The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1913-01-30
CHAPTER vi.
Two 0Isappearaness.

Two 0Isappearaness.
l looked at my watch and saw that
was nearly noon. l remembered that
! had not yet called up Louise az I
had intended to do the very first thing
that morning. What a laggard lover
she must think me! How heartless 1t
must seem to her for me to leave her
alone 10 long In the mansion where
here father and sister lay dying, per-
haps dead, with the black shadowy
mystery still hanging over her and
them! What must she think Of me
FILLED with self-reproach / sprang up
without word of apology or explana-
tion to the others and hastened to the
telephone booth l had observed in the
hall.
Give me OH Madison" l demand.
cd Of central
What's the matter?" she repeated,
with surprise in her tone, which struck
me peculiarly until considered that
long-distance calls from Ardway must
De such a rarity a. to surprise even
the operator.
Il want long-distance-New York" /"
l explained. enunciating distinctly,
OH Madison"
Again." central replied, flippantly,
1t appeared to me.
l 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
family would have been shattered.
Ihere was wait of several minutes,
nlled with the usual false alarms Of
iong-distanoe telephoning, during
which l stood and fumed. At last l
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. I
apologized for not having called up be-
fore. She told me that while her fa-
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 q
minute at time. I hastily sketched
for her the events Of the morning.
"Oh. Mr.. 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 it,
tie louder and more distinctly. HE
asked for Katharine, and the maid
called me to the telephone. told him
my sister was Ill and could not come
to the telephone. He seemed greatly
agitated and insisted on knowing what
the matter was. He was so aRftated
and persistent finally told him sho
bad met With an accident. HA WA
a Silent sor 90 long i thought he had
left the telephone, but all Of a sudden
HE asked, Did she shoot herself?' and
before thought I answered Yes
Then he cried out, oh. my God!' or
something like that and asked IL she
was fatally injured. told him that
she was alive but unconscious. and
then. Harding. he asked II l had seen
anything Of a yellow letter. thouc..,,,
Rad better tell him Coming abou,
that, % / answered Ne, and then b.
rang on"
That was right" said. Where
did he call up from?"
Il have no idea"
when was It? How long agof"
mot very long-within the hour"
Hastily l explained to Louise that I
man that believed was Crandall wa
here in the hotel with me and that
would md him at once and make him
explain the mystery. Before l left thu
booth l got the Ardway central asair
and from her learned what had b.
run to suspsct-that "O14: Madison
had been called from the very bootf
In which stood. not OVER an hour b
fore. There was no longer any doub,
about It in my mind-Cook was Gran
Hall. He evidently had gone straight
I, - te2sphons booth aftsr slippiAl