MOMENT OF ANGER;

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2643, 28 August 1906, Page 6

MOMENT OF ANGER;

H* BOBERT HOTS.

•the History Of Mr. and Mra Brownlow*s Quarrel. ._

CHAPTEB I . »N (heir retain from A the theater (he serv--1 ants of Mr. and Mrs. I Brownlow saw Willi p the greatest astcn- ,| is omen t that neither 1 of them was at homer Habitually, when their master and mistress diced oat, they returned toward eleven o'clock. Ou this particular evening the lady's maid sat up waiting for their return. At three

•■ • » ociocx in un uiuru- . ing Mr. Brownlow returned alone. Tho maid, astonished, asked for her mistress. : "She will sot come home," was the gruff answer. "Yon can go to bed." The next morning the servants rose early to gossip over the event. They began to inquire into the facts. On the day before the lady's maid, who was acquainted with a dramatic author, had received some tickets for the Star Theater. Knowing that the master and mistress were to dine out, she had asked for permission to go out with the eook. Mr. Brownlow, who was in the room at that moment, said that he had no need of the valet and they might take him with them aba All the servants had left at seven o'clock, leaving Mrs. Browlow dressed ready to go dot and her husband finishing a letter. They had not sent for a carriage; there was a cab stand a few steps from the house and the weather was dry. From that moment they knew nothing more. The master and mistress had been married a year. They were evidently rich, because tbey lived in a fashionable part of Fifth avenue in a charming house beautifully furnished. One could well see that there was no lack of money; (he butcher, >, the grocer, the baker, etc., had never to present their bills twice, and at meal times pecuniary matters were never mentioned. Nevertheless, there were often stormy scenes between them. Mr. Brownlow was quiet, taciturn and headstrong; he was never angry, but when he had once taken it Into his head that be did not want a thing it was impossible to make him change his mind. The servants did not like him because he was cold and haughty. Naturally, his wife was of an entirely different character; she bad many caprices, and became vehement if disappointed in carrying them oat: she scolded, cried and wept, but, after all, it was always she who smiled first and came to embrace her husband. She was jealous, did not like her husband to go out alone, particularly in the evening, and was anxious to read all the letters he received, but he obstinately fought for his independence, did not wish to tell her where he went ' or where be bad been and declared his intention to remain the master of his correspondence. Besides such stormy moments, the two seemed to adore each;other,but their life in common was not without difficulties. They received few visitors, and the persons who came to the house were generally members of the family or friendsT The lady's parents Were mentioned at times, but they never came to see her. After having commented on all these circumstances, the servants found no motive sufficient to explain why their mistress had not returned. The valet could endure it no longer, and be formally asked if he should lay a plate for madame when he set the table, and when she would come back. "Lay the table as yon always do and let me 81006," was the answer. He laid her plate for breakfast, then for dinner. The next day he omitted it. The master of the .house was moody and silent; he remained absent sometimes for days. The persons whose habit it was to callon him arrived as usual and were received by him, but nobody knew What he had said to them. The mystery became unbearable. The maid determined to call upon her friend at servjee in the house where her master and mistress were to have dined on the day of the event She learned then that the family had waited for them until eight o'clock, and that they had not been seen there. They might have written, perhaps, since, but no dispatch had come on that evening. The lady's absence became more and more unaccountable. Something extraordinary must 'have happened immediately after the v departure of the servants to cause the breaking of the engagement' for dinner. And where had they dined! Not at home, assuredly. If, when they were alone, they had changed their mind and taken a fancy not to go out and to dine alone, they would have disturbed the buffet in the dining-room and the cupboard in the pantry. Nothing , had been moved- And then the lady had not taken any luggage with her, not even a valise, not even a traveling bag. She had gone away in an evening dress, with nothing in her hand, and she had not come back.' The story soon spread throHgh the neighborhood. It could interest directly but the furnishers of the house, the baker, the butcher, the grocer, etc., who knew Mr. and Mrs. Brownlow. They said that she was* very pretty and gracious lady and that they did not think she was very happy. They spoke about it to their acquaintances, and the affair made a great stir. People generally are fond of mysteries, but- on condition only that tbey shall be told finally all about them they consent to suspend their curiosity during the first act of the drama, for they know they will get satisfaction in the lifthact. They must know the last word of the mystery. Consequently they began to make inquiries in order to find out what might have become of Mrs. Brownlow; they . were lost in conjecture upon what might have happened on the day of her disappearance; between seven o'clock in the evening and three o'clock in the morning; they studied the face of their master when he went out or when he returned, and they found out that he seemed strangely careworn. There were crowds of people before the house; they discussed the possible circumstances of the secret drama. Some jjkers Invented a whole story which they told to tho passers-by, and the policemen of that beat had to interfere to make the crowds move on. v The serious people of the quarter, fathers of families and store-keepers, disproved of these gatherings, but thought that justice ought to take the affair in hand; they hinted that it is not to be permitted in a civilized country thalf one cause a woman to disappear without rendering an account of her disappearance. "Rich people," said they, "have connections with the police and they are asked no questions in a case where a poor man would be arrested immediately." On the other hand, people wondered why the family of the young woman had not yet put in an appearance. One may not be en good terms with one's children, but this is not a reason to suffer them to be murdered without saying a word about it Perhaps the laiy's parents did not know yet what had happened; there ought to bo - ■ *—————■——■*^^^—■

