The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1914-05-14
cHApTER ~.
Captive Or Runaway.

At the age Of twenty-slx Donald ABB
b0tt had become prosperous and dis
tinguished painter In water colors.
His work was individual. and at the
same time 1t was delicate and charm
Ing. One saw his Italian landscapes
as through filmy gauze; the almond
blossoms Of Sicily, the rose-Iaden walls
OF Florence, the vineyards Of Chant,
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
1 father had left him some valuable pat
jents wash-tubs. carpetcleaners and
other labor-saving deyicesand the
royalties from these we're quite suf-
lfcIent to keep him pleasantly housed.
His earnings (not inconsiderabie,
Tor tourists found much to admire In
both the pictures and the artist) he
epent In gratifying his mild extrava.
ganceH. So there we're no lines In his
handsome, boyish. baardless face; and
bis 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
hia native land being the bankers who
regularly honored his drafts. And who
shall condemn him for preferring Italy
to the deaolate center of New York
state. where good servants and good
weather are as rare as are fiawless
emeralds?
Half after three, on Wednesday aft
ernoon, Abbott stared moodily at the
weathertarnished group by Dalou in
the Luxembourg gardens 1.-The TTi-
uinph Of Sllenus. His gaze was de-
ceptive, for the rollicking 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 tiuttered an open newspaper.
tho Paris edition Of the New York
Herald. All that kept 1t from blowing
away was the tense II sprawling fin
gers OF his right hand; his left hung
imply at his side.
Il was not possible. Such things did
not happen these unromantie days to
musical celebrities. She had written
that on Monday night she would sing
In La Roheme and on Wednesday,
Faust. She had since vanished, van
ished as completely as though she had
taken wings and flown away. It 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 Puccini
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
III 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 az the opera had been noti-
fed OF any change in the singers
plans. She had disappeared, and they
we're deeply concerned. Singers were
generally erratic. full Of sudden indis-
positions. unaccountable whims; but
the Signorina da Toscana was one In
q thousand. she nevsF broke an en-.
eaeement II she was III she said 50
at once; she never left them in doubt
until the last moment Indecision was
not one OF her characteristics. She
was as reliable as the sun. If the d.
rectors did not hear definitely from
her By noon today, they would have to
md aaoshsr Margnerite.
The police began to move. and they
stirred up some curious bits OF infor-
nation. A man had tried to bride the
singers chauffeur, while she was sing
Ing at the Austrian ambassadors. The
chauffeur was able to describe the
stranger With some accuracy. Then
came the bewildering episode In the
apartment; the plstol-shot, the fight
of the man. the astonished concierge
to whom the beautiful American would
offer no explanations. The man (who
tailed with the description given By