Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-03-24
Harmer,s Stores, Knightsbridge, drove

Harmers Stores, Knightsbridge, droy
up at $40 to No. liza. Cromwell Roat
close to Queens Gate Gardens, ant
with seven men and foreman re
moved the whole Of the furniture. IN.
constable spoke to the foreman az
learned that It was sudde. 'e
given by the householder, a DR.. Petro-
witch, foreigner, for his goods to
be removed before half-past ten thar
night, and stored at the firms depos-
itory at Chiswick."
But they must have done it will
marvellous alacrity!" Max remarked
quickly discovered the destination o.
the Doctors household goods.
Bless you, sir" answered the in
spector, "Harner's can do anything
They'd have sent twenty vans anc
cleared out the place in quarter OF
an hour if they'd contracted to do so
You know they can do anything, and
supply anything from tintack to a
live monkey
Then they've been stored at CHS
wick, eh?"
mo doubt, sir. The constable would
make all inquiry. You know Har-
mer's place at Chiswick, not far from
Turnham Green railway station? AT
the office in Knightsbridge they'd tell
you all about it. This foreign doctor
was friend of yours, suppose?"
Eyes, a great friend" replied Bar
clay. "The fact is, I'm puzzled over
the affair Only late this afternoon
l was in his study, smoking and talk
ing, but he told me nothing about his
sudden removal"
"Ah, foreigners are generally pretty
shifty customers, sir" was the officers
remark. IF you'd seen as much as
have of EN-, when l was down at
Leman street, you'd think twice before
you trusted one. OF course, no re-
Election intended on your friend sill"
But there are foreigners who are
gentlemen, Max yentured to suggest.
Eyes, there may be. l haven't met
many, and we have to deal with all
classes, you know. But tell me the
circumstances" added the inspector,
scenting mystery in this sudden flight.
"Petrovitch might be some City spec
ulator who had suddenly been ruined,
or bankrupt who had absconded."
Max Barclay was, however, not very
communicative. Perhaps it was be-
cause of Charles ineXplicable pres
ence in that deserted house, or per-
haps on account of the inspector S
British antipathy towards foreigners
nevertheless, he said nothing regard
| ing that woman's coat with the tell
tale mark of blood.
Besides, the Doctor and Maud must
| be somewhere in the vicinity No
! doubt he would come round to Dover
street in the morning and explain his
unusual removal. The discovery OF
Rolfe's presence there was neverthe-
less inexplicable. The more he re-
tiected upon it, the more suspicious 1t
seemed.
The inspectors curiosity had been
aroused by Max's demeanour. The
latter had briefly related how he had
called, to find the house empty, and
both occupier, his daughter, and the
servants gone.
did you see any servant when yor
were there this EVENING",
| eyes; the map-servant Costa
"Ah, foreigner! OLD or young?"
"Middle-aged."
"a devoted retainer Of his master, O
course"
81 believe So
/ Then he may have been in his mas
ter's secret-most probably was. WheI
a master flies he generally confdes il
his man. I've known that in hany in
stances. What nationality was thi:
Petrovitch?"
Servian.'
ooh, we don't get many of those
people in London. They come from
the East somewhere, don't they;
half-civilized lot?"
Doctor Petrovitch is perfectly civil
lied, and highly-cultured man." Ma,
responded. "He is a statesman ant
| diplomat
/ What! Is he the Minister of Ser
via?"
''He was-in Berlin Constantinople
and other places"
"Then there may be something be
hind it, the officer suggested, beamini
as though some great fash of wisdom
had come to him. IF so, it don't con
Germ us. England's a free country t.
all scum of Europe. This doctor ma
be flying from some enemy Russian
lSluSStS ClICu w. VIC utdlu SOul
queer tales about them, more strang
than what them writer's put in six
penny books"
yes" remarked Barclay, 81 expec
you've had a pretty big experience O
foreigners down in Whitechapel."
"And at Vine street, too, SIR wa
the mans reply, as he leaned agains
the edge of his high desk, over whic
the f1aring gas jets Kissed. "Ninetee
years in the London police gives on
an intimate acquaintance with tn
undesirable alien. Your story tonigh
is a queer one. Would you like me t
send man round to the house wit
you in order to give it look over?
Max reflected in an instant that
that were done the woman's dres
would be discovered.
'Well-no,' he replied. Eat preser
think it would be scarcely wort
while. | think l know where l sha
| Az IN