Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-12

oH, tflaI Is true enough, waiter
laughed. 1T was old Bruno. l suppos :
he managed to get away from Park lane.
At any rate, he followed us here and l
found him holding up some people in one
Iof the drawing rooms. l thought he
might just as well come to the station
with us, so l tied him up in the shrub
berry. When l went to see If he was all
| right just now ! found the rascal had got
away again. He came back when l whs-
| tied, but l couldn't get him to come to my
side. l suppose he was afraid of getting
a thrashing. However. he is lying down
quite good in the shrubbery now. so
there is no cause for worry. I daresay
| that 1t would be rather alarming for
some of these women to be suddenly con-
fronted with the dog when they We're
carrying on tender Irritation in one of
| the arbors."
| But Lord Ravenspur was not listening.
He looked anxious and worried and full
of trouble.
"Oh. Bruno will follow the cab right
enough he said impatiently, "and l
daresay the other dog is at the station
by this time. l wish you would go and
! find Vera for me. 1t sounds foolish, I
know. but l have an absurd idea that
something may happen just at the last
moment. 1t is always the way when one
| is overstrung."
| Walter went off on his errand cheerfully
enough. The moments passed. but he did
not return. and the feeling of anxiety on
Ravenspur's part deepened. Finally. Wal
| ter returned, with a face as anxious as
Lord Ravenspurs own. He caught the
latter's arm almost fiercely.
II begin to think you are right he
whispered. Il cannot find Vera any
where. One of her girl friends tells me
off in the direction of the pathway be-
hind the shrubbery. That was half an
hour ago. What she could be doing there
| 1 haven't the remotest idea"
A smothered groan escaped Ravenspur' 8
| lips.
Il had half expected this" he NUT
tered. Something of the kind was bound
to happen. She has been lured away. or
she has been kidnapped. When you come
| to think of it, it is quite an easy matter
quite hopeless to try and fight against
these scoundrels. Depend upon It, they
have found out our plans in some mys-
ferrous way and have taken this step to
thwart them at the last moment: But
| how did they manage, how could they
have communicated with Vera? And
what extraordinary allurement did they
hold out to her to induce her to go off
with strangers in this way? oh, the thing
| is maddening!'
Il don't know" Walter exclaimed Il
only know that we are wasting time, and
very precious time at that Now. let me
see, what would be the most likely thing
to appeal to the sentiments of young
ISlTl ike vera SHOulu say SO1neInlnR
to do with her mother. We can very soon
see whether my suspicious are right or
not I'll go out into the hall at once and
| interview the footmen."
| A group of idle, lounging footmen were
loafing in the hall. Walter went straight
| to the point.
Which of you gave Miss Rayne a letter
| just now?" he demanded. And who
brought it? Come, speak out!''
| The strong, determined voice was not
trx,itl
came forward and murmured that he had
taken the letter and delivered 1t to Vera.
1T was about half an hour ago, sir
| he explained. mo, don't know the man
who brought it. He looked like a small
| tradesman or respectable clerk. All he
told me was to give the letter to Miss
Rayne and see that she had it at once"
And you were to give it to her when
she was alone?"
well, yes. SIR" the man admitted
1.-THE messenger did say that. You see
there was nothing strange
| "Oh. of course not Walter said i'm
patiently. You were to give 1t to Miss
Rayne when she was alone. and you had
handsome tip for your pains. Was not
that sou
The mans face testified to the fact that
Walters shot had hit the mark, but the
latter did not remain there a single mo-
ment longer. He had not lost sight of
the fact that a cross-examination of a
of idle gossip, in which Vera's name
would have been mixed up; and besides
the footman was obviously an innocent
party, and had told everything that he
knew in connection with the letter and
its delivery.
1T is just as you feared Walter said.
when he reached Ravenspur's side. "A
res pectably dressed man came hare half
an hour ago and left letter for Vera,
which was to be delivered to her when
nd
that is how the mischief began. l feel
quite sure that l am right, and that that
letter came. or purported to come from
Veras mother The poor child would
naturally go off, thinking no evil. You
may depend upon it that that scoundrel
Silva is at the bottom of it all. He cam
not strike you in one way so he has
made up his mind to deal the blow in
another direction. There is no time to be
lost"
But how on earth did they find ont our
plans?" Ravenspur groaned. ''All the
servants are to be trusted
I've got It," Walter said suddenly.
Don't you recollect that blind organ
He was hanging about Park lane all day.
Those sort of people have regular beats,
and he has never been seen there before.
He saw all that baggage going away and
drew his own conclusions. 1t would be
an easy matter to have the stuff fol-
lowed to Waterloo station, and find all
about the special train from the porters.
But what are you going to do? Are we
going to raise an alarm"
Not yet" Ravenspur said hoarsely.
Don't let us have any scandal as long
as we can possibly avoid it. I'll go out
with you and we'll make another search
of the grounds first. We may find some
sort of clue, and If we do we can follow
it up without anybody being any the
wiser. Lady Ringmar will simply think
that we went off without saying good
bye, and there will be an end o. the mat
ter as far as she is concerned Now
come along
The two slipped out into the grounds
again and made a rapid search of the
garden In the shrubbery they found the
great hound. Bruno, patiently waiting
there Apparently he seemed to think
that his time for punishment was past.
for he crept up to Walters side and
rubbed his great, black muzzle against
his knee.
Here's an inspiration Waiter ex