Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-16

ed in the library and adjoining study,
and my duties had confined me to these
rooms, where a pageant of brilliantly
gowned women and somber clad men
passed in and out.
1t was a marriage Of youth, beauty
and great wealth with talent and more
wealth, for DR.. Ramercliff had ma
tional reputation as specialist in dis
eases of the brain, and it had been
matter for universal surprise when the
grave and studious physician had step
ped from the seclusion Of professional
life to court the brilliant young debu-
tante and win her.
Now the bride had retired to don her
travelling gown. They were to leave
on the western express, and their des-
tination was a secret.
Presently they came, and shall new
er forget DR.. Ramercliff's look as he
passed out Of the door with his beau
tiful bride His handsome face ex-
pressed maniacal triumph.
A feeling of uneasiness possessed
me for days afterward, and 1 was not
surprised when Benjamin Halsey, the
father of the bride, paid me a visit in
my private Office.
He was looking haggard and wor-
ried. quite unlike the happy, genial
gentleman who had presided at the
wedding of his motherless daughter.
blair, 1 need your help" he said
when we were alone.
what is it, sir?' 1 inquired.
%
ding reception three weeks ago. You
saw my daughter leave the house with
! her husband?"
Eyes"
"They have disappeared-completely
disappeared"
"WellY" I was still wondering at
his anxiety.
Read that" he said, thrusting tat
tered bit of paper into my hands.
1t was a piece of brown wrapping
paper, and on it were a few scrawled
words: "Oh, father, come! This terri
bic black house. / am going mad! He
is coming now! 1 must hide this!
Bessie
"You believe that your daughter
wrote that?"
81 do. 1t is her handwriting. Il
was received in my mail this morning.
the envelope bearing a blurred post
mark, and in addition to my name and
address We're the penciled words,
Whoever finds this please mail at
once"
He produced the envelope. and
studied the postmark through my
strongest glasses.
looks like Woodruff. That's lit,
tie village down on Long Island"
said finally. "Ill go down there at
once. You believe that both of them
have met with foul playa"
He shook his head doubtfully
Read that note over again, Blair
It's some of Ramercliff's work, fear
should never have allowed Bess K
marry him. He is almost mad himself
. over his profession, but he fascinated
her. You will go at once. Blair?"
"Within the hour" decided, replac
! ing the time table in my pocket.
! 1t was 4 O'Clock when / reached
! Woodruff, a little north shore village
surrounded on three sides by oak for
ests and. on the fourth by a shallow
! harbor
/ I made casual inquiry among tn
loungers about the postoffice and hote
where I put up, but none of them haC
seen any strangers thereabouts. Th,
postmaster did give me a clew.
1.-THE old Vale place was taken b
strangers several months ago. but
don't believe any one is there yet"
who is the caretaker?"
Search me-" said the postmaster
returning to his neglected dutie:
"Some queer foreigner who lives i
the barn and buys his supplies over
Oakville."
1 chose to take my first view of tn
Vale place by moonlight. 1 had tray
ersed perhaps half a mile along tn
gloomy wood road, where moonligh
fell in silver patches on the carpet 9
thick leaves, when a man passed me
going swiftly toward the village.
, He paused and peered at me for a
instant.
where you go?' he asked thickiy
and smelt whisky on his breath.
"Oakville," l said sharply.
"Oh," he said, with his foreign aC
cent. you on wrong road. Go bac
l quarter mile. turn to left"
l Thanks" l murmured ironicaIl,
; for l recognized the caretaker of til
Vale place and his evident desire t
lure me away from the house, whic
he was leaving unguarded.
y To allay his suspicious I wake
e back with him and allowed him {
place me on the right path. When
8 was out of sight retraced my ster
e and, after walking for perhaps a mil,
always following the more untravele
road, finally came upon n high brio
: wall that wound around among til
trees encircling the dark bulk of
large house.
1t was a lonely spot enough, Il
woods closing around the house with
the wall The moonlight fell in patel
es on the ground, oyergrown wit
coarse grass and briers. The shuttle
Of the house appeared closed. b.
against the night sky l saw a th
u trail Of smoke from one OF the chli