Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1907-08-22
Alive or Dead?'
The Strange Disappearance of
( Gerald Rathbone.
" Il
CHAPTER VII. e Continued.
By GUY THoRNE,


CHAPTER Vile Continued.
For some time past every one had
remarked the apparent and growing
intimacy between the lost man and
Miss Marjorie Poole, who was en-
u gagged to the famous scientist Sill
William Gouldes brough, FIR. s. How
Tar matters had gone between the
y young couple WAS only conjectured
but at the moment OF Rathbone's dis
appearance Il WAS generally believed
that Miss Poole was about to throw
over Sir William for his young rival
this was the elegant way In which
+ men talked In the clubs and women
In their drawing rooms.
Nothing is hidden nowadays, and
B the fierce light Of publicity beats
upon the doings Of the countess and
the cost ermonger alike The countess
may, perhaps, preserve a secret lit
tie longer than the costermonge and
i that Is the only difference between
them Ii this regard.
Accordingly, on the fifteenth or six
teenths day OF the mystery, a sensa-
tional morning paper published q spe-
cial article detailing what professed
to be an entirely new light upon the
situation. IL statements affecting the
private and intimate life of anybody
can be called IN good taste, the arti-
Gle was certainly written with q due
regard to proprietfes and with an OBJ
vious attempt to avoid hurting the
feelings Of any cAe. But, as it was
I pointed out in predatory note, the
s whole affair had passed from the re-
gions Of private life into the sphere of
national interest, and therefore it was.
the duty Of a journal to give to the
\ world all and every fact which had
4 any bearing upon the affair, without
fear or favor. This article, which Gre
ated tremendous sensation, was in
substance as follows:
II limited that young lady Of great
charm, and moving in the highest cir
cles, 9 young lady who had been en-
gagged for some little time to one of
the most distinguished Englishmen
Of the day, had lately been much seen
with the vanished man. The gossip
sof society had limited that this could
mean nothing more or less than that
the young lady had been mistaken in
the first disposal Of her affections
and was about to make a change
How did this bear upon the situa-
5tion VS. ls.ss
4 During the next day Or two. though
nc names were y printed. It became
generally known who the principal
characters In the supposed little
drama lot love really were Every
body spoke freely Of old Sir Feder-
lex Poole's disting uished daughter, of
Lady Poole OF Curzon street. and OF
Sir William Gould sbrough, the Ia
nous scientist.
When the article first appeared ev-
3erybody began to say. s All, now We
shall have the whole thing cleared
upil But as the days went on people
began oArealize that the new facts
threw little light upon the mystery,
and only provided possible motive
for Mr.. Gerald r. Thor g. de-
And then once more people We're COM
PEELED to ask themselves IL Mr.. Rath-
bone reay:y was in love with Miss
Poole, and had found that either she
would have nothing to say to him or
that she was Inevitably bound to Sir
William Gould esbrough In honor.
Then when. how, and where did he.
make away with himself
And to that question there was abb
solutely no ansW 81.