I opened it to a youth who handed me a telegram. “Please wait,” I ordered. Quickly, I looked over the printed words. It was from Seamus. He had discovered Maureen’s disappearance along with her note and was anxious about her safety. He prayed she was with me and asked if I was returning her on the next scheduled train. He would stay in Hagerstown until he heard. I wrote a quick reply assuring him that Maureen was safe and since she was here, I had requested her assistance with preparations for my journey to Ireland. She would accompany me on my return to Stonebridge. He could expect a telegram in a few days giving him instructions when to meet us. I returned this information with a generous tip to the telegraph boy and told him it was extremely important to transmit the message at once. The boy acknowledged my order and took off running. I hailed a hansom cab and within half an hour I stood outside the Metropole, a gentleman’s club. It was an unlikely business housed among factories, commercial buildings, and warehouses.
