The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-05-13

mons
Miss Decies did her best TO explain
what had occurred, and Remington
was called in to tell, in detail, his own
part in the search.
The room seemed full of people and
clamorous with conflicting voices-a
medley Of excited sound, a medley in
which every n vas undecided and
nothing seemed certain or possible.
Mr.. Downes stood a little aside,
watching the extraordinary scene with
something Of the eager interest of one
who surveys a brilliant tableau upon
the stage. He was quite calm and
fact, his whole mind was thrilling
with the excitement OF the moment, a
moment in which he found himself
caught up from an Office on the en-
bankment and plunged into an inner
room of a great ducal house, where
some OF the most famous people in
England were gaspins and c~hattering
like frightened sheep.
The duchess lay back with closed
eyes. Once more she was near a
swoon.
There was a sudden lull in the
clamor of excited talk. Every one
had said all they could think of 10
say; they all found themselves
brought up suddenly against a wall Of
negation.
Good heavens! This is mon
s%trous!" Sir Anthony HELLER barked
out. What's TO be done? What does
it all mean?"
ALLOW me, gentlemen" said Mr..
Downes at this j~uncture. Another
search must be made, under my direc-
ton, IL you please"
Yes, yes, yes" mumbled the duke
OF Perth. Eyes. Search. Quite good.
Most important"
The detective surveyed the group,
and then turned suddenly to Michael
Grant, who stood upon his left.
Now, sir" he said, in a swift, de-
cisivs voice. 81 will ask o to help
me organize the second search. You
and | can see that everything Ia done
as II should be done, Mr.. Michael
Grant"
The duchess tried to rise.
All, yes" she said, In a faint voice.
speaking to the detective. Yes, o
60 with Mr.. Michael Grant. He will
help you. We can depend on him"
Downes whispered for a moment in
Grants ear. Grant turned to the
house steward.
Come out into the hall at once.
Remington" he said. And the detect
I've, the athlete, and the head servant
Of London house walked swiftly from
the room.
Downes was last. Just before clos
ing the door he turned.
Your grace" he said, looking at the
duchess. "if you, Sir Anthony, the
duke, and this lady will remain here
for half an hour, at the end OF that
time We shall be able to give YOU alb
solute information"
With that he gently closed the door
n turned to Michael Grant.
And now, SIR he said, you and I
can get to the bottom OF this!"
The ~exigencies Of the detectives
professional career had taught him
n thing at least. He knew strength
when he saw It, and his W acute
common sense did not fail him when
1t was necessary to enlist the strong
man.
And now began another and even
more systematic examination Of the
great and splendid house.
The servants were again marshaled
and ordered under the aegis of the
man from Scotland Yard.
Eager as they had been before, and
careful as their examination of every
room had been, the scrutiny was now
far more minute and careful. Among
all the thirty or forty people, more or
less, who m%inistered to the well being
and smooth running Of the great
house, there was now not only a sense
OF personal honor involved, but a deep
ening consciousness that things were
very serious indeed. The tall figure
OF the man with the light moustache
and in the blue lounge suit represent
ed for all Of them a concrete some
thing, and that something was the law
the law which lies deep in the heart
Of every Englishman as the one great
rule by which he must, and will, order
his life.
The same influence that makes a
single stalwart constable in uniform
able to control a raging and excited
mob was at work upon the servants
of the ducal house. They became pup
pets in the hands OF Downes, Reming-
ton and Michael Grant, while the au-
tomato certainty Of their obedience
vas defined and controlled by the
presence Of the man from Scotland
Yard.
The second search was as vain as the
first.
The nurseries were as they had
been, and the only discovery made In
the bed room was that one large win
dow was open a few inches at the bot
tom. This window looked down into
the small, h~igh-walled court yard at
the back of the house; but It was q
sheer drop Of fifty or sixty feet, and
the detective, who examined the out.
side OF the sill with a candle, could
see no marks or scratches which
xv1,ld .,ouoot that Tho p,tostc- 1kspx