The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-07
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CONTINUED.

0Ontlnneus
The story OF my first inquiries in
Hampshire is soon told.
My early departure from London en-
abled me 10 reach Mr.. Dawson's house in
the forenoon. our interview, so far as
the object OF my visit was concerned, LED
70 no satisfactory result.
Mr. Dawson's books certainly showed
when he had resumed his attendance on
Miss Halcombe at Blackwater Park, but
II was not possible 10 calculate back from
this date with any exactness. without
such help from Mrs. Nicholson as knew
she was unable TO afford She could not
say from memory (who In similar cases.
ever can9) how many DAYS had elapsed
between the renewal OF the Doctors at
tendance on his patient and the previous
departure OF Lady Clyde. She was almost
certain OF having mentioned the circum-
stance OF the departure to Miss Hal
combe on the day after II happened-but
then she was no more able TO fix the date
OF the day on which this disclosure took
place than to fix the date OF the day be-
fore. when Lady Clyde had left for Lon /
don. Neither could she calculate, with /
any nearer approach to exactness, the 4
time that had passed from the departure /
of her mistress 20 the period when the /
undated letter from Nine. Fosco arrived. |
Lastly as If 10 complete the series OF |
difficulties, the doctor himself. having |
been III al the time, had omitted 10 make
his usual entry OF the day OF the week
and month when the gardener from
Blackwater Park had called on him 10 de-
liver Mrs. Michelson's message,
Hopeless OF obtaining assistance from
Mr. Dawson. / resolved 10 try next II
could establish the date OF Sir Percival's
arrival at Knowlesbury.
II seemed like fatality! When reach
ed Knowlesbury the inn was shut up. and
bills were posted on the walls The spec
ulation had been n bad one. as | was In
ever since the time OF the rail-
way. The new hotel at the station had
gradually absorbed the business. and the
old inn (Which we knew 10 be the inn at
which Sir Percival had put up) had been
closed about two months since The pro-
prietcr had left the town with all his
goods and chattels, and where he had
gone I could not positively ascertain from
any one. The four people OF whom | in
luired gave me four different accounts OF
MS plans and projects when he left
fntTt were Stlll tpfHt nouTS 10 spare De-
'ore the last train left for London. and !
irove back again in a fly, from the !
<nOwiesbury station TO Blackwat4r Park,
With the purpose Of questioning the gar j
lener and the person who kept the lodge. =
{ they, too, proved unable 10 assist me, 2
ny resources, for the present. were az an v
nd, and ] might return 10 town q
AS | turned into~the lane from the o
igh-road. l saw a man. with a carpet h
az walking before me rapidly on the q
yay 10 the lodge. He was a little man, q
ressed I'm shabby black and wearing a s
emarkably large hat I set him down c
as well as IL was possible 10 judge) for q
lawyers clerk. and stopped at once 10 s.
Tiden the distance between us. He had
OF heard me- and he walked on out OF
ight, without looking back When
assed through the gates myself little - =
nile afterward. he was not visible--he -
ad evidently gone on to the house
There were two women In the lodge ol
ne Of them was old: the other | knew c'
once. by Marians description OF her u
be Margaree Porcher
/ asked first If Sir Percival was at the III
ark, and, receiving a reply In the mega az
We, inquired next when he had left H. ~
either, OF the women could tell me more III
ian that he had gone away in the sum
er' could extract nothing from Mar ..
'ret Porcher but vacant smiles and az
iakings OF the head The old woman Ia
as 9. little more intelligent and I man 10
red TO lead her into speaking OF the
anner OF Sir Percivals departure. and cl'
the alarm that IL caused her. She re- 10
enib red her master calling her out OF Je
"a, and remembered his frightenins her us
? swearing. but the date at which the ma
currence happened was. as she honest OF
acknowledged. quite beyond her" IN
On leaving the lodge, saw the garden
at work. not far of When I first ad 81
essed him he looked at me rather dis pc
usfully but on my using Mrs. Michel MI
n s name. with civil reference TO him
III, ne entered Into conversation readily CO.
ough. There is no need TO describe |
hat passed between us; Il ended as all ms
v other attempts 10 discover ,ho 49,. ele
"a ended The gardener know, tba, 80 lea
''N" ''idt MS -