Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-06-07

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"ThGt." sntd the dctcctirc, sis hrr qlore."
! vitation to the ball must have reached
the princess These facts We're so plain
ly in evidence that the girl was afraid
to speak lest some chance word would
form the connecting link between the
detective mind and the seemingly pal
pable facts At last she looked up, the
color coming and going in her cheeks,
as Lord Dona had SO accurately de-
scribed it
~ don't think can be of any assist
ance to you in this crisis, Mr.. Taylor.
You have already done everything that
human ingenuity can sugges'.
YES, | have--everything that my
human ingenuity can suggest But does
nothing occur to you? Have you 10
theory to put forward! ?"
None that would he of any practical
advantage Is Lord Donal certain that
it was not the princess herself whom he
met? Are you thoroughly convinced
that there was really an impersona
tion p
"What do you mean, Miss Baxter7'
"Well YOU met Prince Won Stein
heimer. What did you think of him -
Il thought him an overbearing bully,
if you ask me. | cant imagine what
English or American girls sec in those
foreigners TO cause them to marry them.
The prince was very violent -practi-
cally ordered me ont of the castle. spoke
to his fatherin-law in the most per
emptOry manner, and | could easily see
the princess was frightened out Of her
wits
"A very accurate characterization Of
his highness, Mr.. Taylor. Now, of
course, the princess being woman
and young woman would naturally
be very anxious To attend the Duchess
of Chiselhurst : ball, wouldn t she?'
cone would think So.
And, as you have Just said she has
O bear Of a husband good deal older
than herself, who does not in the least
care for such things as the function TO
which the princess was invited. is 1t
not lust possible that the princess ac-
tually attended the ball, but, for roa-
sons of her own desired to keep the
fact of her presence there secret? And
you must remember that Lord Donal
Stirling had not seen the princess for
five years,
"For five years. said the detective
sharply. How did you learn that,
Miss Baxter
well, you know, murmured the
girl, with gasp, THAT he met her last
! in Washington, and the princess has
not been in America for five years SO,
you see
! "Oh, | was not aware that he had
met her in America at all, In fact,
Lord Donal said nothing much about
} the princess, All his talk had reference
to this lady who unprecedented her. -
, Jennie leaned back in her chair,
closed her eyes for a moment and
preathed quickly.
/ II am afraid, she said at last, "that
do not remember with sufficient mi
nuteness the details You have given me
= to be able to advise. | would merely
suggest that Lord Donal met the prin-
3 cess herself at the Duchess Ct Chisel-
l bursts ball, The princess naturally
. would wish to mislead him regarding
l her identity, and so. if he had not met
t her for some time-Say two years, or
l three years, or five years, or whatever
t. the period may bet is quite possible
t that the princess has changed greatly in
t the interval, and perhaps she was not
e reluctant to carry on Irritation with
the young man, your client. OF course
she could not allow it to go further than
: the outside of the door of the Duke O.
Chiselhurst $ town house, for you must
j. remember there was her husband IN
d the background violent man. as you
. have said, and Lord Donal must have
9 thoroughly angered the princess ny
= what you term his rudeness in tearing
= off her glove, and now the princess will
Q never admit that she was at the ball, SC
s it seems to me that you are wasting
y your time in a wild goose chase. Why,
v it is absurd to think, if there had beer
a real disappearing woman that you
2 with all your experience and all youl
= facilities, should not have unearthet
her long ago. You said at the beginning
n that nothing was more difficult than Il
> disappear Very well, then, why have
70 you been taffledY Simply because thu
l. princess herself attended the ball anC
IS there has been no disappearing lady a
l. all
The detective, with great vehemence
J. brought down his fist on the table,
by Jovel" he cried Il believe YOU
I: are right, have been completely blind