The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-02-16
CHAPTER XVI.
MABEI, MISSING.

CHAPTER XVI
sg MABEL MISSING.
u was barely O'Clock when Captain
Brett arrived at De We're Gardens. HI
had hoped to find Mabel waiting fol
him and was surprised and disappointed
when the footman told him Miss Fen
ton was out.
''She got your message, sir. " the mar
added
my messager" said Brett. in aston
ishment.
"Yes, sir. The gentleman brought i,
about an hour ago, and Miss Mabel
went away with him."
"A gentleman brought q message
from me2 What was it?'
II don't know, sir. He saw Miss Ma.
bel in the library, and they both went
out together few minutes afterward. u
Brett was thunderstruok at this an.
nounoement.
"What was the gentleman likeT' he
naked.
"Tallish. sir, and spoke in jerks"
The description was short enough,
but it at once brought to Brett's mind
the man he had seen twice before-the
Arst time by the side Of the murdered
woman in South Audley street, and the
second time coming from Mr.. Keighley
Gates rooms in the Metropole. Why
should this man have come with mes
cage purporting to be from him. and
how could he have induced Mabel to
accompany him from the house. and
where had they gomez
These thoughts flashed through
Brett's head with bewildering rapid
ity, but for an answer to them he
sought in vain. He paced up and
down the room, striving to find some
clew to this fresh mystery, and at
length, giving it up in despair, he stood
by the window. each moment fondly
hoping that the next would bring him
the sight of Mabel returning from a
bootless errand.
The minutes passed with awful slow.
ness. Five o'clock struck, but she had
not arrived, and Brett turned hopelessly
away from the window.
At a quarter past Mr.. Fenton came
IN, and Brett at once told him what had
occurred and something Of what be
feared
GOOD God, Duncanl Who is there
who could wish to harm herr"
"Heaven only knows SIR" said
Brett. II have been trying in vain to
conjecture, but we must lose no more
time. l am going at once to give in
formation to the police, and ! think it
would be as well for you to break the
news to Mrs. Fenton. At present she
knows nothing"
Brett hurried off to Scotland Yard.
He had been frequent visitor there Of
late, but the mission that brought him
this time was to him the most terrible
of them all. He returned with de-
tective, who took minute particulars
from Soames, the footman, about the
strange visitor and what he had said.
and who learned from Mabel's maid
what her mistress would be likely to be
wearing. Armed with these scant par.
ticulars the man took his leave, with
the assurance that every power the law
possessed should be set in motion to
trace the missing one.
It was a terrible evening for that
house in Do We're Gardens The son was
a prisoner, awaiting his trial for muir.
der; the daughter had been foully de-
ooyed. And who could tell Of her fatei
Mr.. and Mrs. Fenton we're in state
Of utter prostration under the last ter.
rible blow that had been dealt them,
and Brett was almost beside himself
with the knowledge Of his impotence to
help the woman whom he loved more
than life itself.
Brett passed a sleepless night and by
0 o'clock next morning was again with
the police. Their inquiries had been III
vain. Every likely spot had been search.
ed, all the hospitals had been visited,
but without result, and the clew they
had was too slender to hope for much
success from it.
With q weary heart Brett turned
away, determined to take stop which
had occurred to him during the night.
1t was q bold and probably useless
one. In his calmer moments he would
have ct once dismissed the idea, but be
had now worked himself up into ter.
rible state Of excitement and had resolv.
ed to leave no step untaken that might
possibly lead to clew.
He walked straight to tho Metropole
and asked for Mr.. Keighley Gates. He
found that gentleman at breakfast in
his dressing gown. He raised his eye
brows when he saw who his visitor was.
"You are an early caller. Captain
Brett" said he.
II must apologize, Mr.. Gates, fol
coming at this hour, but feared
might miss you If l called later. The
fact is, Miss Fenton has been abducted. y
"Indeedl I am sorry to hear it. but
you don't think I have had hand il
the matter, do you?"
Hardly, Mr.. Gates, but do think
you know the man who did it. ! have
every reason to believe it was the man
met coming from you the last time
called"
"Reallyi Which man was thatT
"The tall individual l spoke to you
about. He called himself DR.. Fitzgerald
when met him some weeks ago, but
you said he had given you another
name and that he had been on beg
ging Grand"
"Ah, I remember the man. i"
"Can you tell me anything about
him?'
"I'm afraid I cannot had never
seen him before"
"Can you tell me the name he gave
to your"
II have even forgotten that. !"
Mr.. Gates gave these replies in an
Jolly polite voice. Brett saw the inter
.o,o+;ouu did pnt pIaaea him. and hi