Read FICTION books online

Reading books fiction Have you ever thought about what fiction is? Probably, such a question may seem surprising: and so everything is clear. Every person throughout his life has to repeatedly create the works he needs for specific purposes - statements, autobiographies, dictations - using not gypsum or clay, not musical notes, not paints, but just a word. At the same time, almost every person will be very surprised if he is told that he thereby created a work of fiction, which is very different from visual art, music and sculpture making. However, everyone understands that a student's essay or dictation is fundamentally different from novels, short stories, news that are created by professional writers. In the works of professionals there is the most important difference - excogitation. But, oddly enough, in a school literature course, you don’t realize the full power of fiction. So using our website in your free time discover fiction for yourself.



Fiction genre suitable for people of all ages. Everyone will find something interesting for themselves. Our electronic library is always at your service. Reading online free books without registration. Nowadays ebooks are convenient and efficient. After all, don’t forget: literature exists and develops largely thanks to readers.
The genre of fiction is interesting to read not only by the process of cognition and the desire to empathize with the fate of the hero, this genre is interesting for the ability to rethink one's own life. Of course the reader may accept the author's point of view or disagree with them, but the reader should understand that the author has done a great job and deserves respect. Take a closer look at genre fiction in all its manifestations in our elibrary.



Read books online » Fiction » A Strange Disappearance by Anna Katharine Green (books under 200 pages TXT) 📖

Book online «A Strange Disappearance by Anna Katharine Green (books under 200 pages TXT) 📖». Author Anna Katharine Green



1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 42
Go to page:
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE *** Produced by Lisa Bennett, and David Widger



A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE


By Anna Katharine Green



OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR:

The House of the Whispering Pines Miss Hurd. An Enigma Leavenworth Case That Affair Next Door Strange Disappearance Lost Man’s Lane Sword of Damocles Agatha Webb Hand and Ring One of My Sons The Mill Mystery Defence of the Bride, Behind Closed Doors and Other Poems Cynthia Wakeham’s Money Risifi’s Daughter. A Drama Marked “Personal” The Golden Slipper To the Minute





CONTENTS


A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE

CHAPTER I.   A NOVEL CASE

CHAPTER II.   A FEW POINTS

CHAPTER III.   THE CONTENTS OF A BUREAU DRAWER

CHAPTER IV.   THOMPSON’S STORY

CHAPTER V.   A NEW YORK BELLE

CHAPTER VI.   A BIT OF CALICO

CHAPTER VII.   THE HOUSE AT THE GRANBY CROSS ROADS

CHAPTER VIII.   A WORD OVERHEARD

CHAPTER IX.   A FEW GOLDEN HAIRS

CHAPTER X.   THE SECRET OF MR. BLAKE’S STUDIO

CHAPTER XI.   LUTTRA

CHAPTER XII.   A WOMAN’S LOVE

CHAPTER XIII.   A MAN’S HEART

CHAPTER XIV.   MRS. DANIELS

CHAPTER XV.   A CONFAB

CHAPTER XVI.   THE MARK OF THE RED CROSS

CHAPTER XVII.   THE CAPTURE

CHAPTER XVIII.     LOVE AND DUTY

CHAPTER XIX.   EXPLANATIONS

CHAPTER XX.   THE BOND THAT UNITES

A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE





CHAPTER I. A NOVEL CASE

“Talking of sudden disappearances the one you mention of Hannah in that Leavenworth case of ours, is not the only remarkable one which has come under my direct notice. Indeed, I know of another that in some respects, at least, surpasses that in points of interest, and if you will promise not to inquire into the real names of the parties concerned, as the affair is a secret, I will relate you my experience regarding it.”

The speaker was Q, the rising young detective, universally acknowledged by us of the force as the most astute man for mysterious and unprecedented cases, then in the bureau, always and of course excepting Mr. Gryce; and such a statement from him could not but arouse our deepest curiosity. Drawing up, then, to the stove around which we were sitting in lazy enjoyment of one of those off-hours so dear to a detective’s heart, we gave with alacrity the required promise; and settling himself back with the satisfied air of a man who has a good story to tell that does not entirely lack certain points redounding to his own credit, he began:

I was one Sunday morning loitering at the ——- Precinct Station, when the door opened and a respectable-looking middle-aged woman came in, whose agitated air at once attracted my attention. Going up to her, I asked her what she wanted.

“A detective,” she replied, glancing cautiously about on the faces of the various men scattered through the room. “I don’t wish anything said about it, but a girl disappeared from our house last night, and”—she stopped here, her emotion seeming to choke her—“and I want some one to look her up,” she went on at last with the most intense emphasis.

“A girl? what kind of a girl; and what house do you mean when you say our house?”

She looked at me keenly before replying. “You are a young man,” said she; “isn’t there some one here more responsible than yourself that I can talk to?”

I shrugged my shoulders and beckoned to Mr. Gryce who was just then passing. She at once seemed to put confidence in him. Drawing him aside, she whispered a few low eager words which I could not hear. He listened nonchalantly for a moment but suddenly made a move which I knew indicated strong and surprised interest, though from his face—but you know what Gryce’s face is. I was about to walk off, convinced he had got hold of something he would prefer to manage himself, when the Superintendent came in.

“Where is Gryce?” asked he; “tell him I want him.”

Mr. Gryce heard him and hastened forward. As he passed me, he whispered, “Take a man and go with this woman; look into matters and send me word if you want me; I will be here for two hours.”

I did not need a second permission. Beckoning to Harris, I reapproached the woman. “Where do you come from,” said I, “I am to go back with you and investigate the affair it seems.”

“Did he say so?” she asked, pointing to Mr. Gryce who now stood with his back to us busily talking with the Superintendent.

I nodded, and she at once moved towards the door. “I come from No.—— Second Avenue: Mr. Blake’s house,” she whispered, uttering a name so well known, I at once understood Mr. Gryce’s movement of sudden interest “A girl—one who sewed for us—disappeared last night in a way to alarm us very much. She was taken from her room—” “Yes,” she cried vehemently, seeing my look of sarcastic incredulity, “taken from her room; she never went of her own accord; and she must be found if I spend every dollar of the pittance I have laid up in the bank against my old age.”

Her manner was so intense, her tone so marked and her words so vehement, I at once and naturally asked if the girl was a relative of hers that she felt her abduction so keenly.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 42
Go to page:

Free ebook «A Strange Disappearance by Anna Katharine Green (books under 200 pages TXT) 📖» - read online now

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment