The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-10-30
By MRS. ALEXANDER.

NkAS
| anime the house carefully, and to
| question the concierge as to the ten
| ants. In the rez-de-chaussee was the
magas..n of a Patent Polish Stove
Company; on the first etage an old
lady with her son and daughter-ln-
law resided. Persons of high con-
sideration," said the fearful con-
cierge. The second etage was vacant;
| NJ. Lambert occupied the third. Then
| came a professor of music, Monsieur
lie Captain Galliard, Maitre d'Armes
and others.
Both Lambert and Glynn watched
with quivering interest the deliberate
minuteness of the examination, first
| of the concierge, then Of the house IT
self. The professor of music and the
maitre d'armes were out, so M. Claude
contehted himself for the presently
asking some leading questions about
them.
Then he and his attendant commits
saire assembled to Lambert's apart
ment, and questioned Madame Weber
| and the bonnie as to the smallest de-
tails concerning the missing girl; her
character, her habits of life, her
| friends, her pursuits and finally asked
for her last photograph. 1t sent a
| sharp dart of angry pain through
| Glynn's heart to see the chef de la
| surete and his aide-de-camp coolly
examining the portrait which to him
| had a certain sanctity, to observe the
unmoved composure of the practiced
| detectives in face of the fathers de-
| spairing anxiety, the professional in
.tinct which subordinated human in
terest to the keen perception Of posi-
BILE crime, the sleuth-hound scent for
a legitimate prey.
From Lambert's abode they pro-
ceeded to the vacant etage, which b
| concierge, in all the fearful yet de-
lightful excitement of such an extra
ordinary occurrence, threw open with
eager zeal.
1t was almost the same as the
dwelling above, and after looking
carefully through the empty rooms
they reached the kitchen. The door
was fastened.
"Tiens!' cried the concierge, look
ing rapidly through the keys she car
ried, this is strange, I do not re-
member locking the door, and I have
not been in here more than twice
since the day you looked at the
apartment, Monsieur Lambert, for
some friends who thought Of coming
to Paris"
While she spoke the commissaire
had thrust the blade of his penknife
into the keyhole. 1.-THE key is in
side," he said.
1T is impossible" cried the con-
cierge.
go round by l'escalaire de service
(back stair with madame said M.
| Claude to his subordinate. There is
a door leading thence to the kitchen,
is there not?"
"But, yes; certainly that will also
be locked; I have a passkey, how
ever, for these outer DOORS" A few
minutes of silence waiting, and voices
were heard within; then the door was
| opened by the concierge, whose US
ually rosy face looked a yellowish
white. Bon Dieu!" she whispered,
1.-The outside door was unlocked, and
here is tho key which opens both, In
this lock. I swear that the day be-
fore yesterday ! locked the outside
door carefully; nor have I assembled
this stair since"
Let us examine this room careful
~" said the chef, with a shade Of ad-
ditional gravity.
The search was most thorough;
every little cupboard, every nook,
the stove, the oven, an old box, every
inch of the dingy empty kitchen was
infinitely scrutinized-all present as
sisting. Suddenly a speck of white
in a dark corner attracted Glynn's
eye. He picked it up. 1t was a NOR
| sci of fine lace entangled with a knot
of the narrowest black velvet ribbon,
from which dangled a broken end.
With a sickening sensation Of horror
and dread Glynn picked up this in
ffnitesimal yet eloquent suggestion of
a struggle and silently handed it to
NJ. Claude.
"Ha!' exclaimed that functionary,
gazing at it with some earnestness;
then he added: "Mademoiselle
changed her toilet too hastily"
Good Cod" cried Lambert, "she
wore just such a velvet string as this
through the lace of her dress; | no.
ticed it!'-and so had Glynn. With
what bitterness he recalled his ad-
miration of the creamy wilderness of
her neck contrasted with the black
line surrounding it. DO you-do
you think she is m%urdered?" con-
tinued Lambert in an agonized whis-
per, staring wildly at the lace.
mo, I do not" said NJ. Claude, APP
parently somewhat moved by the
fathers intense misery. Il do not
suppose her life would be attempted
by any one, unless indeed there arc
some circumstances in her or your
history with which 1 am unacquaint-
cd. But l believe what may be as
bitter as her death to you-that she
has gone with her own free consent"
And that l can believe"
cried Lambert. "She-the sweetest,
most loving, obedient child mar ever
had"
Even So" said the detective, with
a tinge of sadness.
"The affair might have occurred
under chloroform, '&said the commits