Part 21 (1/2)

”But that--oh! let us go away from here I am nervous!”

”Certainly,” and Jack took her arm ”Now if that were Belle,” he proceeded cal when they crossed to the stairway, but she soon recovered her co h theand tried to forget it, as the dance went on

After the ”Paul Jones,” a feature of the Tip-Top affairs, had been danced, every one wanted to cool off or down, according to the temperature desired Cora ith Ed They had drifted out on a side porch Without any preamble one of the waiters touched Ed on the ar in the office

”How do you know it's for irls, aren't you?” replied the man, as if that were an explanation

”I'll take you back to the others,” said Ed to Cora ”IIt ested Cora ”I can slip back into the dance roo”

Ed followed the waiter indoors, then went into the office as he directed He was not absent more than ten one!

CHAPTER XVII

MISSING

”I left her here tenwith exciteone inside,” replied Jack, equally alarive the alar that counts is to find her; people's nerves may rest afterwards

I think we had best call the hotel e sent me was a fake It was an envelope addressed to aht But I do hate to alarm every one I know that Cora would feel that way herself What's this?” and Jack stooped to the porch floor ”Her fan!”

Ed almost snatched the trinket from Jack's hand ”The chain is broken,” he said, ”and she had it on when I left her I re there”

Here was a new proof of so--the chain was broken in two places

”Don't let us waste afor the hotel office ”I will speak with theat his heart Cora gone! Could it be possible that anything had really happened to her? Could she have been kidnapped? No, she irls

He followed Ed er was at the desk looking over the register

”A young lady has just disappeared froan Ed, rather aardly, ”and I fear that soe has happened to her I was called in here by this fake e”--he produced a slip of blank paper--”and while I was in here she disappeared”

”No one else gone?” asked thesnantly ”I ith Miss Kimball almost up to the moment she disappeared”

Jack stepped forward ”I know that ive us one moment's anxiety were it in her power to avoid it,” he said ”She is the er was looking at the envelope Ed held ”Who did you say told you about this?” he asked of Ed

”A waiter”

”Just co with me, and ill see the waiters and kitchen er