Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-09-23
THE MAN WHO VANISHED.
by FERGUS HUME.
CHAPTER XI-CoNTINUED.
lie stayed. "said Dentham solemn


! ibid you see him in the house alter
ward. or hear any noises to lead you
to suspect that Mr.. Lancaster might
be concealed there?'
Dentham shook his head.
no | neither saw nor heard any
thing, he replied quickly. but it
was wet night when he came. and
after l found the walking stick l
searched for his footmarks. l traced
them more or less clearly from the
garden door up to the window Of the
room in which l heard the voices He
must have left the same way il he
left at all; but all the feotmarks
pointed toward the house and none
away from it SO L m certain he did
not go away"
You're quite n detective. said
Teddy with smile. and, certainly.
your explanation is very in
genious one so let us assume
for the sake OF argument that
Mr.. Lancaster did not leave the house
80 far so good. Now. the next
question is did he leave the roomP"
'.No " asserted Dentham again.
why rot?" asked Olive.
Because / was lying awake listen
ing to the voices. and although
could not make out what they were
saying, yet II either my master or Mr.
Lancaster had left the room l should
easily have heard them doing So"
Teddy Rudall looked puzzled.
We'll If Lancaster did not leave
tho house nor the room. he must be
| concealed iii it-or else have vanished
into thin air. which, OF course, is i'm
possible.
Pm not so certain about that
said Olive, looking up remember
what we were talking about"
Teddy shrugged his shoulder con-
tcmptuously.
Occult science theosophy and dis
Indignation, " he sad glibly. "Oh!
uonsense-all that stuff is all hum
bug"
Il believe my master is a devil. +"
asserted Dentham, suddenly, with a
scared look.
Both the others stared at him in ST.
lent establishment but there was n
look of apprehension on Olives face
that showed that she shared to some
extent in the ideas OF the servant
'.How soP' demanded Teddy with
a disbelieving smile.
Because I've left him in the room.
sir, and locked all the windows before
leaving; sometimes I've come back
and found him gone with the windows
still locked, and the shutters up. He
couldn't have got out of the windows
and he couldn't clear by the door be.
cause was generally in the passage,
aud would have seen him. Now.
sir " finished Dentham triumphantly
''where did he go to-"
Il think the true explanation is
this, said Rudall, quietly. He has
some secret chamber or exit in the
walls OF this special room to which
you rein. Have you examined the
walls?'
NO sir.
Then, depend upon it my theory
is a correct one" said Teddy in
complacent tone there's q sliding
panel or a masked door, which either
@SeNS w VIZ CuboiAO Vi bAC 'lOuoC W
some secret room. / think the latter.
because. if he had let Mr. Lancaster
out by the secret way we should have
heard from him long ago My opin-
ion is tn 1t he is keeping Adrian con-
cealed in the hidden room | refer to-"
but why" asked Olive quietly.
you. yourself gave me the ex-
PLANTATION, said Rudall. quickly; 1t
is case OF revenge / fancy. Now
in order 30 find out anything we must
search hts room"
But how, sir?" asked Dentham.
''Master never goes away from the
house and We can look if he's there"
'Oh. / can manage that" said
Olive, dccisively. '.I'll get my father
to write letter asking him to come
down 10 Misunderstanding his absence
we can search the room; If we find
anything We can demand an explana-
ton. and at all events | shall cer-
tainly make him tell why Adrian
called TO see him on that night"
Yes / think that will be the best
thing 10 be done" said Teddy.
thoughtfully. well. Miss Maunders.
we had better go down at once to
NARROW aud get your father to write
the necessary letter. AS for
you" he added. turning to Dentham.
'go back to Hampstead and keep u
watch on your master. Don't arouse
his suspicious but If no tries TO clear
out wire us at once"
'And tho money mumP" said Den.
than in n whining tone, as Olive
arose TO hor feet
She took out her purse and handed
him two ten-pound notes and one five.
pound in silence
Your information is well worth
it sho said quietly. Us sho took
them with scrvile smllo, and IL wo
find Dr. Lancaster in tho house o; DR..
Roverslnire will double the re-
ward"
Don't BIO 100 generous Miss Maun-
ders said Teddy, suspiciously. 'Wo
know nothing definitely yet. Now
we must go to Paddington at once, as
there's no time to lose"
Olive consented with alacr.ty. and
they left the house. secured hand
some, and werc soon OH their wav 10