The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-03


 Anything else?" asked Holmes, yawn- ing
 Oh, yes; plenty. There is another note ] in the Morning Post to say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one, that 1t would be at St. George S, Hanover Square. that only half a dozen i intimate friends would be invited, and that the party would return to the fur nished house at Lancaster Gate which had been taken by MT. Aloysius Doran. Two days later-that is on Wednesday 1 last-there is a curt announcement that the wedding had taken place, and that the honeymoon would be passed at Lord Backwaters place, near Petersfeld. Those are all the notices which appear ed before the disappearance of the bride.'
 Before the what?" asked Holmes, with start.
 The vanishing of the lady"
 When did she vanish, then?"
 "At the wedding breakfast"
 .'Indeed. This is more interesting than 1t promised to be; quite dramatic, in 1 fact"
 Yes; it struck me as being little out of the common"
 They often vanish before the cere- mony, and occasionally during the honey moon; but I cannot call to mind any ] thing quite so prompt as this Pray let me have the details"
 T warn you that they are very in- complete.'
 Perhaps we may make them less so." ;. Such as they are. they are set forth in a single article of a morning paper of yesterday, which I will read to you It is headed, Singular Occurrence at a Fash ionable Wedding:
 1 Tile family of Lord Robert St. Simon has been thrown into the greotest conster- l nation by the strange and painful epi- sodes which have taken place in connec- tion with his wedding. The ceremony i as shortly announced in the papers of yes- terday, occurred on the previous morn ing; but it is only now that it has been possible to confirm the strange rumors which have been so consistently floating about. In spite of the attempts of the friends to hush the matter up, so much 1 public attention has now been drawn to 1t that no good purpose can be served by affecting to disregard what is a com mon subject for conversation. The ceremony, which was performed at St. Georges, Hanover Square. was a | very quiet one, no one being present save the father of the bride, MT. Aloysius De- ran, the Duchess of Balmoral Lord Back water, Lord Eustace and Lady Clara St. ] simon (the younger brother and sister of 1 the bridegroom). and lady Alicia Whit tington. The whole party proceeded after 1 ward to the house of MT. Aloysius Doran. ! at Lancaster Gate, where breakfast had ; been prepared. It appears that some lit tie trouble was caused by a woman, whose name has not been ascertained, l who endeavored to force her way into 1 the house after the bridal party. alleg- l ing that she had some claim upon Lord l St. Simon. It was only after a painful | and prolonged scene that she was elected 1 l bride. who had fortunately entered the house before this unpleasant interruption, had sat down to breakfast with the rest, l when she complained of a sudden indispo- l sition and retired to her room. Her pro- 1 longed absence having caused some com ment, her father followed her. but learned from her maid that she had only come ! up to her chamber for an instant, caught up an ulster and bonnet, and hurried down to the passage. One of the footmen l declared that he had seen lady leave ] the house thus apparelled, believing her to be with the company. On ascertain ing that his daughter had disappeared. i MT. Aloysius Doran, in conjunction with l the bridegroom, instantly put themselves ] into communication with but had refused ] to credit that it was his mistress, the po- 1 lice and very energetic inquiries are being made, which will probably result ! in a speedy clearing up of this very sln- gular business. Up to a late hour last i night. however nothing had transplred i as to trhe whereabouts of the, missing lady' I There are rumors of foul play in the matter and 1t Is said that the pollce l have caused the arrest of the woman who l had caused the original disturbance, in the l belief that from jealousy or some other l motive. she may have been concerned Tn l the strange disappearance of the brlde' And Is that all?"
 "Only one little item in another Of the morning papers, but it is a suggestive one'
 'That Miss Flora Millar, the lady yho had caused the disturbance, has actual ly been arrested. It appears that sne was formerly a danseuse at the Allegro i and that she had known the bridegroom 1 for some years There are no further particulars, and the whole case is in your hands now-so far as 1t has been set 1 forth in the public press'
 And an exceedingly interesting case It appears to be. 1 would not have missed 1 it for worlds. But there is a ring at the l bell Watson, and as the clock makes It a few minutes after 4. l have no doubt that this will prove to be our noble client. Do not dream of going, Watson. 1 for very much prefer having witness, if only as a check to my own memory i Lord Robert St. Smon," announced l our pageboy throwing open the door. A | gentleman entered, with pleasant, cul- tured face, high-nosed and pale, with i something perhaps of petulance about the mouth and with the steady we'll opened eye of a man whose pleasant lot l it had ever been to command and to be | obeved His manner was brisk and yet his general appearance gave an undue I impression of age, for he had slight 1 forward stoop and little bend of the knees as he walked. His hair, too, as l he swept off his very curly-brmmed hat, was grizzled round the edges and thin upon the top As to his dress, it was | careful to the verge of foppishness, with high collar, black frock coat, white waist coat. yellow gloves, patent-leather shoes, | and light-colored gaiters. He advanced 1 slowly into the room, turning his head i from left to right, and swinging in his l right hand the cord which held his golden 1 eyeglasses.
 | "Good-day, Lord St. Smon," said Holmes, rising and lowing. "Pray take the basket-chair. This is my friend and 1 colleague. Dr. Watson. Draw up a little to the fire, and we will talk this matter over
 "A most painful matter to me, as you can most readily imagine, MT. Holmes. ] l have been cut to the quick. I under | stand that you have already managed 1 several delicate cases of this sort, sir, though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of society" No, I am descending"
 q beg pardon
 My last client of the sort was a king
 "oh, reallyl I had no idea. And which king?"
 The King of Scandinavia l What Had he lost his wife?'
 You can understand said Holmes. suavely. %that I extend to the affairs of