Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-03
The Daily Story
The Skeleton In the Closely F. A. Mitchell.
<-o,,rsebted 1e14 by
Copyrighted, 1914 by Associated Literary Bureau


first vessel going there. Therefore. NOT
being able to meet the girl who bad
| charmed him IN her own home, ha
made an appointment to meet her else.
where.
The next meeting between the Eng.
| lfshman and the Dutch girl was In TN,
! wise: Anneke was standing on the
| shore of the East river just north of
| the wall that gave the present mana
to Wall street, not more than five q,
six minutes walk from her home. A
boat pulled by single oarsman was
coming round the southern end OF the
island and approaching the shore where
Anneke stood. She went down to the
waters edge, the boats stern wss
swerved to the shore: she stepped in
and the boat continued its course In
the direction OF the islands lying to the
eastward
1t is unnecessary to mention that the
oarsman was Ralph Eggleston. who had
pulled around from the Hudson river
to meet his new found sweetheart to
take her for a ride on the Eas. liver.
where they could make love without
being interrupted. Instead of pulling
across the river and thence south on
the opposite shore and returning by
Governors island, they rery foolishly
went directly past Annekeis home.
True, the house was some distance
from the shore and perhaps she though,
that she might not be seen from there.
She did not reckon on the fact that
the house was on a hill and that her
father had brought to America the
very spyglass with which his father
Captain Van Vranken, had discovered
a British ship that he had attacked
and sunk. Meinheer happened at the
time of this boat ride to be strolling
about his grounds. Unfortunately for
the lovers the sunlight was reflected
from the gold trimmings of the officers
uniform. Meinheer Van Vranken, won.
dering what one OF these hated naval
men was doing out on the water with
a woman-who must be Dutch-went
to the house, took down Captain Van
Vranken's spyglass. brought it to bear
on the occupants of the boat and, to
his horror, discovered his daughter
there in company with a British Of
f1cer.
I know not what Immediately fol-
lowed the revelation. The next link in
the chain of the story is that Meinheer
Van Vranken determined to shake the
dust of Manhattan Island OF his shoes
since it had become English soil-and
go back to Rotterdam with his family
By this move he intended to separate
Anneke from the English midshipman
who had crept into her affections while
her father was drinking destruction to
the English feet in drafts OF schnapps
Anneke was put under a strict
watch during the period In which the
were being made for the
return to the Netherlands. for there
was much to be accomplished. Even
the heavy four post bedsteads re-
quired the strongest horses on the is
land to drag them to the landing and
a lighter of extra size to take them TO
the ship. Anneke was in charge of
Katrina Lemke. an old maid who had
no sympathy for young lovers and hat.
ed the English. This woman was en-.
Joined not to let her charge out of her
sight for a single moment, and since
the father feared the young midship-
man might, under pretense of search.
Ing the house for arms. bring a party
Of men to take away his sweetheart
six pound cannon was mounted at the
only gate in the high wall surrounding
the place.
The day the family were to sail for
holland Katrina Lemke and Anneks
were left in the house till the last min
ute, while Meinheer Van Vranken SUI
the hauling Of the last OF
he household goods to the landing.
When be had finished his task and
seen his family and goods put on board
he ship he returned for his daughter
md her duenna.
He found the house vacant
From this point the story Is vague.
t does not appear that Katrina Lemke
vas ever found. The next heard OF
Anneke Van Vranken she was living
n England, the wife of Captain Sir
ialph Eggleston of the British navy.
The loss OF the duenna and the escape
4 her charge are to be accounted for
My by conjecture. though there is an
tradition that 1t was
Explained by Lady Eggleston. This ex-
lana ton accoris with the recent dis
overy of the skeleton in the closet.
The tradition is that while the two
7omen were alone together in the Van
'ranken home Anneke broke away
rom her jailer and hid in the closet
he duenna followed her and entered
le closet, and Anneke slipped out and
hut the door Anneke. thinking only :
flight, left the place and commuDf y
lted with her lover who came ashore.
larried her and took her TO his ship
Anneke did not know-what ! now
oppose to have been the case-that In
osing the door OF the closet ii bad
cen held by a spring lock. The panel
osed automatically with the closins 4
the door. My theory is that Katn-
l Lemke WINS caught In the closet.
'uld not release herself and persisted
oubtless the skeleton discovered there
as hers. This theory Is borne OUT
' the fact that IL is the skeleton OF
oman.