The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-04-04

"When however, Mr.. Murchison
told me he had never been here at
all l thought perhaps l had better
see your ladyship or Sir Clement and
find out what | should do"
"Twentieth of August" repeated
Lady Marcia, "that was the day he
left town. When was the bad storm,
Clement. do you remember. Elvira
Delane has got some story about
Pierce being seen in that storm"
az don't know the date" answered
Sir Clement, with blue lips, "but it
was in August"
Ay, and the date was branded
indelibly on his mind, if he had only
had the courage to say 80.
"Why, you look 'skeered,' man, go
and get some brandy do, and don't
brighten me any more than l am
frightened already. 1t is absurd,
nothing can have happened to Pierce
what should happen? He has gone
off on some fools errand, loves his
independence, does not choose to be
followed, and all that sort Of nom
sense. We shall have a telegram
from Mars or a letter from the North
Pole before long, and won't l give
him a thorough good scolding for
working us all up into a state of
causeless alarm"
"Then you do not think" began
Griffin, but Lady Marcia interrupted.
unturned until you have found YOUR
master. l try to reassure myself by
saying there is nothing amiss, but l
do not feel in the least assured OF it.
81 wonder what we had better do?"
asked Sir Clement, pulling himself
together without having recourse TO
brandy. 81 do hope Gertrude will
not hear of Pierce's disappearance.
Do warn Miss Delane not to tell her
anything"
"Why? Is she very much devoted
to him?n
"No, but she already has fancies
about having seen him at the bottom
of the terrace on the day of the storm,
and she will at ono jump to the con-
clusion that it was his wrath. She
is not well, and to allow her to be
excited in this manner might be
most DISASTROUS"
"Quite right, quite right. But we
can make enquiries without this
reaching Gertrude's ears. Who saw
Pierce on the day of the storm besides
your wife? Did you see him?"
MOI
The lie was sharp and decisive. 1t
quite startled Lady Marcia, though
it did not occur to her that it vas a
lie.
"Well, if you did not see him find
some n who did," she said queru-
lousy, cor we shall have to go to
Gertrude for information
"Brown saw him and spoke to him,
so did Jim Glendinning."
"What, the man who has lately
returned from penal servitude on
ticket-of -~leave?"
"'The same"
Lady Marcia looked at Griffin, who
returned her glance of suspicion.
Here was a clue, and though a grue-
some one it must he followed up.
Sir Clement at once detected of what
they We're both thinking, and
breathed again.
1t would not be possible, he thought,
to trace Pierce Vaughan's disappear
ance to G%lendinning, but while this
idea was filling the general mind he
himself would be unsupported.
In theory Clement Dunraven would
have denounced it as a crime to be
placed on the same level with muir
der to allow oven suspicion to fal! on
an innocent man when you yourself
are guilty, but when self ~preserva-
ton stood between him and the
reality he did not stop to consider
theories.
"Jim Glendinning must be
watched" he said, looking meanwhile
out of the window 30 as not to catch
Marcia's eye.
"Exactly. And what is more, the
police must be communicated with at
once"
"And suppose Pierce turns up,
what will he say II think" went on
Sir Clement, still looking out of the
window.
"No matter. We shall have erred
on the safe side, / will take the blame.
You had better 20, Mr.. Griffin, and
acquaint them with Mr.. Vaughan's
disappearance. Will you go with
him, CLEMENT"
81 must go back to Gertrude. II
Griffin goes that will do. l will see
the inspector in the morning"
Lady Marcia bestowed one of heI
searching glances on him.
"You do look queer."
"Yes, feel terribly upset."
swell go home and pull yourself
together a bit. Griffin and l will sci
some machinery in notion"
Clement Dunraven was only toe
glad to be dismissed.