Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-01-31

usaiise4 WHO walked down the narrow
bye-ways to the Strand
Il wonder what she is up to?" WON
dered Bessv- Business often presented
| strange customers to her, but none had
interested her like this g1rl, who looked
as fair and fresh as a rose, ard yet had
such depths of sorrow in her eyes. "Well,
| I've done my bestt She won't be an
moved with inpertinent attentions now"
Next morning DIR. Egerton appeared to
Benson and Annie at an early hour. He
| looked disturbed, but fastened to reas-
sure them Miss Sheila, instead of going
to bed as she had told them when she
left them, had positively gone out alone
ut o'clock in the evening, and had not
returned. She had, however, left note
Tor Benson, saying DIR. Egerton would ex-
| plain her absence. The doctor had re-
celVed note also, informing him that
she was gone away to unravel the mys-
terry of Rosamond's troubles and remove
the unjust suspicion that had fallen on
! Dare. She would write to him every day.
She should probably return soon, and she
entreated him to spare the old people at
Thistleton anxiety by keeping her alb
sence secret. BY the time he received
this, she would be far away. and it would
be useless to attempt to follow her,
What could he do? Sheila had twelve
| hours start, and he did not know in the
least what direction she had taken. He
could only wait, and endure his anxiety,
for Sheila was his pet and darling, and
while he was aware of her inexperience
he had very high opinion of her clever
mess. With all her willfulness, she had
| plenty of common sense, he was aware,
He had known Dare, too, from boyhoOd,
and 1t was almost impossible to him TO
tbelieve the young man guilty of the crime
with which he was charged. Yet even
Dr. Egerton was forced to admit the
very slight doubt that the supposed
provocation and the circumstantial eyi-
dence admitted. In the public mind no
doubt existed.
If Dare was innocent. who was guilty ?
Many persons, of varied nationalities and
widely differing classes, were under the
roof of the Cosmopolitan. Of those who
had quilted the hotel since the tragedy
there appeared, in no case, the slightest
cause for suspicion. The departure, in
two instances. had been prearranged
For week past a German lady and her
maid had been staying in the house. She
and the marquis had encountered each
other occasionally, but were not even ac-
| quaintances, and the widest imagination
could not have seen any reason why she
should be detained. On the night before
Christmas eve a young man had come
into the hotel very late, and engaged Il
room for that night only. Nobody had
thought of interfering with his plans
either. Also a lady afflicted with nerves
who had come with her husband and
daughter to spend Christmas in town
had declared herself unable to remain in
q place where a murder had been com
mitted, and was now, with the rest OF
the party, at a rival establishment.
Upon all these people, as well as upon
Others still at the hotel, DR.. Egerton pom
dered, and found no clue to the mystery
A carriage was rafting over the stony
roads of st. Cornely. Sheila sat within
it, looking eagerly at the novel scenes
around her. She was actually in Brit.
tany, and almost at her journeys end
for now the quantity dressed driver
pointed with his whip to some gray tur-
rets, and though his speech was in part
the words, Chateau d'Auray."
very lDlS dRO IL SttIlth SillCt SAIt ltt
London-a dream of trains, and boats
strange faces, strange speech, strange
scenery. She spoke French remarkably
we'll Rosamond Ito whom some French
story books had recalled the language
had talked with her frequently, and the
proficiency thus gained had been of ines
Unable value. She had reached her goal
without any disagreeable experiences
and under any other circumstances she
would have enjoyed herself immensely
Here the people chiefly spoke Breton.
"Rosamond would understand it.
thought Sheila, ''just as she did the
French as soon as it was recalled TO her
I only hope it is not Mere Margot's only
language"
Something weird and desolate in the
aspect of the country had struck her nj
once. Chateau dAuray presented for
lOrn and deserted appearance, in the
midst of its neglected gardens. In sum
mer time, and when tenanted by Philip
Norville and his daughter Renee, it proc
ably had worn a very different look.
An old woman, with a sad, motherIy,
wrinkled face, under picturesque head
dress, came to the door in answer to the
summons. Visitors We're rare at Chateau
d'Auray, and Sheila's appearance excited
evident surprise.
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