The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-10-04
or Dead?'
The Strange Disappearance of
Gerald RathbOne.
n ~ rhoRNR.
0y GUY THoRN9.

only was the reception given In Sir
William Gouldesbrough's honor, but
that he would say something more or
less definite about what he had In
hand. In short, a announcement was
to be made, and the ears Of everyone
we're tingling to hear 1t.
Among the idle and frivolous section
Of society the promised revelation
had become the topic Of the hour.
Everything else was quite forgotten
Gerald Rathbone's disappearance was
already a thing Of the past; Eustace
Charliewood's suicide had not lasted
for tho proverbial three days as a
subject Of talk. But here was some
thing quite new-something all the
more attractive because Of its mys-
terry.
Some people said that Sir William
had invented a way In which anyone
might become invisible for q few
pence. This suggested delightful pos
sibilities to everyone, save only the
newly rich, whose whole endoavor was
to Be
On the other hand. there was a con.
siderable section Of people who as
serted that Sir William had succeed
cd in supplying the lesion in the brain
Of the ape, and that nov that intelli-
gent animal would be able to talk,
own property, and become recognized
as a British citizen. Every one began
to read 1.-The Jungle Book" again, and
a serious proposal was made in an
imperialistic journal that England
might thus COLOMBO and secure the un-
explored forests Of Central Africa by
means of drilling and civilizing the
monkeys of the interior.
A gorilla general was to be appoint
ed who should know the English Ian
guage but no other, and it was thought
that by this means the British domin-
ions and population would be enor-
mously increased. The smart set
especially welcomed this recruitment
of their numbers. In city circles both
these conjectures were secuted. The
well informed insisted that Sir Will
lam had discovered a method Of solidi-
flying alcohol, SO that in future one
would buy ones whisky in chunks
and ones champagne in sticks like
barley sugar.
Lord Malvin lived in Portland Place,
in one Of those great stone houses
which, however somber without, are
generally most pleasant and attract
i've within. He was unmarried, and
his niece, Dorothea Backhouse, acted
as hostess, and generally controlled
his domestic affairs. The stately
rooms were crowded with we'll known
people of all sorts and conditions. Yet
this assembly differed from others in
a marked manner. All the society
people who lived solely for amusement
had been invited and were there. But
mingled with the butterflies one saw
the ants and the bees. BY tho careful
ly-groomed and not Ill looking face of
q young and fashionable man-about-
town could be seen the domed fore
head and the face, gashed and scored
with thought, Of some great savant or
deep thinker.
It was indeed an unusual assem-
blage that passed through the large
and brilliant rooms laughing and talk
Ing. In the blue drawing room
Kubelik had just arrived and was be-
ginning to play. Every one crushed
In to hear the young maestro. Melba
to sing a song, perhaps two, later
on In the evening, and the ball room
filled with supper tables.
In so much Lord Malvin's party did
not differ in any way from that Of any
other famous and wealthy London
host. There vas the same light and
sparkle of jewels. The warm air was
laden with perfume, the same beauti-
full and tired faces moved gracefully
among all this luxury. But the men
and women who worked and thought
for the world were in this Portland
Place palace also. They talked to-
IN eager and animated groups,
they paid little or no attention to this
or that delight which had been pro-
vided for them. All such things were
and unreal to these people.
The real things were taking place
the brain as they conversed to-
The army of intellect was
massfng within the citadel of thought
to wrest new territory from the old
queen Nature, mistress OF the kingdom
Of the Unknown.
Lord Malvin and his niece had re
ceived their guests at the head Of the
great staircase. Now, when almost
every one had arrived, the great SCI
enlist had withdrawn to an inner room
at the end of a long series of apart
and stood there talking with a
small knot OF friends. This inner
drawing room was the eliminating
part of tho suite-the throne room,
as It we're; and the people standing
there could look down a long and
crowded vista of light and movement,
while the yearning and sobbing of
violin came to their ears in
gusts and throbs of delicious sound.
Lord Malvin, a tall, upright old man
a long white beard, q high white
brow beneath his velvet skull-cap, and
wearing q row OF orders, was talking
to Sir Harold Oliver. Sir Harold was
the principal Of . great northern uni
y0reity. q slim. hard.facod man NJ mid.