Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-23

"lf YOU mean to imply that I had too much
l to drink, sir, he roared "You are woefully mis-
takcnl For the past month have refrained
from stimulants altogethef by reason of my doc
tors orders, and when put the ruby on the ta
! BILE was AZ sober you are at this moment"
81 beg your PARDON ! said "The question
was, OF course, delicate one, but | had to put
It, because | am inclined to believe that the bus
iness is the result of an hallucination"
Then, sir, you are "a bigger fool than ] take
you for Throughout the whole course of my
life have had the reputation of being a hard
headed, unimaginative man, and ] am the last
person earth to go about indulQipa in halucina.
tions If that is all the comfort YOU can give
me, | think ] had better consult another solici.
tor"
He moved towards the door, but detained
him with a gesture.
BE calm, Lord Settrington'' said quietly
You are, of course, quite free to seek other aid
but no lawyer in London can be of assistance to
you If you rush off when he is doing his best h.
get to the bottom of the mystery"
We'll, we'll beg your pardon, Davies. and
m sorry II ! was impatient. But the loss of
this stone has driven me beyond endurance It
rs not so much the disappearance of the thing as
the mystery in which its vanishment is in.
volved''
"I quite understand your feelings" | made
answer IN soothing tone, and If you will allow
me, will at once accompany you to Park Lane
and take look round the room.'
HIN! That sounds like business!" he ex.
claimed. Il have my motor at the door, and we
shall be there in ten minutes"
] called my clerk gave him instructions as to
certain matters, and then descended to the street
where Lord Settrington's big car was waiting.
quick drive brought us to Park Lane and we
were about to go to the study when footman
approached his ordship and said:
"If You please, my Lord, person has called
to see you about the red table in the study"
Lord Settrington fell back a race or two. His
face was a study in expression.
What! The red table in the study?' he
echoed, and then, turning to me, he added in a
low voice: why, hang it all, Davies, it is that
very table on which I placed the ruby last
night'
"shall I send him away, my lord:" inquired
the footman.
mo, no! Where have you taken him."
He is waiting in the library my lord"
Tn the library-eh?" muttered Settrngton
wants"
moment later we stood in the room named.
An elderly; whtehaired man rose from the chair
on which he was seated and bowed low.
Il beg your pardon for ntruding, my lord
he said in very respectful voice; ''but am
dealer in antique furniture, and have been com
missioned by a client to make bid for the Ori-
few months ago."
For few seconds Settrington was too much
taken aback to find speech. Then he spluttered
forth:
"And in the name of all that's mysterious,
why on earth does your client wish to buy my
table,"
''I am informed he took a great fancy to it on
certain occasion when he had the honor of Wis
iting here replied the man quietly, "and he is
willing to give any price in reason for the same"
Now, there was something in the mans voice
that was familiar to me- 1t reIainded me of the
voice of some person whom | knew that met
frequently, but the identity of the individual
was unable to recall
Lord Settrington stood in silence for some mo-
ments, and then said to me:
davies, I'll have a word with you in private
concerning this business. Be good enough to ex-
cuse us for few minutes" he added as he
turned towards the visitor.
''Now. what on earth does this mean?" he
asked when in the adjoining room.
"Can it be possible that this fellow has had any