Year: 1875

and leetle-how you call I'm :-over-excl'
ted she will be all right by now, if she get
good sleep now."


"Oh we'll, we won't disturb her. Give our
love to her when she wakes, and tell her what
we came for, please. We have no time to
sit down."


And off they went, more uneasy and per-
picked than ever. Uneasiness and perplexlty
deepened into real alarm, more serious than
they had yet felt, when on reaching home
they found that no news had yet been received
of Clarie. By midday every body in the vi
cinty had been informed of her disappear
ance, and the alarm became general 1t was
evident their first supposition, of her having
gone offon the previous night with some of the
guests, was an erroneous one. No one could
give any account of her, and the terrible fear
took possession of them that some fatal acci-
dent had occurred, though how or when, it
seemed impossible to divine.


Henry Curtis rode at once to the nearest
telegraph station, and despatched telegram
to Hugh. They had vague hope that he
might be able to throw some light on Clari-
bells disappearance; but in any case it was
necessary that he should receive information
of it.


The answer came in few hours time. s1
am startled and shocked beyond measure !;
will be with you as soon as practicable"


He, then, could afford them no elucidation
of the mystery. Edna's anguish of mind, and,
indeed, that of all the sisters, can better be
imagined than described. This was truly a
melancholy termination to the festivities at
tendant upon Dollys wedding. Dolly herself,
pale and agitated, presented herself at the
home she had lately quilted in such serene
frame of mind, all her wonted calmness des-
troyed by the news of this unexpected calam-
ity.


"Oh Edna, this is dreadful. Can nothing
be done?"


"Everything is being done but feel it is
all in vain-I shall never see my darling
again." moaned Edna, who had already
Welded herself to all the bitterness of hope
less grief


"Edna, Edna don't talk in that way she
must be found soon"


Jennie, wandering forlornly through the
lower entry, overheard q suggestion, in Henry
Curtis voice, that made her blood run cold.
He was talking with his father in the dining
room, the old gentleman having ridden over
with his daughter-in-law to see if he could be
of any use.


"The river should be dragged, father" he
said. "She may have fallen in"


"Good God, Henry, how could she be near
the river at such time ?"


II don't know-the whole affair is mex
plicable-but, at all events, search should be
made there"


eff she had fallen in, search would most
likely be vain, for the current is so rapid -"


Poor Jennie waited to hear no more She
fled to her own room, and locking the door,
buried her face in the pillows of her bed, as if
to shut out, with all sight and sound, the hor-
rible idea thus presented to her. The river
was halfa mile from the house, but they were
in the habit of often walking upon its banks.
Suppose Claribel had suddenly lost her mind
such things had happened before; she had
been laboring under mental trouble lately,
and who could tell whether the result might
not have taken this form?


Jennie almost hated Hugh Thornton for
having come home to disturb their peaceful
life. She felt somehow that he must be the
cause even of this fresh distress.


The weary day dragged on, and the weary
night came-the long, long night, fraught
with expressble misery to those sad watch
ers. They sat in shivering group around
the library fire, which the buffers zeal kept
burning briskly, but which failed to impart
warmth or comfort to their chilled hearts
The servants, all awake, moved uneasily about,
fully sharing the general sorrow, for they
dearly loved their beautiful young "missy,"
and mourned over her supposed loss; already
accepting, with that relish for the horrible
which is inherent in the sable race, the most
tragical Interpretation which could be put
upon the mystery of her disappearance. Some
whispered darkly of the river, the thought of
which had driven such wild terror to Jen-
nie's heart ;some thought she had been enticed
into the woods and murdered there; and one,
more superstitous than the rest, limited at the
possibility of her having been spirited away
by certain "bogy-man" supposed to "walk"
at nighttime about the precincts of the farm !;
but all agreed to the likelihood of her disap-
pearance being final one, and her recovery
impossible.


Next morning Hugh arrived, having has
tened back at the utmost speed which his
means of travel could provide. He was nearly
distracted when he learned the unsuccessful
result of the quest which had been made, and
Immediately instituted fresh efforts, but with
no better fortune than had attended the for
mer ones. Another day passed in this hope
less search. Advertisements were sent to all
the State papers accompanied by the offer of
large reward for any reliable information
that could be afforded-and then they were
fain to cease from their fruitless endeavors,
and wait, with what resignation they could
summon, for any future development that
might be in store for them.


Mr.. Holdweg had been one of the most
active and painstaking of the party organized
to investigate the matter. He spared himself
neither trouble nor fatigue, and appeared so
deeply to sympathize in this distress of his