The Washington herald., 1906-10-13

mistress, She
out with it. man.
Adams gave desperate glance at the
doorway and 4 frOwn which scattered
the faces in the passage
The fact is my lud Miss Elliott went
out last night 10 sing at concert-and-
and-she hasn't come h0me vet
But stammeTed CFessingham. she
she--I have an appointment 20 see her
here at g."
The buffers face lighted up immedi-
ateiy- All. then, my lud. she'll be back
directly, I expect. And, OH. my lud.
hope as how you'll not mention 10 ner
what I said. You see. we all got anxious
about her. specially as how she's never
stayed away before without lertin' us
know afOrehand-and she sent the C0ach-
man home early with the 'osses and said
as how she wouldn't keep em waiting in
the cold but she'd come home in a cab. ~
Cressugham scarcely heard him. He
was tormented with sudden wild. madly
fanciful idea. which. however. ne pres
emily put from him as past the bounds
Of possibility.
Z expect she has spent the night with
some lady friend Adams" he said kind
ly. Certainly / shall not mention what
YOU have said; your anxiety for her does
you credit
Thank you, my lud" Adams went
slowly out and closed the door.
Strange thought Cressingham. "she
left me intending to go home. ] told the
cabman TO drive 10 Bruton street Per
haps she changed her mind and went
elsewhere. but its queer she cidn't send
a message or something 10 her servants
all to-day. She's so methodlcal in her
habits. too, does the housekeeping and all
that sort OF thing. Perhaps she's ilI.
He paced the floor for a quarter hour
dstTactedly, rejecting. listening anxious
IS to every sound without. often going
20 the window and attempting TO peer
into the street below Then he could
stand it no longer. and violently rang the
bell
Adams appeared with disconcerting
promptitude. "Ah, er-Td like a glass Of
whisky. Adams. please.
The butler opened cabinet and pro-
duced glasses and decanters. also cigar
cites. afterward he loitered hesitatingly
Well. what is it?" said Cressingham
It's half-past. sir. and still no sign Of
her. We've been wondering in the serv-
ants hall If a accident might hap
peEed
Have YOU the papers Adams?'
Yes. my lud, and we've gone through
en- all that careful There's nothin' in
en-, my lud. 'cept about the concert. The
Countess o. HObstein was with her, sir. :"
An
Besides. if she'd been took to a hos
pitaL my Iud. word would a been sent
here at once"
50 it would. II can't be that. then. that
has detained her; at least it's not likely
No, my lud-as I says TO Richards,
what is the cOachman. my lud-its no
use jumping TO look Al the black side o.
things. though in general it's the black
side as turns up
quite SO. Adams BY the bye. Col
Elliott is expected home shortly. is he
not2-'
Tomorrow my lUd. which. if you'll
pardon me mentiOnin' it, my lud, is what
has made rs feel more anxious like. my
lud, for Miss Elliott allowed to her maid
yesterday as how she was gOin' 10 do up
his rooms herself this morning. the col
Onei bein' rather a fidgetty old gentle
man as doesn't like his things touched
or put out Of their places. And his
rooms have been locked up ever since
he went away. and We not bein' able 10
air them the whole day. seein' as Miss
Elliott has the keys herself
Every word the butler said had the ef-
feet OF making Cressingham more deeply
disquieted; unwilling. however. to give
himself away, he dismissed the man. and
spent solitary hour walking the library
floor in a fever of impatience. AT the
end of that time he doggedIy resolved
10 see the thing ont. and lighting the
gas. took q book and settled himself in q
chair Not that he did much reading; he
was too wretchediy disturbed for that.
but he killed time in a miserable moping
fashion until The clock struck seven. and
he remembered his engagement with
Capt. Lethby
by then thoroughly alarmed. and prOmis-
Ing huTriedly TO call back later in the
evening. drove swiftly To his rooms 10
dress. rejecting with some relief that
Lethby was Miss ElliotTs cousin and
would probably have news Of her.
A. the club he was greeted as one back
from the dead. all his old friends
swooped down on him ike so many
hawks. and IN the midst Of their careless
bddindge and railleTy he forgot for the
time his anxious fears. Dinner passed
as such dinners pass. with jokes and
quips. with Wiue-engendered ieux d'esprit.
ana more or less witty anecdote. IL was
= gay. g0Od-tempered meal. for a dozen
had gathered round the recreant one re-
fusius 10 allow Lethby the distinction of
entertaining him IN solitary state. and
CTessingham. who had always been noted
as a mans man. was gayest OF the gay.
With the liqueurs. however. he remem-
bered. and on the first opportunity drew
Lethby aside
Have YOU seen or heard from your
cousin to-day, Lcthby?" ne asked quietly
No, dear boy. Why"
Il called there this afternoon pretty
late. and the servants told me she has
not returned home since she went to that
concert last night The butler was upset
about it, thinking an accident had hap
peued or something
Nonsense. man. she went home with
some friend, or else to nurse one of her
poor girls. You can never bet on Fran
cine, she's q great sick-bed girl. don't
you know"
But shed have sent her people word
surely. Besides. her father returns To-
morrow. Adams tells me she had in
TENDED 10 do out his rooms herself
Lethby laughed. oh its Adams. IS it2I
Hes q regular old woman
We'll, Old chap. I hope you're right
out ] promised Adams Ia call back and
see II she'd returned. You'd better come
with me. Jack. I'm of now" a
Wen, good luck TO you. Frank. I can't
go with YOU as I'm booked for a waltz
with the countess at 10-charming woman.
The countess, Frank. Depend on it. youH
ind Francine has got home long before
his Hope she gives Adams a good rap
over the knuckles; he deserves it. Ta-ta.
Goodbye
Cressingham drove at once TO Berkeley
Miss Elliott had not returned. He !
waited until midnight. then dispatched /
]ne of the servants with sharp note to |
apt Lethby. he himself hurried TO his (
5wn rooms and put the whole matter be- 1
ore the Count Won Oeltjen. He had COM |