Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-03-31


Fosdick knew this lassitude could
not endure forever; the day must
dawn that would see her cure COM
plete. Meanwhile he was assiduous
in his attention, unfailing in sympa-
thetic understanding and so fire.
quently guest of the villa that sell
dom two days passed without seeing
mis- car at its door.
Today he was tapping at her door
before Priscilla knew he was in the
house. She recognized his knock and
had wan smile of welcome ready for
him. Nothing in his manner suggest
ed that the visit was to prove eXtraor-
binary as he sat down beside the
chaise-longue, his finger tips upon her
! pulse, and amiably recited the ritual
of inquiries concerning her condition.
"a little weary, Philip" she told
him in answer to one stereOtyped ques
| ton. Il began to wonder if one ever
does recover from some things"
"Such as-?" he smiled.
Things you've forbidden me to talk
about"
Fosdck looked thoughtful. Il don't
know" he said in a speculative tone.
perhaps I've been wrong about that;
or perhaps the time has come when
we may talk. In fact, / rather think
it has-if you feel strong enough"
Meaning, presume" she said with
quiet SMILE you've something to
tell me-"
Meaning" he laughed, "iust that.
1t was no good our talking till | had.
But now ~ He drew from
pocket handful of old letters THE
solution of the mystery" he an
nounced-"at last !"
Don't tease me, Philip"
81 won't, but first l must explain
Has it ever occurred to you to wonder
how Andrews and | happened to be
with Mario that morning when we
found you in the cabin with Carne-
ham,"
1--WE wondered yes wondered
whether it was true or not. All that
time seems so unreal as / recall it,
I've wondered often if perhaps it were
nothing but another kind of dream,
something / thought I lived through
while was actually in bed, delirous.
mo; it was all true enough But
let me tell you The afternoon
you disappeared l had spent out of
town, trying to interview an inmate
of home for the aged, up near Paw
ling-an old, old woman, registered
on the records of the institution as
Mrs. Leonora OMore."
Mother O'More"
1.-The same. On the clue you gave
me of that name Andrews traced her
to the home. She refused to talk tC
him. She refused to talk to me.
tried bribery, but money wouldn't
tempt her. She had enough for hel
small needs, and took a malicious
pleasure, | fancy, in watching me
struggle with my temper when she
wouldn't talk. However her very tao
iturnity told me she must have some
thing to tell, and l hoped that you
posing to her as Leonora on the
strength of the resemblance, might
worm the secret out of her. At al
events, we were on the right trail. Sc
| hurried back to tOwn-and fOunC
you missing Mrs. TrOwbridge in hys
terics, the lock broken on the studio
door the devil to pay all round
Meanwhile Andrews had run up tt
Kingston to hunt for Mario-on tn,
strength of your dream in which you
heard him tell LeOnOra he must hurr,
to catch his train there. When | go
home, between three and four in tn,
$ morning, after night of fruitles
. searching for you, l found long dis
: lance call from Kingston waiting TO
1 me. Andrews reported that he hat
located the camp which Mario hat
rented for his honeymoon. On the off
} chance that he might have been con
cerned in your disappearance -
couldn't rest, of course, and it wa
something to do jumped into m,
car and arrived at Kingston abou
nine O'Clock in the morning. Andrew
had road map, with the location 0
t the bungalow clearly marked w
. struck Immediately back through tn
, hills.
about five miles from our destlna
: ton we met Mario afoot. You know
/ what he had to tell us. While w
r were talking-it took some time t.
! make him understand you weren'
4 LeonOra and that we had any right t
e butt in-Carnehan boiled up the roa,
: in a high-powered roadster, maxim
t about forty miles an hour on still
r grade-didn't see us, because WEI
, stopped just around bend in tn
road, until he was almost on top of us
a He got his brakes on in time to sto
1 just short Of my car, which of cours
. was blocking the road. Andrews an
5 Mario recognized him instantly, an
he knew Mario. After as interestln
a three-cornered pistol fight as | eve
/ care to see again in the role of limo