The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1909-06-11

All these thoughts flashed through
his brain in q single second Of time
Disconnected as they seemed 10 be
coming from a whole series Of impress
sions-now, with the ~suddenless CT Z
life shot, they all seemed fused into
a connected whole. The pieces OF the
puzzle cane together, and he saw the
picture.
The thing was so swift snd so com
plete that he trem6led as he lay.
His eyes fell once more upon tka
p Here were the details. The
little duke.it appeared, had myster-
ousIy vanished-ro M knew how
from l0A. P~icc2Gilly.
Tie details were very difficulty to
get. but il was known that Scotland
Yard had been busy The whole night,
that the duke of Perth and Sir An
thony Heller had been summoned
and that Mr.. Michael Grant, who was
in the house al the time OF the discov-
cry Of the dukes disappearance, was
more or less In charge Of the investi-
cations
There had not yet been time for any
leader or editorial comment upon the
subject. The news was toe recent,
and only the barest outlines were
printed in the paper. At the same
time. after such facts as had beer
collected were briefly summarized IN
large ype, an editorial note in bour-
geois type appeared. 1t was TO this
effect:
The news Of this extraordinary oc-
currence has only just come to hand.
Comment upon It is, therefore, use
less at the present stage of affairs.
II may. after all, prove to be capable
of a very simple explanation, though
the information at present in our pos
session certainly seems TO point TO
the fact that this is not so. If, as u
later editions will explain, the little
duke of London has really been spir-
tied away or kidnapped by some mys-
agency, then the United King
dom and, indeed, al Europe Will have
a sensation unparalleled in the his
tory Of modern times.
ct must be remembered by our
that the duke Of London Is a
more important factor in the life OF
our day than many a royal prince;
and that the child for whom the flu
ture a such vast possibilities-such
enormous and almost u%nthinkable re-
ponsibilities-is, indeed, a very CEN
.er and focus of interest"
Marriott read these words with a
q%uickening of his heart beats.
The arteries of his temples beat like
drums. He found, to his sur
)rise, that the hand which held the
was not only trembling, but wet
With Precipitation.
What did it all mean? How was
t that, in some mysterious, inexplica-
lie way, he, the naval officer upon
cave, seemed destined to be caught
p in this great affair?
title duke with the young duchess,
from the house of the pri4ce
4 Wales. Both of them had recog-
lied his father. His father was a
riend of both. A few minutes after
he had seen Michael Grant
the club. BY a curious train Of
circumstances, and quite beyond his
wn wish, he and Sir Hercules had
cen the remains of a note from the
uchess, and now 1t appeared that the
ontrol OF this strange affair was
laced in the hands OF Michael Grant.
Finally, there was one great fact
rhich doomed far back in his con-
the fact OF the black, swing
ng burden he had seen descending
the upper window of a great
In Piccadilly, before he had
cen struck down by some unseen
gency.
He now had no longer any doubt
aaths sd
ciousness exactly opposite 100A, Pic
He felt sure that he himself held
he key to the whole situation.
What was to be done?
His head was still sick and giddy.
lie felt very far from we'll The great
hook he had experienced had its way
With his physical capacities. yet, lev
'rthelsss, his brain was stung and
whipped into On enormous activity.
rhis strange thing that had come to
lin possessed his whole mind and
ioul. Again he asked himself. what
vas to be donef
The answer came swiftly. obviously
AT any cost, see Michael
Grant. He must see him Immediately
md tell him what he knew.
He rang the bell, and the valet en-
tered. Fetch me a copy of Who's
Who, he said.
The man brought the fat, red vol
ume, and Marriott hurriedly turned
the pages. After columns of Grants.
all more or less distinguished. he
found the name he sought. Michael
Grant" and az the bottom Of the
closely-written paragraph was the adj
dress, est. Anseim's Mansions. Victo-
ria Street." A telephone number also
and the number Of Grants motor car
were appended to ths printed informa'
tion.
There was q telephone IN the base
ment OF the house whore Capt. Mar.
riott had Ills rooms, and. with un-
STEADY steps. ne descended to the hall
sud rang up the number Of Grants