The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-10-11
or Dead? =
The Strange Disappearance of
Gerald Rathbone.
~ Y rHoRNR.

He moved OF with the journalist.
leaving the two other men already
fallen into a deep talk.
where shall we go, Mr.. Megbie?"
he said, as they came out into a large
room hung with old Flemish tapestry
and full Of people.
There is q little conservatory down
a corridor here" Megbie answered.
II expect we should be quite undis-
turbed there. Moreover, we could
smoke, and I know that you are like
me, Sir William, a cigarette smoker"
THAT will do very we'll, then"
Gouldesbrough answered, and they
walked away together. Every one
saw them 60. Ladies nodded and
whispered, gentlemen whispered and
nodded to each other. The occasion
was perfectly we'll understood. Sir
William was telling Donald Megbie.
BY supper time it would be all over
the rooms, and the Eastminster Ca
zette tomorrow afternoon would have
all the details.
"Megbie is always chosen in affairs
Of this sort" That's Megbie, the
writing Johnny. who sort Of stage
manages all these things" THE
ubiquitous Donald has got him in his
grip, and we shall soon know all the
details" These were the remarks
made upon every side as the two men
strolled through the rooms.
Then an incident that was much
nnxnroo~<od m cow$ Aov L. ano}a<v ~
Cured quite suddenly. It created
quite a little sensation and gave rise
to a great deal Of gossip.
Sir William and Mr.. Megbie came
to a part Of the room where Lady
Poole and her daughter Marjorie were
standing talking to Gen. Mayne OF the
war office. Lady Poole Saw the scient-
list.
"Ah, William!" she said, somewhat
loudly, and quite in her old manner of
the days when Sir William and Mar
jorie were engaged. 80 here you are,
blazing with triumph. Every ones
talking Of you, and every one has been
asking Marjorie il she knows what it
Is you've invented this time!"
Megbie, who knew both Lady Poole
and her daughter, but did not wish to
enter into a conversation just at this
important moment, bowed, smiled at
the old lady and the girl, and stood a
little aside.
Gouldesbrough took Lady Poole by
the hand and bent w it, saying
something in a low voice to her. And
once more society nodded and whis-
pered as It saw the flush of pleasure
in the lady's face and her gratifed
smile. Again society whispered and
nodded as 1t saw Marjorie Poole
shake hands with her ~ex-flance and
marked the brightness Of her beautiful
eyes and saw the proud lips moving in
words Of friendship and congratula-
ton.
What Gouldesbrough said in answer
to Marjorie was this:
ut is 50 kind and good Of you to be
pleased, Marjorie. Nothing is more
valuable to me than that. / am going
to have half IN hour with Donald
Megbie now. I find that It's best to
tell the general public something at
this stage. So I'm doing it through
Megbie. He's safe, you know, and he
understands one. But after that will
you let me take you in to have some
supper? Do, please, let me! It
would Just make everything splendid
-be the Anal Joy. you know!"
II should be very churlish to refuse
you anything tonight, William" she
answered sadly, but with great pride
for him in her voice. Haven't you
done almost everything for me?
You've done what no other living
man would have done. I shall be very
glad and feel very proud If you will
come back here for me after you have
talked to Mr.. Megbie."
Gouldesbrough went away with the
journalist. In five minutes every one
in Lord Malvin's house was saying
that Marjorie Poole was engaged to
Sir william Gouldesbrough once more.
Marjorie watched the two men go
away. Her heart was full of pride
and pain. She rejoiced that all this
had come to the chivalrous gentleman
who had been her lover and plighted
husband. She felt each incident Of
his growing triumph with intense sym.
patty and pleasure. He had been 80
good to her! From the very first he
had been splendid. II only she could
have loved him. how happy would her
lot have been - mate and companion
to such . man az this! She was not
worldly, but she was Of the world and
knew it well. She realized most COM
pletely all the advantages. the subtle
pleasures that would belong to the
wife Of this great man. The love Of
power and dominion. the sense Of q
high intellectual correspondence with
the finest brain Of the day. the incense
Of a lofty and chivalrous devotion
all these, yes. all these. would be for
the girl Sir William loved and welded.
She half wondered II such devotion
as his had proved ought to 60 unre-
warded.
Was It right? Had any girl a real
excuse for making q mar like William
Gouldesbrough unhappy? Gerald
Rathbone had faded utterly out Of life.
The greatest skill. the most active and