Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-07-31
CHAPTER ~.
Captive or Runaway.


bott had become prosperous and dis
tinguished painter in water colors.
His work was individual, and at the
same time II was delicate and charm.
Ing. One saw his Italian landscapes
as through filmy gauze; the almond
blossoms Of Sicily. the rose-laden walls
Of Florence, the vineyards of Chianti,
the poppy-glowing Campagna out Of
Rome. His Italian lakes had brought
him fame. He knew very little of the
grind and hunger that attended the
careers of his whilom associates. His
father had left him some valuable pat
ents-wash-tubs, carpet-cleaners and
other labor-saving devices-and the
royalties from these were quite suf-
fcient to keep him pleasantly housed.
His earnings mot inconsiderable,
for tourists found much to admire in
both the pictures and the artist he
spent In gratifying his mild extrava-
gances. So there were no lines in his
handsome, boyish, beardless face; and
his eyes were unusually clear and
happy. Perhaps once or twice, since
his majority, he had returned to Amer
lea to prove that he was not an ex-
patriate, though certainly he was one,
the only tie existing between him and
his native land being the bankers who
regularly honored his drafts. And who
shall condemn him for preferring Italy
to the desolate center OF New York
state, where good servants and good
weather are as rare as are flawless
emeralds?
Half after three, on Wednesday aft.
ernoon. Abbott stared moodily at the
weather.tarnished group by Dalou in
the Luxembourg gardens-the Tri.
umph OF Silenus. His gaze was de-
ceptive, for the rolllcklng old bibulous
scoundrel had not stirred his critical
sense nor impressed the delicate films
OF thought. He was looking through
the bronze, into the far-away things
He had arrived early that morning, all
the way from Como, to find thunder.
bolt driven In at his feet. Across his
knees fluttered an open newspaper.
the Paris edition OF the New York
Herald. All that kept It from blowing
away was the tense II sprawling fin.
gers OF his right hand; his left hung
Imply at his side.
1t was not possible. Such things did
not happen these unromantic dave TO
musical celebrities. She had written
that on Monday night she would sing
In La Boheme and on Wednesday,
Faust She had since vanished, van
ished as completely as though she had
taken wings and flown away. Il was
unreal. She had left the apartment
In the Avenue de Wagram on Satur.
day afternoon. and nothing had been
seen or heard Of her since. At the
last moment they had had to find a
substitute for her part in the PuccInl
opera The maid testified that her
mistress had gone on an errand OF
mercy. She had not mentioned where,
but she had said that she would return
In time TO dress for dinner. which
proved conclusively that something
out OF the ordinary had befallen her.
The automobile that had carried her
away had not been her own, and the
Chauffeur was unknown. None OF the
directors at the opera had been notI.
ned OF any change in the singers
plans. She had disappeared, and they
were deeply concerned. Singers were
generally erratic, full OF sudden indIs.
positions. unaccountable whims; but
the Signorina da Toscana was one in
h thousand. She never broke an en-.
gagement. II she was III she said 80
ut once; she never left them I'm doubt
until tho last moment IndecIsion was
not one OF her characteristics. She
was as reliable as the sun. II the dI.
rcctors did not hear definitely from
her by noon today. they would have to
find another Marguerite.
The police began TO move. and they
stirred up some curious bits OF Infor.
nation. A man had tried to bribe the
singers chauffeur, whilo she was sing.
Ing at the Austrian ambassadors. The
chauffeur was able to describe the
ltranger with come accuracy. Then
'ame the bewildaring episode in the
apartment; the pistol.shot, the flight
)f the man. the aslonishod concierge
o whom the b auliful American would
,ner no explanations The man (who
allied with the description given by