was now parted
for the first time, in her life.
Her correspondence with the young
German was desultory and only served
to emphasize the difference in their
upbringing. At the end of three weeks
Frances Ridgely admitted to herself
that she was completely cured of this
fatal fascination for her music mas.
ter. but Just then he wrote to her and
urged that they be married at once.
He had steady position and could
support them. His endearing epithets
recalled once more the bliss of their
first lovemaklng. and the girl was mo.
mentarily stirred by his appeal and con-
sented to so to Providence and marry
him.
Mr.. Ridgely and his agent arrived
just in time to halt Felix Hermann on
the steps of the girls boarding place.
She was standing in the doorway.
gowned in that same shabby black
dress in which Burnell had seen her.
When she saw her father she tainted
in his arms, and afterward they learn
ed 1t was from pure joy at her re-
lease from her engagement.
Felix Hermann seemed to be reliev-
ed Of a great responsibility when
Frances returned to her father. and