' somebody charitable enough to inform them of the occurrence. ; And then new crowds gathered on the ; sidewalk near the house, with inquisitive j end threa'ening attitudes, lhey did not J pay any longer .attention to tho injunctions J of the police, r.nd order in the street bej came disturbed, so that one day the chief [ of police presented himself at i..c house of the Lrov.alows. " Or," said this clever functionary, " for some time past there has been a serious tumult, the cause of which is not very clear to mc. I sent some policemen to disperse the crowd; but new gatherings are found in proportion as the old ones are scattered, and I had to inquire into the motives that brought them together. I have heard some singular rumors to which I can not attach the least credit; but I should like to be in a position to answer them intelligently in your own interest as well as that 01 s public order, and I have come here to ask of you some explanation, which will enable me to act in the matter with propriety.". The chief of police had had some trouble to reach the end of this little speech; he expected to be interrupted at the first words and his little effort had not been studied beforehand. But he found himself in the presence of a cool man, who listened to him without opening bis mouth, and who looked straight in his eyes. When he had finished Mr. Brownlow answered him: "It is a fact, sir, that I have remarked, too, for some time the crowds of people standing before my house. I am ignorant of the reason thereof; so far they have not done any damage to me and I do not complain. If it hinders the travel in the public street if there should result any disturbance of the quiet and good order of the neighborhood, it is your business to take the necessary measure to put a stop to such a state of affairs. For my part, I should be glad not to have to mix in these crowds every time I go out or when I come in." After these words he threw himself back in his chair like a man who had finished speaking and had said all he had to say. ''Permit me to remark to you, sir," said the chief of police, very politely, "that the present situation can not be prolonged. The gatherings of which you are the cause are not of a dangerous character; it is a restrained and local movement; bat if

prompt measures are not taken it will spread to the neighboring localities, and on the day when it is generally known that there is agitation around your house you will have the whole city under your windows." "I should be sorry, I assure you, Mr. Chief of Police, if this should give any annoyance to the city authorities; but it does not concern me. If there is any disorder in the, street yon have at your disposal the means for its repression. Take your platoons ol police; if that is not sufficient send for the soldiers of the National Guard, and if the movement takes a dangerous aspect you will have it in your 'power to call out the artillery. But Ido not understand why you should address yourself to me in this circumstance. What am Ito .do?" "As you ask me, sir, I will tell you plainly. The reason of these crowds whose unusual presence you have remarked yourself, in a street habitually so quiet is the disappearance of your wife. Ido not know what may have given birth to the rumors which are afloat; but it is said that for several days she has been absent from- her home, and they even go so far as to accuse you ol a crime. Ido not doubt for a moment that all these rumors are without foundation. But if you are willing to give me an explanation of your wife's absence, I shall then be able to contradict all the reports which are afloat on her account, reassure public opinion and calm the fears of the people." Mr. Brownlow rose, and in a few words put an end to the chiefs visit "I have no explanation to give you, sir," said he, "concerning the disappearance of Mrs. Brownlow. The fact of her being absent can not constitute on my part an infraction against the laws or regulations of the police, and if 1 am accused of a crime, it is the business of the proper authorities to fine the proof." . After this the chief of police had nothing else to do but retire He had gathered no information to satisfy public curiosity, but to put bis responsibility at cover he made out a long .report upon all the rumors of the quarter, upon the conversation he had had with the accused, and he gave a correct plan of the situation of the house. This was the first part of the brief. The press could remain silent no longer upon the event Several journals had received already letters from their subscribers, in which they complained that there was never any mention in their newspaper of'the accidents and crimes which took place on Fifth avenue. It would appear that their columns were reserved for the more central quarters of the city or for a few privileged suburbs, as if all portions of the city should not be subject to equal treatment after their annexation, particularly under a republican form of government i But as soon as the affair had become the object of a report of the police, the newspapers began to speak of it It was at first in vague terms; they contented themselves with saying that a fashionable quarter of the city was in great excitement on account of the sudden and unexplained disappearance of a young woman belonging to the best society, but that they did not wish to make themselves the echo of the grave accusations which were as yet formulated only in a whisper. The next day a newspaper, more bold or more pressed for money than others, told in full the name of the street It was the Journal that gave the most complete details; one of its reporters knew the dramatic author who had given the theater tickets to the maid; he could thus interview her, and, thanks to the indications which she was only too much flattered to furnish him, he was enabled to inform his readers that the name of the young woman was Leonora, and that of her husband Gustave; he described the furniture and gave some detailed information upon the habits of the house. This number of the newspaper came into the hands of the lady's parents; her father came hurriedly to the house of his son-in-law and at once he asked bim: " What have you done with my daughter 1" i " I have'done nothing with her, sir." ■ " Where is she!" --..■■.■, , *j&aoasgi (■To be continued.)