Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-06-07
CHAPTER XIII.

Next morning i was better, and both
Uncle Wilfrid and man they had got
down from Scotland Yard, Mr.. Marland,
were admitted.
"You are aware OF having no enc.
micsY" he asked. ANY one who would,
70 far rs You know. have an object In
putting you out Of the wayT
None whatever; ! am utterly In the
dark"
"A great deal may depend upon such
information as you are able to give me-"
he went on. "FOr It may even be that
the disappearance Of Miss Wynne Is d.
rcctly or indirectly connected with this
case. This Is not tho first time l have
been called to Lorn Abbey. was en-.
gagged upon the Haynes murder ease.
which IL the particular reason why
was sent down again."
"rhe disappearance Of Miss Wynne?'
/ echoed. HAS she not been found?'
''She was not seen ut The Nest. rs
the cottage IL called, after 4 o'clock.
'She went out In a thin dress, with no
cloak, took nothing away, not even her
purse; and her maid. as well as her
friends. was ignorant that she had any
intention Of leaving the house. She has
been seen by nobody, 30 far as l have
yet been able to discover. since O, or
some time shortly after that hour, last
evening""
"And thcnY' l intcrpolatcd, my heart
Quickening In It's action.
'rhcn she was with Miss Hope, Sir
Wilfrid Amory's adopted daughter, who
informs me that they cOnversed together
in the room where you lay unconscious,
though they were not aware Of your
presence until you were heard to move.
Now, the question l should like to ask
you, Mr.. DarkmOrc, IL whether you also
saw and talked with Miss Wynne earlier
In the dayT'
II did," I said.
WAS your conversation Of n kind
which In your opinion could possibly
have any bearing either on what after.
wards happened to you or upon her own
disappearance"
None whatever" I said hastily. eve
merely discussed an old arrangement
which had existed between ourselves,
and Miss Wynnc left the room saying
that she must return to The Nest, rs
Mrs. Anncsley, her friend, would be won
dcring what had become of her.
Miss Wynnc did not return to warn
you Of the approach Of any suspicious
person? That was not her motive for
coming back again laterI'
"NO. ! think 1t must have been some
time before she returned. know that
TO me 1t seemed very long"
"Could any person have concealed
himself or herself In the room during
your conversation with Miss Wynne?"
''Ycs. it is just possible that some one
might have come in through the window.
which at that time was open. Indeed,
suppose 1t must have been so, for the
thing happened so soon after Miss
Wynne had gone"
Miss Hope admits a quarrel between
herself and Miss Wynne-admits locking
Miss Wynne into the room, making II
impossible for her to get out. Your evil
dence shows that Miss Wynne did not
leave the room after the door had been
opened by Miss Hope. The quarrel sup
plies q motive for-er-but you can see
how the case stands. am not law
yer. ! am merely detective. But !
want to fathOm this mystery. DO you
still refuse to help me-to throw any
light, by what you heard-what YOU We're
led to suppose by all that passed?"
A curious nervous trembling seized
me, and shook me from head to foot. Ev-
cry phase of the affair seemed to imprint
itself on my mind as II with fash of
vivid white electric light.
IL understand how unfortunate II
Is that l do not remember what passed.,
! stammered. A haze, ruddy as blood,
came floating before my eyes, Aecked
with sparks which burst, like fireworks,
lsto million smaller ones.
II would have been impossible tss NJ