The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1913-12-31

yours, and seemed to suit her face.
was deeply interested in her, al.
though until this afternoon she was a
stranger. She came to me for a small
matter of business, and after 1t was
attended to, and before she received
the papers, she disappeared! She had
removed her hat and gloves, as she
was obliged to wait some time for
certain matters to be looked up, and
these she left behind her. The hat
is covered with long, handsome
plumes of the color Of rich cream
10 coffee"
Young Durham glanced down at
the cloth OF the girls gown, and was
startled to find the same rich creamy
coffee tint in its silky folds; yet she
did not show by so much as a flicker
OF an eyelash that she was passing
under the keenest inspection.
why should she want to disap-
pear?' The question was asked coolly
and with as much interest as a
stranger would be likely to show.
81 cannot imagine" said the old
man speculatively. she apparently
had health and happiness. If one may
Judge from her appearance, and she
came to me Of her own free will
on a matter of business. Immediately
after her disappearance, two we'll
dressed men entered my Office and
inquired for her. One had an intel
| leetual head but looked hard and
cruel; the other was very handsome
and disagreeable. When he could not
find the young lady, he laid claim
to her hat, but | had it locked away
How could know that man was her
| friend or her relative? | intend to
keep that hat until the young woman
herself claims it. have not had any
thing happen that has so upset me
in years"
you don't think any harm has
come to herr" questioned the girl
Il cannot think what harm could
and yeti is very strange. She was
about the age of my dear daughter
when she died, and | cannot get hel
| out of her mind When you first ap
| peared in the doorway you gave me
quite start. l thought you were she
II can find any trace of her, near
to investigate this matter. have g
feeling that that girl needs q friend.
Il am sure she would be very happy
to have a friend like YOU" said the
girl, and there was something in the
/ eyes that were raised to his thai
made the Judges heart glow will
admiration
Thank you" said he warmly
That Is most kind Of you. But per
haps she has found better friend by
this time. | hope So"
or one as kind" she suggested il
low voice.
The conversation then became gen
eral, and the girl did not look up fo'
several seconds; but the young maj
on her right, who had not missed ;
word of the previous tete-a-tete. coul(
not give attention to the story Mrs
Blackwell was telling. for ponderin,
what he had heard.
| The ladies now left the table, ant
though this was the time that Dun
ham had counted upon for an &C
quaintance with the great judge VIII,
might hold a future career in hi
power, he could not but wish that h
might follow them to the other room
He felt entire confidence in his ney
| friends ability to play her part t
the end, but he wanted to watch heI
to study her and understand her,
perchance he might solve the myster
that was ever growing more intens
about her
AS she left the room his eyes 70
lowed her His hostess, in passin
behind his chair, had whispered:
Il don't wonder you feel so abou
her. She is lovely. But please don