Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1902-06-19
My StrangeSt Case
BY dUY BOoTHBY.
Author Of "Dr. kIkoia.' " The Beautiful
White Devil. Phsros. The
Egyptian" Etc.
CHAPTER VI.-CoNrrNuEp.

AhAI Eh Nl.-toNIiNtED.
In reply be handed me a letter
written on good note paper, but
without an address. IL ran as fol-
lows:
mir. Gideon Hayle returns thanks
for kind inquiries. and begs to I'm
form Mr.. Fairfax that he Is leaving
England 20 day for Algiers."
III he thinks he IL going TO blum
me with that sort Of tale. he's very
much mistaken" I said. ~ happen
20 be aware OF the fact that he left
for southampton by the nine o'clock
train this morning. II | might
hazard "a guess as 90 where he was
going. I should say that his destina-
ton is the Cape. But let him go
where he will. I'll have him yet. In
the meantime. send Williams TO Char
ing Cross at once, Roberts To Vic
toria. and Dickson to ST. Paul's.
Furnish each with a description OF
the man they are TO look after. be
particular about the scar upon his
LEFT cheek. and IL they see him tell
them that they are not 20 lose sight
OF him. happen what may. Let them
telegraph should they discover any.
thing definite. and then go in pur-
cult. In any case shall return from
Southampton tonight, and shall call
here at once"
Half an hour later arrived at
Waterloo, took my ticket and board
ed the train for Southampton. When
/ reached the port / was met at the
station by my representative, who
informed me that he had seen moth
ing OF the man | had described, al
though he had carefully looked for
him.
"We1l try the various shipping
offices frst." I said. 81 feel positive
ly certain that he came down here
by the nine o'clock train"
We drove from shipping office to
shipping Office. and made the most
careful inquiries. but in every case
without success. Once we thought
we had discovered our man. only TO
find. after wasting a precious hour,
that the clerks description was alto
gether a wrong one, and that he re-
sembled Hayle In no sort of way.
We boarded the South African mail
boat. but he was not among her pas
scngers: we overhaulcd the Ameri-
can liner with an equally barren re-
suit. We paid cursory visits 10 the
principal hotels, but could hear no
tidings Of him in any one OF them.
A. matter Of fact. IL the man had
journeyed 10 southampton, as | had
every reason TO suppose he had done,
he must have disappeared into thin
mir when he got there. The whole
affair was most bewildering, and |
scarcely knew what TO think of II.
That the boots at the hotel had not
been hoodwinking me felt assured
In my own mind. His anger against
the man was too real TO allow any
doubt upon that point. At last, hav-
ing exhausted all our resources, and
not seeing what | could do further,
| returned to my subordinate's lodg-
ings, where II had been arranged
that >elsgrams should he addressed
90 me. On my arrival there a yellow
envelope was handed TO me. tore
IL open eagerly and withdrew the
contents. II proved to be from Dick
son, and had been sent of from
Dover. l took my cookbook from
my pocket and translated the mes
sage upon the back of the telegraph
form IL ran as follows:
MAN with triangular scar upon
left cheek, brown bag and travelling
rug, boarded train at Herne Hill.
went through TO Dover, and has
booked to Paris. Am following him
according 10 instructions"
"Theu he slipped me after ALL" |
cried. "He must have gone on TO
Waterloo, crossed to Cannon street,
then on 10 London bridge. The !
cunning scoundrel! He must have |
made up his mind that the biggest |
blum he could play upon me was TO |
tell the truth, and, by Jovel he was |
not very far wrong. However, those |
laugh best who laugh last, and |
though he has had very fair |
innings so far, we will see whether |
he can beat me in the end. I'll get |
back to town now, run down 10 Bish- |
opstowe tomorrow morning to re- |
port progress, and then be oil to |
Paris after him on Monday"