Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-04-16

recOllectlng that ne nad left tne empty
house in secret, could he believe that
Max knew t,rc truth and was conceal
ing it? Was it really possible that he
was in ignorance? Barclay thought.
Had he gone to Cromwell Road eX-
pectins to find the doctor at home,
lust as he had doneo If he had, then
why had he crept out of the place and i
made his escape so hurriedly?
Again, he recollected the result OF
the search in company with the man
from Harmer's, and the finding of the
open safe Somebody had been there
after his visit; somebody who had
robbed the safe! That person must
have been aware of the departure OF
the doctor. Who was it, if not the man
seated there before him?
well, Rolfe," Max remarked at
last. You're quite mistaken. l haven't
the slightest notion of where they
are. I've done my best to try and dis
cover some clue to the direction OF
their flight, but all in vain. The more
have probed the affair, the more ex-
traordinary and more mystifying has
it become"
"What have you discovered?" asked
Charlie quickly.
Several strange things. First, l
| have found that the furniture was re-
moved in vans painted with the name
of Harmer's Stores, but they were not
! Harmers vans. The household goods
were spirited away that night, nobody
knows whittier"
"And with them the doctor and
Maud"
Exactly But-well, tell me the
truth, Charlie. Have you no message
of whatever sort from Maud?'
None" he replied, his face full of
pale anxiety.
But, my dear fellow, she loved you,
did she not? 1t was impossible for her
to conceal it."
eyes, know That's why 1 can't
rake it out at all. sometimes think
that
"That what?"
"Well, that there's been foul play
Max" he said hoarsely. you know
that the people of the Balkan coun-
tries are-so many political conspira-
tors in every walk of life. And the
doctor was such prominent polite
ian in Servia.'
Was he telling an untruth. If so, he
was marvellous actor
'Then you declare you received no
word from either Maud or the doc
tor?''
81 have heard nothing from them. =
"But, Charlie" he said slowly, "has
it not struck you that Marion knows
something-that if she liked she could
furnish us with a clue to the solution
of the mysterious AFFAIR."
4 eyes" he said, his face Frightening
at once. How curious! That thought
struck me also She knows something,
evidently, but refuses to say word"
Because she is Maud's most init.
mate friend"
"Yet she ought, merely to set my
mind at rest. She knows how fondly
I love Maud"
, .'What has she told you?"
!, "She's merely urged me to be pa
tient. That's all very we'll, because
feel sure that if Maud were allowed
to do so she would write to me-
Her father may prevent her. He
| does not write to me, remember, said
Max
81 can't understand Marion; she is
: so very mysterious over it all. Each
time I've seen her I've tried to get tbs
truth from her, but all in vain, Rolfe
| declared my own idea is that on the
: night in question: when they went to
gether to Queens Hall, Maud tolG
Marion Notwithstanding that i
, a secret"
Max pondered. His friends explana
ton tailed exactly with his own th9
cries; but the point still remained
whether or not there had been fou
> play.
f "But why doesn't the doctor sen
s me word of his own safety?" aske
Barclay. 81 was with him only fey
q hours before, smoking and chatting
t He surely knew then of his impent
y ing flight. 1t had all been most niger
J. iously and cleVerly arranged"
It mo doubt When I knew of it wa
If absolutely staggered" Rolfe said.
o 1t was curious, thought his frient
o that he did not admit visiting tn
v house after the furniture had been r
moved.
81 thought you left at nine thu
n night to go to Belgrade. Marion tol
70 me you had gone" Max remarked.
q Yes 1 had intended to go, but l III
% fortunately missed my train. The ne2
day the old gentleman sent somebod
"a else, as he wanted me at home to loo
:, after affairs up in Glasgow"
'And how did you first know
," Maud's disappearance asked Ma
at thinking to upset his calm demeanc
Il called at the house" he reptile
vouchsafing no further fact.
'r- "And after that?" Max inquired, r
% collecting that tell-tale stain upon t
On woman's bodice.
We 81 made inquiries in a number
10 likely quarters, without result"
:. "And what's your theory" M
~ asked, looking him straight in t
face, now undecided whether he w
an lying or not.
an Theory? Why, my dear fellow
sd haven't any. I'd like to hear you
~ The doctor and his daughter have 81
% denly disappeared as though
- earth had swallowed them, a
, 20. they've not left the least trace behil
va 10 bn rna1 trIIt h