Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-24
THE SLAVE OF SILENCE
BY FRED NJ. WHITE.


throw any light on the strange disappear
ance of the body.
so far follow you perfectly. SIR" Field
said. Nothing could be clearer or more
logical In that way it would be compare
lively easy to enter the bed room and make
preparations for the removal of the body
without any chance of being interrupted.
At this part the real trouble begins. The
body is a bulky thing. and has to be re-
moved from the hotel. How was that to
be done? How could 1t be done without
somebody knowing? That is where am at
fault"
1T could be done in this way" Mark said.
THE body might have been removed to
bed room close by and packed In large
trunk by somebody who ostensibly was go
ing by very early train"
Pardon me-" the inspector interrupted.
nobody went by an early train. We have
gone into that most carefully. OF course,
a lot of people have left early today-as
they do every day-but, so far as can
hear. nobdy in the least suspicious"
Then it was done in another manner. It
is not quite clear to me how. at present, al
fore could speak definitely on that point
should like to see the-night Waterman and
the hall porter"
But neither of these officials was present;
They had gone of duty at Z o'clock and
they did not return again till late in the
afternoon. It. seemed pity to disturb
their rest, but Field decided that they must
be sent for-and, indeed. he had already
Till the two men came to the hotel nothing
further could be done in that direction.
There was little pause here;
Il fancy I can throw some light on this,
Beatrice said. I'm the first place, will
somebody ascertain for me whether the
Countess de la Moray and Gen. Gastang
are still staying in the hotel? l feel pretty
sure they are gone, but it is just possible
that such may not be the case. Let this
inquiry be made delcately, please"
Inspector Field departed to ask the ques-
n1P II 1no11 y,
the information that the general and the
countess had already gone, in fact they had
not really been staying TN the hotel at all
their luggage was elsewhere. as the hotel
they generally favored was full-they had
only come to the Royal Palace Hotel for
the night, and 1t had been their intention
to proceed to Paris in the morning.
''Then 1t is Gen. Gastang and the Countess
de la Moray that we have to look after"
Beatrice cried. 1.-THE countess came to me
last night in the drawing room. She pro-
fessed to be an old friend of my father,
and, indeed. I must confess that she knew
a great deal about the family. She was
very nice, indeed, and asked me to go and
stay with her near Paris Being little
lonely just at present I quite took to her.
Subsequently the general was introduced
to me- He brought a message to the
countess. who excused herself. Then some
stranger came in and the general finished.
He was quite taken aback for moment
and evidently went in deadly fear of being
recognized OF course this aroused my sus-
picions. 1 had heard of these well-dressed,
good-class swindlers in hotels before, and
Immediately I thought of my jewels.
went straight to my room and the door was
locked People were talking inside and I
waited. Then the door opened and man
came out and walked away"
"W ould you recognize that man again,
miss?' Field asked eagerly.
II should certainly be able to recognize
him again." Beatrice said quietly. She
passed the point over rapidly. Something
,tnl hn- cy,o rl,oy,e fro,~
ing 1t was the man who called himself her
husband. After that I entered my room.
The countess was taken aback, but very
quickly she recovered herself. Then 1 no
ticed that there was a thread of silk stick
ing to her hands. and after that'I further
noticed that her hand was covered with
wax. Even then the truth did not dawn
upon me Till saw similar thread stick
ing to the seal on the door leading to my
fathers room. And then knew that the
countess had taken an impression OF the
seal. They did not dare to take the i'm
preston in the corridor, suppose. and
that was why they hit upon the clever ex
for the purpose"
be better. Beyond the shadow of a doubt
these people are at the bottom Of the whole
business. Did you frighten the lady.
miss?"
mot in the least" Beatrice replied. "I
was particularly careful not to arouse sus-
picions that had noticed anything out OF
the common. But l knew perfectly we'll
that I was just in time to save my da-
monds. However, that has nothing to do
with the question. The countess came back
very late. under the pretense that she re-
quired my services as her maid. She man.
aged to drug me with some very powerful
scent I presume. with view of using my
room while was unconscious, If any hitch
took place. But you may be sure that these
people are under the impression that no
body could possibly Identify them with the
outrage. There will not be any great Diff
ficulty in tracing them"
Thanks to your skill and courage"
Field said admiringly. I'VE can do nothing
further till we hear from the night porter
and his colleague. I will make few in
quires in the hotel, and 1 shall be very
glad. miss, il you will write down for me
as clear and as accurate a description as
possible of the general and the countess"
A little time later Beatrice found herself
alone with Mark Col bennington was wait
ing down in the hall. Mark looked tenderly