The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-12-16
CHAPTER XVII.


was thinking of it least, and all in a
moment, as it seemed to poor Ger
trude, the angels descended and IN
locked the door Of her prison. 1t was
flung wide open suddenly, and she
beheld quite a little flock of people,
all with friendly, familiar faces, ex-
cept her late enemies, the police,
who stood ITO attention" in the back
ground, looking sullen and abashed.
Lord Wartlebury vas there, DR.. Man
sell, Mr.. Norton and, greatest JOY of
all for Gertrude at the moment, Miss
Somers. The ladies rushed into each
others arms.
ooh, my poor, dear Gertrude!"
Miss Somers exclaimed, becoming in
coherent from excess Of feeling and a
strong desire to say several things
at once. II have only just arrived.
|. What you must have suffered! Lord
.Wartlebury wrote to me last night.
He is safe on board the yacht"
SIS my husband safe?" Gertrude
cried. "
Eyes, DEAR" Miss somers an
swered, with a glad little sob. I
Then Gertrude turned to wiring
Lord Wartlebury's hand. and DR..
Mansell's, and Mr.. Norton's. She
felt inclined to embrace them all.
cit is to this young gentleman's
determination and promptitude that
you owe your release" Lord Wartle.
bury explained, abiding to Mr.. Nor
ton. Then turning haughtily to the
police, he added: "a most unjustifa-
Bile mistake. And I hear you have
been treated with marked discour-
tesy," to Gertrude. "The thing must
be represented, end II I can do any
thing for you, sir, in the future"--to
Mr.. Norton-"rely on me-"
After going through some formali-
ties. at the police station, they drove
to the nearest hotel, where dinner
had been ordered. Mr.. Norton had
been obliged to rejoin at Sandhurst
Immediately, and accordingly took
his leave as soon as they were re-
leased, and then Gertrude was told
of all that had occurred since the ar
rival of her telegram on the previous
day.
The difficulty had been howto secure
Leslie Somers, and make him con-
tent to stay with his friends instead
of wandering off to San Francisco or
wherever else his ~disordered mind
might suggest. DR.. Mansell proposed
that they should, humor his delusion,
call him Mr.. Lawrence Soames, treat
him as an English official with a rec
ognized position, and ask him to
lunch on board the yacht with a view
to giving Lord W~artlebury some In
formation about San Francisco. This
would give them an opportunity OF
Judging exactly what state his mind
was in, and that, they hoped, without
alarming or irritating him In any
way. Then, having once got him on
board the yacht, they were deter
mined not to let him go, though how
to keep him without his good will
and consent was at first a puzzling
question. The thing was to obtain
his consent. Lord Wartlebury was
going to ask him for information,
about San Francisco. Why should
Lord Wartlebury want this informa-
ton particularly? He must give a
reason. An answer at once occurred
to them. The yacht was built for
Long voyages. Lord W~artlebury could
say that he intended to go to, San
Francisco; he could take a sudden
fancy to Mr.. Lawrence Soames, beg
him to bring his luggage on board,
show him the yacht would be there
as soon as the mail steamer, and In
vite him to make of his party for
the voyage.
TO be Continued.