The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-07-05

ed for moment whether to follow him
| or not Spencer was the first to rise
| to his feet and moved toward the door
Lord Runton and Pelham followed a
moment or two later. Outside I'm the
hall the house was perfectly silent.
Duncombe reached the library door
just in time to find himself confronted
by half a dozen of the men and women
servants coming from the back of the
house. With his hand upon the door
knob he waved them back.
BE so good, Mrs. Harrison" he said
10 the housekeeper, las to keep better
order in the servants hall We could
hear some girls calling or laughing in
the dining ROOM"
Indeed, sir" Mrs. Harrison answered
with some dignity, 1.-The noise, whatever
1t was, did not come from the serv-
ants quarters. We fancied that 1t came
from your library"
Quite impossible" Duncombe coolly
said. IF l require any one / will
ring
He passed through the door and
locked Ii on the inside. In half a dozen
hasty strides he was across the room
and inside the smaller apartment where
he had left the girl. With a little gasp
of relief he realized that she was there
still She was pale, and a spot of color
was blazing in her cheeks. Her hair
and dress were little disordered. With
trembling fingers she was fastening a
little brooch into her blouse as ne en-
tered. A rush Of night air struck him
from a wide open window.
What has happened?" he called out
Il have been terrified" she answered
II am sorry I called out. / could not
help It, A man came here-through the
window. He talked so fast that ] could
haQp he I,,f h
wanted that paper. / tried to make him
understand that i had not got ii, but
he did not believe me-and he was
rude"
Duncombe shut down the window,
swearing softly to himself.
Il cannot stay with YOU" he said.
Just now. The whole house is alarmed
at your cry. Listenr'
There was a loud knocking at the Ii
brary door. Duncombe turned hastily
away.
Il must let them in" he said IT will
come back to YOU
She pointed to the window
He is coming back" she said, "at IL
o'clock
DO you wish me to give up the pa
per?" he asked.
mo"
VERY well. l will be with you when
he comes-before then. 1 must get rid
of these men first
He closed the door softly and drew
the curtain which concealed it. Then
he opened the library window, and
moment afterwards the door.
Come in, you fellows" he said. ST
scarcely knew what l was doing when
| locked the door. / fancy one of the
housemaids has been seeing ghosts in
the garden. i saw something white in
amongst the shrubs, but l could find
nothing. Come on out with me-"
Spencer followed with a perfectly
grave face. Lord Runton looked puz-
zled. Pelham did not attempt to leave
the library. Spencer drew his host
little on one side.
What rotten liar you are, George
he said Il don't think that even Run
ton was taken in"
II suppose it sounded little thin"
Duncombe answered coolly Put it
this way, then, so far as you are con-
cerned. The Shrek occurred in my
house I've no explanation to offer to
anybody"
Il like the sound of that better, Dun
combe," he remarked. "Hullo, What's
the matter with Runton?"
Lord Runton was calling to them.
You've had visitor who was in
hurry. old chap" he remarked. Send
for lantern
Duncombe concealed his annoyance.
Il don't want to alarm the whole
household he said. I've a little cleo
trio torch in my study. I'll fetch that"
He brought il out. The progress of
man from the road to the small win
dow, toward which Duncombe glanced
every now and then apprehensively.
was marked by much destruction The
intruder had effected his exit either in
great haste or in singularly unfortu-
nate manner. He had apparently missed
! the gate, which at this point was only
small hand one, and in clambering
over the fence he had broken the top
most strand of wire. He had
blundered into a bed of wallflowers,
which were all crushed and downtrod-
den, and snapped off a rose tree in
the middle Below the window were
distinct traces of footmarks. Lord Run
ton, who held the torch, was becom-
ing excited.
"Duncombe," he said. there is some
thing which | have not told you yet.
have had numerous reports in about
the car, and was able to trace IT as far
as Lynn, but they all agreed in say
ing that it contained only two persons
the driver and the man who called
himself Fielding. What became of the
girl?"
Il have no idea Duncombe an
swered steadily.
.'Of course not" Lord Runton con-
tinued, but don't you think it possible
that-without your knowledge, of
course-she may be hidden somewhere
about here? That cry was not like
the cry of a housemaid. Let us have
the whole place searched"
Duncombe shrugged his shoulders
LAS you WILL" he answered. II am
certain. however. that it will be USE
less. There is no place here where
any one could hide"
Your servants may know some
thing" Runton suggested.
II have already questioned them"
Duncombe answered.
Come along. Mr.. Spencer Lord
Runton exclaimed. "let us search the
grounds"
Spencer shook his head.
Waste of time. Lord Runton," he
answered IF you really want to dis
cover the whereabouts of this missing
young lady and she should by any
chance be close at hand, / should rec
ommend you to induce Sir George to
let you search the room to which those
footsteps lead