The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-10-25
Alive or Dead?'
The Strange Disappearance Of
Gerald RathbOne.
0y oUv THoRNG.

| lions are very welcome to me, though
/! you have said far more than I deserve.
I hope we shall meet again soon. l am
generally at home in Regents Park
in the afternoons. 1t would have made
me very happy If poor Eustace could
have been with us tonight. He was
one of my most intimate friends, as
you know. And l tell you that he took
a great interest in the experiments
which have now eliminated SO salts
factorily for me. Poor, dear fellow!
1t is a great sorrow to me that he is
not with us. Well, we'll; l suppose
that these things are arranged for us
by a power over which we have no
control, a force beyond our poor pow
er Of measuring or understanding.
Good night, good night, Sir Miles. Do
come and see me soon."
He bowed and smiled, with Marjorie
upon his ARM, and then turned away
toward the supper room. And he left
Sir Charles Charliewood-who had not
cared twopence for his son during his
lifetime-full Of a pleasing "melan-
choly and regret for the dead man.
Such is the power Of success to
awake dormant emotions in finty
hearts!
Such is the aroma and influence
which doth hedge a king" In any
sphere of modern life!
Sir William walked away with the
beautiful girl by his side. He felt the
light touch Of her fingers upon his
arm, and his blood raced and leapt
with JOY. He felt a boy again, a hap
DIV, conquering boy. Yes, all was In
deed we'll upon this night of nights!
AS they entered the supper. room
and found a table, Lord Landsend saw
them. He was with Mrs. Pat Argyle,
the society actress, and his cousins,
the young duke and duchess OF Perth.
Landsend was a fat young man Of
no particular intellect. But he was
kind, popular, and not without a GER
tain personal charm. He could do
things that more respectable and I'M
portant people couldn't do.
As he saw the hero of the occasion
and the night come In with Marjorie
Poole, an inspiration came to the
rackety young fellow.
He jumped up from his chair and be-
gan to clap loudly.
There was a moment of dead ST.
lence. Everybody stopped talking;
the click and clatter Of the meal was
still.
Then the little duchess Of Perth
she was Miss. Mamie @. Oildervan Of
New York-took Landsend up. She
began to clap, too. As she had $780,
900 a year, was young, cheeky, and de-
lightful, she was a leader Of society at
this moment. Every n followed
suit. There was a full-handed thunder
Of applause. Lord Landsend lifted a
glass Of champagne high in the air.
Here's to the wizard Of the day."
he shouted, merrily. Here's to the
conquerer of thought"
There vas another second Of silence
During it the duke Of Perth, a boy
fresh from Oxford, caught the infec-
/, ton Of the moment. He raised his
glass also
"And to Miss Poole, tool" he said.
People who had spent years in Lon
don society said that they had never
experienced anything like 1t. A scene
Of wild excitement began. staid and
ordinary people forgot convention and
restraint. There was a high and
jocund chorus Of congratulation and
applause. The painted roof of the
supper room rang with It. Society
had let itself go for once, and there
was . madness of enthusiasm in the
air.
Sir William Gouldesbrough stood
there smiling. He entered into the
spirit Of the whole thing and bowed
to the ovation, laughing with pleas
ure, radiant with boyish enjoyment.
He felt Marjorie's hand upon his arm
CULVER with excitement, and he felt
that she was his at last! She stood by
his side, her face a deep crimson, and
It was as though they were a king
and queen returning home to the seat
and city Of their rule.
It was 30 public an avowal, chance
had been SO kind. fortune 30 oppor-
tune. that Sir william knew that Mar
jorie would never retrace her steps
now. It was an announcement Of be-
trothal for all the world to see! It
was just that.
Lady Poole, who was supping with
Sir Michael Manicho, the great mill
ionaire who was the prop and main
stay Of the English church, pressed a
lace handkerchief to her eyes.
The b~ewildering enthusiasm Of the
moment cought her, too. She rose
from her seat-only a yard or two
away from the triumphant pair-and
went up to them with an impulsive
gesture.
Heaven bless you, my dears!" she
said. in q broken voice.
Marjorie. bowed her head. She
dropped like a lovely flower. Fate. II
seemed to her, had taken everything
out Of her hands. She was the crea-
ture Of the moment, the toy Of q Wild
and ex~hfliarating environment.
She gave one quick. shy glance al
Sir William. He read in It the fulfil.
ment Of all his hopes.
Then old Lord Nalvin came down
the room. ancient. stately. and bland