Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-08-26
THE MAN WHO VANISHED.
by FERGUS HUME.
CHAPTER V-Coxr1NUEn


Dentham had retired. closing the
door softly after him. ..Pshaw! OF
course MOTT would be clever per-
son who could find the soul OF Adrian
Lancaster in the body of Michael
Roversmire. r.
He made very good breakfast and
was about to devote himself TO the
task OF looking over Roversmire's
private papers when he suddenly
recollected his hat cloak and stick.
not wishing to leave them about lest
the keen eyes of Dentham should see
them and an awkward explanation
might ensue. Although he searched
the sitting-room yet he could not find
them; then suddenly recollected that
he might have taken them down with
him to the secret chamber In order
to be certain of this and set his mind
at rest he lighted n candle. touched
the spring and having replaced the
fireplace TO its normal condition so as
to obviate discovery oy Dentham. de-
scended into the vault turned on the
electric light and looked around.
The sight of his former body lying
so still and deathliko gave him q
momentary pang and he could not
help contrasting Its handsome face
and fine figure with his present I'M
couth exterior for owing to the
ordeals to which it had been sub. ect-
ed, the body of DIR. Roversmire was
in rather battered condition. Adrian
saw that his own frame was still
wrapped in the ulster. and the hat lay
beside the couch on the floor but al
though he hunted in every corner of
the vault he could not find the stick
With thrill of terror he extinguished
the electric light and then in the
darkness. feebly lighted by the glim-
mering taper he seemed to feel the
spiritual presence OF the old falkir
who had doubtless returned TO see
how the occupant OF his body was get
ting on. A cold breath OF air seemed
to break suddenly into the warm at
mosphere OF the vault. and Adrian
half thought he saw Il lum nous cloud
lowering near him. The half vision
however soon vanished. and the young
man put it down to the excited state
OF his IN nd. Still, the vault seemed
to be occupied by some strange pres
ence and he hurriedly left this neither
apartment and returned hurriedly to-
the upper room. which he luckily
( found untenanted.
THANK heaven that Internal SER
want didn't discover my absence he
thought blowing out the candle Il
don't trust him in any way. and the
old doctor was more easily gulled
than | should have thought possible
If he believed in a man with such a
treacherous face"
At this moment the SUBJECT OF his
reflections entered the room aud pro-
+ ceeded to clear away the breakfast
things at the same time handing the
Daily Telegraph OF the day to his
/ master.
by the way. Dentham you did not
see a walking stick lying about here
an oak stick With a gold band round
/ FTP" asked Adrian unfolding the pa
per-
Ms. sir / did not" replied Dent
ham telling the lie without moving a
muscle OF his pale face. was ityours.
sir?"
''Yes! | carried it yesterday and
left it lying about the room.
Il did not know you were out yes
terday, SIR"
You don't know a good many
things" said Adrian tartly, smooth
ing out the newspaper you can go. "
Dentham withdrew without a word
and smiled subtly TO himself when safe
outside
Says it's his own stick" he NUT
tered under his breath. ''Oh. yes.
dare say-but your name don't begin
with a. LIP DR. Roversmlre-there s
something queer about all this; / be-
lieve he's the head OF gang Of forgers
and one of 'em came 10 see him. Ill
keep my eyes open in case there's a
row."
Adrian soon dismissed tho episode
OF the stick from his mind as he did
not remember all the events of the
previous night and half thought he
might have lost the stick in his jour-
ney from the garden door to the house.
Meantime he looked at the paper
anxious TO see IL there was anything
about his crime OF the previous night.
AS he anticipated there was short
statement but owing to the late hour
at which the affair had taken place. 9
very full report had not come to hand.
The paragraph was headed "A
Curious Affair" and it stated that g
gentleman called Lancelot Alther had
!, gone up to Mr.. Adrian Lancaster s
room early in the morning and found
the owner absent and a mutual friend.
Mr.. Philip Trevanna lying half dead
on the floor. He had been stunned.
but on administration OF remedies had
revived although he could not give
!, any explanation OF the assault as he
was now in high fever and it was
doubtful IL he would recover. Mr..
Lancaster had disappeared and nc
!, trace Of him had been discovered.
Adrian laid down the paper with Q
sigh OF relief as he read the news.
Il didn't kill him after all. Tho said
. In a thankful tone. The was only
stunned and it would have been bet
, ter IL l had remained and explained
The affair, although in any case