Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-03-09

thing from the floor while five
- strangers peered into every alb
surd nook and corner of the two rooms
and bath which comprised the Widow
OKeefe's top floor suit. The object
was small snapshot of June.
The deserted husband Of pretty June
Warner was at the hall door with his
hand reached out for the knob. and in
another instant Ned Warner and June
would have been face to face, In that
instant the Widow O'Keefe whipped
the snapshot cider her apron. and the
very swiftness of the motion struck
into the corner of Ned Warmers rest
less eyes. He turned, and he and the
father of June glanced at each other.
There was something suspicious in the
bent and warped and withered Widow
AOKeefe and her tall slip of a son. Ned
Scame abruptly from the door and re-
fnewed his search. At that very mo-
4 Ament June, just outside, had paused
ION the third step from the bottom to
Hretie the bow upon her saucy little slip
per and to give it vigorous pat to
make 1t behave and stay in place.
Slim young Sammy O'Keefe walked
70 the window, whistling, and glanced
put with an air of great indifference.
Dn the other side of the street stood
officer Toole, and his eyes roved anx-
aOusly from window to window of the
barrow, dingy slice of house which
iyas the Widow O'Keefe's. At sight of
Sammy Officer Toole pointed energet-
cally toward the door. He waved both
rms and pointed toward the doorway.
Sammy then slipped quietly out of
he room.
June! The listless Sammy used the
1ext quickest method to wireless.
N With one noiseless spring he straddled
bs banister rail, whizzed around the
urve and down TO June, who was
IalfTay up the stairs, jumped off with
- footstep as light as a feather. grab
led the astOunded girl by the wrist
fld dragged her down the steps at the
isk OF both their necks. Sammy shov-
I'll June into the second floor hall
Ioset. Sammy locked the door and
.N3uck the key in his pocket and set
pc springs in his thin legs to work
hd was sitting lazily on the top step,
pred and whistling softly, when Ned
farmer and Mr.. and Mrs. John Moore
lld Bobby and Iris Blethering came
IT. Bobby extremely detected and Iris
tplaining volubly that it was all
s sstake. June couldn't possibly have
len here. But she must have been,
ter all. because Still. how could
be?
3une in the dark closet, shut off from
light and sound, stood bewildered.
eyes distended in the darkness,
bile Ned stood not two feet away
tm her. He had paused before that
~ door, as If some delicate mag
ism had caught and held him there.
trace Of her anywhere; no trace of
1rie, the French Canadian maid with
high cheek bones; no trace of the
Isterious black Vandyked man, whom
he of them had cared to mention to
- Widow OKeefe, Gilbert Blye! Ned
hched his fists, and his brow grew
lex as his mind filed with the image
THAT dark, handsome face with its
Nwing eyes and suave smile. That
Age had never been absent from
rs mind since the disappearance of
~ beautiful bride. A thousand times
q succession of Incidents had fash
Aupon his memory with vivid clear
ls-June asleep in the Pullman draw
room on their honeymoon trip,
lie he. up forward, happily smoked;
finding her gone after the train
left Tarnville; the discovery that
had been helped by the black
ldyked man to board local head
to New York; Ned's chase after
In in an express train, and his train
ling alongside them in the approach
lle Grand Central station; the sight,
lugh the windows of the parallel
OF that suave stranger bending
June with his internal smile, and
smiling up at him; Blye following
les taxi in another from the sta
and Ned's fruitless pursuit in a
IL taxi; the chase out to BrynpOrt
same night, when June had stolen
clothes and Marie; the return
lie, where Ned had seen June and
and whirl away with him! Ev-
there that Ned had found a trace
une he had found a trace of Gil |
Blye, and he wished TO live for
thing-to meet Blye face to face
with his bare hands strangle that
ndrel to death!
d became aware OF the Widow !
aefe eying him from midway of |
stairs. She was a frail looking |
Is woman. with her gnarled hands |
ed before her, but her beSdy little |
were as sharp as the unexpected |
from dull jewels. and there was |
- me move of Ned's party which es-
her. Sammy, still whiStling with |
lonchalance, was so persiStently |
gazing at the closet door that il !
wonder no one asked for the |
ere wasting our time" finally !
Iris Blethering. Were prob !
letting them get away" And |
friend took her husband with !
The rest Of the party followed.
W. awhile Marie. disguised in the
n aAAhSiS hShb Na"NN AA'SNt HAA'S N"N
N the Widow 0'Keefe, was many
out of the danger zone, smoth-
In a telephone booth and calling
place where June had gone TO
Mrs. Willard was not i'm her
iful home up the Hudson, nor
Miss June there. They had gone
he city. but the maid gave Marie |
phone number. Mrs. Willard an
u that call from a gorgeously fur
room where half a dozen stun
gowned young women sat Smok.
THRIFT SAY