Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-30
CHAPTER ~.

~
Dpnham listened as long as his ear
could catch the sound. then a strange
desolation settled down upon him.
The little station behind him was
closed. though q light over the desk
shone brightly through it's front win.
dow and the telegraph sounder was
clicking busily.
Turning impatientiy from the dark.
ness, Dunham sought the bright win
dow, In 'front.' OF which lay a newspa-
per. He could read the large headlines
OF . column-no more, fof the paper
was upside down, and a bunch OF bill
heads lay partly across It. It 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 pa
per to discover its date and origin,
but those miserable bill-heads frus-
trsted 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.
try jail. He tried the window and
gave the door another vicious shake.
but all TO no purpose. Finally he turned
on his heel and walked up and down
for an hour, tramping the length OF the
shaky platform. back and forth, till
the train rumbled up.
At the first stop a man in front got
out, leaving a newspaper in the seat.
With eager hands, Durham leaned for.
ward and grasped II, searching its col.
umns in vain for the tantalizing head
lines. But there we're 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 a train en- route TO Wash.
ington. She had not arrived there
however, so far as could be discov.
cred. II was supposed that she was
lingering in the vicinity OF Phlladel
phia or Baltimore. There we're added
a fey discriminating details concerning
her relationship with her dead hus
band. and a brief sketch OF her sensa
tional life. The paragraph closed with
the statement that she was an accom-
plished musician.
The young man frowned and, open
ing his window, flung the scandalous
sheet 10 the breeze. He determined tc
forget what he had read. yet the lines
kept coming before his eyes.
When he reached the city he went
10 the news stand in the station
where was an. agent who knew him
and procured a copy OF every paper or
sale. Then, instead of hurrying home
he found a seat in a secluded corne
and proceeded to examine his pun
chases.
In large letters on the front page o
New York paper blazed
HOUSE ROBBED OF JEWEL!
WORTH TEN THOUSAND DOL
LARS BY BEAUTIFUL YOUNG
ADVENTURES MASQUE-
RADING AS A PARLOR
MAID.
He ran his eyes down the column
and gathered that che was still q
large, though the entire police fore
OF New York was on her track.
He turned to another paper. only {
be met by the words:
ESCAPE OF FAIR LUNATIC
and underneath:
Prison walls could not conine Mis-
Nancy Lee, who last week threw a ligh
ed limp at her mother. setting fire 10 n
house. ana then attempted suicide. tt
young woman seems TO have r6covere
her senses. and Processes 70 know noti
ING OF what happened. but the physician
say abe IL liable 70 another attack OF 81
sanity. and deem II safe TO keep her col
nned She escaped during the night. leaN
Ing no clew TO her whereabouts. Ho
through VIII y she left the asylum is sti
in disgy 1t he flung the paper fror
him and took up another.
FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED! BEAUT
Full YOUNG HEIRESS MISSING.
His soul turned sick within him. II
locked up and saw little processio
OF late jewellers rushing out TO the la:
suburban train, the girls leaving
trail Of orris perfume and a vision {
dainty opera cloaks. One OF the me
was city friend OF his. Durham hs
envied him his unperturbed mind. 7
be sure. he would not get back to III
city till three In the morning. but
would have no visions OF robberiee an
fair lunatics and hard pressed mai
ems unjustly pursued. to mar his rest