The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-01-03
or Dead?':
The Strange Disappearance of
Gerald Rathbone.
~ oUv THoRNG.

He walked up to Lord Malvin and
saluted.
Il think, my lord" he said, that
everything requisite has now been
done. l have all the servants In my
charge, and we have fifteen or twenty
men in the house, seeing that nothing
is disturbed until the official inquiry
is due"
BY this time nobody was left in the
laboratory but the detective inspector,
Lord Malvin, and Herr Schmoulder.
oh! there Is n other thing, my
lord, l have to ask you. Mr.. Donald
Megbie, the writing gentleman. is here,
and begs that he may be allowed to
see you. Should I be right In admit
ting the gentleman?
Certainly, certainly" Lord Malvin
replied. Bring him at once, please,
inspector"
In less than a minute a plain clothes
policeman ushered Donald Megbie into
the laboratory.
1T is all right, my lord" he said.
"Rathbone Is recovering swiftly. Miss
Poole is with him, and the doctors say
that, though they feared for a short
time that hos reason would go, they
are nov quite satisfied that he will re-
cover. He is sleeping quietly in a pri-
vate room at Marylebone hospital, and
Marjorie Poole is sitting by his side
holding his hand"
Then Megbie looked at the wreck up
on the floor.
"Ah!" he said, $50 you have de-
stroyed this horrid thing?"
YES" Lord Malvin answered. II
went to see Mr.. Decies, and Mr.. De-
cies went to see the king. 1t was
thought to be better and wiser for the
safety of the commonwealth-for the
safety of the world, indeed-that Sir
William Gouldesbrough's discovery
should perish with Sir William Could
esbrough."
"Ah!" Donald Megbie answered, II
felt sure that that was the best course.
1t would have been too terrible, too
subversive. The world must 60 on as
is has always gone on. I have thought
during the last few hours that Sir Will
liam Gouldesbrough was not himself
at all. Is it not possible that he him
self might have died long ago and
that something was inhabiting his
body-something which came out of
the darkness behind the Veil?"
"That, Mr.. Megbie," said Lord NAL
vim. lis the picturesque thought of the
literary man. Science does not allow
the possibility of such sinister infer
ences And now, l am going home.
You will realize, of course. that your
supreme services in this matter will
be recognized, though I fear that the
recognition can never be acknowledged
publicly"
Donald Megbie bowed.
my lord" he said, they have been
recognized already, because I have
seen how love has called back a soul
into life. I have g Marjorie Poole
sitting by the bedside Of Gerald Rath-
bone. And, do you know, Lord NAL
VIM" he continued, In a less exalted
my life here more utterly beautiful
than that"
Come" said Lord Malvin, 1T is
very late; We are all tired and un-
strung"
The two men, arm in arm, the young
writer and the great man, moved to-
wards the door Of the laboratory. The
detective-inspector stood watching the
scene with quiet and observant eyes.
But Herr Schmoulder surveyed the
wreckage Of the thought-spectroscope,
and as he turned at length to follow
Lord Malvin and Donald Megbie he
heaved q deep, Teutonic sigh.
1T was der most wonderful triumph
that ever der unknown forces occurred
has been,'' he muttered.
Then the three men crossed the vast.
sombre hall, now filled with frightened
servants, and the stin, official guard
ians of the law, and went out through
the path among the laurel bushes to
the gate in the wall, where their car
riages were waiting.
Donald Megbie, as he drove homo
through the silent streets Of the West
End, heard a tune In his heart which
responded and lifted to the regular
beat Of the horses feet upon the maca-
dam. And the burden Of the tune was
Love-"
(The End.)