The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-10-16
CHAPTER ~.

cesolation settled down upon him
The little station behind him was
closed, though a light over the desk
shone brightly through it's front win.
dow and the telegraph sounder was
clicking busily
Turning impatiently from Inc dark
ness, Durham sought the bright win.
dow, in front of which lay newspa-
per. He could read the large headlines
or column--no more, for the paper
was upside down, and bunch of bill
heads lay partly across it, II read:
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF
YOUNG AND PRETTY WOMAN
HIS heart stood still, and then went
thudding on in dull, horrid blows.
Vainly he tried to read further He
followed every visible word of that ma.
per to discover It's date and origin
but those miserable bill-heads frus-
trated his effort. He felt like dashing
his hand through the glass, but reflect
ed that the act might result in his be-
ing locked up In some miserable coun.
7 try JAIL He tried the window and
gave the door another vicious shake.
out all to no purpose. Finally he turned
on MS heel and walked up and down
Tor an hour, tramping the length of the
shaky platform, back and forth. till
the train rumDled up.
AT the first stop man in front got
out, leaving a newspaper in the seat.
with eager hands, Durham leaned for.
ward and grasped it, searching it's col.
umns in vain for the tantalizine head
lines. Lut there were others equally ar.
FESTIVE. This paper announced the
mysterious disappearance of a young
actress who was suspecting of poison
ing her husband. When seen last she
was boarding train en- route to Wash.
lhstcn She had not arrived there
however 80 far as could be discov.
cred. II vas supposed that she was
Ilnee;if5 in the vicinity of Philadel.
phia or baltimore. There were added
Re" eliminating details concerning
her relationship with her dead hus.
band and brief sketch of her sensa.
tlonA. ilie. The paragraph closed with
the statement that she was an accom-.
plished musician.
Tho young man frowned and omen,
! ing his window, flung the scandaIous
shee. 20 me breeze. He determined to
forget what he had read, yet the lines
kept c9 l'ag lcfore his ewes
NLrn he reached the city he went
to the news stand in the station
where was an agent who knew him
Snd procured CODY of every paper on
sale. Then, instead OF hurrying home.
he found seat in a secluded corner
and proceeded to examine his pur-
chases.
In large letters on the front page Of
New York paper blazed:
HOUSE ROBBED OF JEWELS
WORTH TEN THOUSAND DOL,
LARS BY BEAUTIFUL YOUNG
ADVENTURES MASQUE-
RADlNG AS A PARLOR
MAID.
He ian Ills eyes down the column
and gathered that she was still at
large, though the entire police force
OF New York was on her track.
He turned 10 another paper. only to
be mt by the words.
ESCAPE OF FAIR LUNATIC
and underneath:
Prison walls could not conane Miss
Nancy Lcc Who last week threw n Iiebt.
gd lamp az her mother, setting ire 10 the
house. and tGCn attempted suicide The
{ouhE woman seems TO have recovered
htr SsIass and processes to know moth
ING or what happened. but tho physicians
say sHt .a I4bio TO another attack OF in
SSanity and deem Il cafe to keep her con
ined. She escaped during the night, leav-
ing no cleW 20 her wherea bouts How
hhe managed 10 get open the window
IhroGtn which she left the asylum Is still
In disgust he flung the paper from
him and took up another.
FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED! BEAUTI-
Full YOUNG HEIRESS MISSING.
His soul turned sick within him He
looked up and saw a little procession
OF late jewellers rushing out to the last
suburban train, the girls leaving a
trail OF orris perfume and a vision OF
dainty opera cloaks. One OF the men
was a city friend of his. Durham half
enyied him his unperturbed mind. TO
be sure, lie would not get back TO the
/ city t..l three in the morning, but he
would have no visions Of robberiee ana
fair lunatics and hard pressed maid.
ems unjustly pursued, to mar his rest
Durham buttoned his coat and
turned up his collar as he started out
into the street, for the night had
turned cold, and his nerves made him
chilly. AS he walked the blood began
to race more healthily In his veine.
and the horrors of the evening papera
were dispelled In their place came
pleasant memories OF the evening af
Mrs. Bowman's, Of the music and or
their ride and talk together. In his
heart a hope began to rise that her
dark days would pass, and that he
might find her again and know her bet
ter
His brief nights sleep was cut short
by sharp knock at his door the next
morning lie awoke with q confused
idea of being on a sleeping car. and
wondered II he had plenty of time to-
dress, but his sisters voice ouicklv
dispelled the illusion
Iryon, aren't you almost ready To
come down 20 breakfast? DO hurry
please. I've something awfully impor.
tant to consult you about"
His sisters tone told him there wac
need for haste II he would keep IN her
good graces, 50 he made o hurried
toilet and went down, to find his house.