The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-07-12
Drawings by FRED PEeFAM.
Copyright. 1905. 1906. by Little.
Brown & Co.. Boston.
CHAPTER XIV
THE EMPTY ROOM.

DuncOmDe un1dSteneO tIle ciiaiA eiH
bol.s of the ponderous front door and
looked out into the darkness. A car
riage and pair OF horses were drawn up
outside. A man and n woman, ooth
dressed in long travelling coats. Were
standing upon the door step.
This is Duncombe Hall. L believer"
the man said lis Sir George Dun
combe at homer
II am Sir George Duncornbe,~ he an
swered. "Will you come inside?"
They crossed the threshold at once
The man was tall and dark, and his
voice and bearing were unmistakable
The woman was fair. petite. and appar-
emily very sleepy. She wore magnifi-
cent furs, and she had the air OF being
in a very bad temper.
I'VE really are heartily ashamed of
ourselves for disturbing you at such
an hour, Sir George" the man said,
but you Will pardon us when you I'M
derstand the position. / am the Mar
quis de ST. Ethol, and this Is my wife.
! have a letter to you from my friend
the Duke OF Chestow. with whom we
have been staying"
Duncombe concealed his establishment
as well as he was able He bowed to
the lady and led them towards the IL
brary. Spencer, who had heard them
coming. had hastily concealed his re-
volver and was lounging in an easy
chair reading the evening paper.
Il am afraid that my servants are all
in bed" Duncombe said. land / can
offer you only a bachelors hospitality.
This is my friend, Mr.. Spencer-the
Marquis and Marquise de ST. Ethol.
Wheel that easy chair up, Spencer.
will your
Spencer's brow had betrayed not the
slightest sign of surprise. but Dun
combe fancied that the Marquis had
glanced at him keenly. He was holding
a note I'm his hand. which he offered to
Duncombe.
my errand is so unusual, and the
hour so extraordinary" he said, that 1
thought IL would be better for Chestow
TO write you a line or two. Will you
please read it?"
Duncombe tore open the envelope.
'Chestow. Wednesday Evening.
MY Dear Duncombe: My friend De
ST. Ethol tells me that he is obliged,
at great personal Inconvenience, to exc
cute a commission for friend which
involves somewhat unceremonious
call upon you tonight. He desires me,
therefore. to send you these few lines.
The Marquis de st. Ethol and his wife
Nare amongst my oldest friends. It gives
me great pleasure TO vouch for them
both In every way.
Yours sincerely,
"CHESTOW."
THE letter, I am afraid, the Mar
quis said, smiling, docs little to sat
isfy your curiosity. Permit me to ex-
plain my errand in a few words"
Certainly" Duncombe INTERRUPTED.
But won't you take something? l am
glad to see that Spencer is looking aft
er your wife"
The Marquise had raised her veil and
was leaning back in a chair, with a
sandwich poised in the fingers of one
hand and a glass of Bergundy in the
other. She was looking a little less
bored. and was chatting gayly to Spen-
Ger. whose French was equal to her
own.
81 thank you very much" the Mar
quis said. II will not take anything
TO drink. but if you have cigarettes
ah. thanks
He lit one. and sat on the arm of an
easy chair.
THE facts are these" he said. 81
have great friend in Paris who. know
ing that / was at Chestow, and return
ing to France tomorrow, has. 1 must
say. taken advantage of my good ma
ture. am asked to call here and es-
cort home to her friends a young lady,
who, / understand, is for the moment
guest under your roof. My friend, /
must say. telegraphs in a most mystic
rious manner. but he is evidently very
anxious that we should accede to his
request Our appearance here at this
time of night i admit is most unjusti-
fable. but what were we to do? 1t is
absolutely necessary for my wife to
catch the two-twenty from Charing
Cross tomorrow. 1 hope that my friend
will some day appreciate my devotion.
To come round by your house 1 have
had TO borrow a carriage from my
friend Chestow. We shall have to drive
TO Norwich, and catch a train from
there to London in the small hours of
the morning. / presume the young lady
is here?"
The young lady is here" Duncombe
answered. May I inquire the name
of the friend to whom you are asked
TO take herr"
The Marquis yawned slightly. He too
seemed weary.
MY dear Sir George" he said. ct
trust that you will appreciate my
position in this matter. j do not even
know the young lady's name. Ny &C.
centric friend in his telegram, which
occupied four forms. most specially in
sisted that / should ask or answer no
questions concerning her"
You are not aware, then. of the cir
cumstances which led TO her coming
here?" Duncombe asked.
Il am utterly ignorant of them." the
Marquis answered. 81 am constrained
10 remain So
You no doubt have some message
for her." Duncombe said. Her posi-
ton here is a little peculiar She NAV
desire some sort of information as to
her destination"
The Marquis knocked the ash off his
cigarette.
IF you will produce the young LADY,"
he said. Il think that you will find her
prepared to come with us without ask
ing any questions"
Duncombe threw open the door that
led into the inner room. The girl came
forward as far as the threshold and
looked out upon them.
THE Marquis and the Marquise de ST.
Ethol." Duncombe said to her. They
have brought me a letter from the Duke
of Chestow. and they have come to take
you back to France"
The girl looked fixedly for a moment