Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-09-02

his eye on the Grange by means OF
underlings, but the difficulty of getting
near the house, as well as the fact
| that he had only suspicion to go up
on, hampered him considerably. The
knowledge that on the day of the race
he would probably have a better
| chance of pursuing his Investigations
at closer quarters, had decided him to
run over to Lendal. He felt he would
give good deal to lay his hands on
Jack Lathom.
And Detmold had conviction which
| nothing could shake that Lathom was
still hiding in the Grange, though his
superior officer at Fellsgarth vas in
clined to ridicule his theory. The de-
tective had managed to enter into
conversation with the maidservants,
| who had slipped out to watch the
| first innings of the match; he was
convinced they knew nothing, but this
did not dispel the rooted, obstinate
conviction in his mind. Lathom prob
ably was hiding in the shut-off wing
which Ralph Strangways occupied,
went. He felt he would risk good
deal for the chance of catching the
man who had twice slipped through
his fingers; such capture would be
balm to his wounded self-esteem.
"Lathom's hiding in the Grange; I
feel that in my bones! It's my i'm
preston the doctor is a friend Of his
and is shielding him. He couldn't
have better place to hide than this
old house with the gates always bar
red!"
A plan had formed in his mind-a
rather hazardous plan-but Detmold,
when he wanted to find out anything,
had way of taking risks; danger
Gus policy was often the safest in the
end, was favorite axiom of his. His
eye had been caught by the balcony
Immediately over the room where the
Squire was sitting, with it's open cur
tanned window; and some distance
away among the fruit trees he had no.
ticed short ladder which gardener
had been using. BY means of that
ladder it would be possible to climb
on to the balcony by the side of the
house-unseen, owing to the angle, by
the Squire in the room below.
IF Lathom's hiding in the Grange,
ten to one he's hiding in that wing oc-
cupied by the Squire, where the SER
wants never go. If I could only slip
in when the doctors out of the way
should not have anything to fear"
he reflected.
For the servants-Only a small
staff-appeared to have betaken them
selves to the cricket match; the nurse
he had seen going into the town. II
only the doctor would go out too, the
coast would be clear for hurried in.
vestigation, since the Squire would
no doubt keep to his own room.
eff only the chance comes!"
And the chance came. Detmold saw
the doctor stroll off towards the crick.
ct field and turn out Of sight. He
looked around no one was to be seen;
his opportunity had come. He quickly
moved the ladder to the side of the
wall in an ivy-growr embrasure, and
CAAuuD1u6 uP 01oppCu ASASiy on w SAO
balcony.
On the balcony he gave cautious
look around, before making his way
into the room by the open curtained
window, to satisfy himself that the
coast was clear for these investiga-
tons that were certainly illegal and
would need the justification of success
to warrant them; then with look of
chagrin he stopped swiftly to hide
out of sight behind the creeper-covered
balcony rail. He had seen the figure
of a man come into view-it was the
doctor returning in haste,
The doctor was looking perturbed
and anxious, and in his hand was
crushed telegram that perhaps had
brought him disquieting news; the
detective watched him through the
foliage which screened himself, and
saw the anxious, perplexed look in the
other mans face. Once DR.. Brewer
smoothed out the message in his hand
and read it again.
Evidently the telegraph boy who
had come with the message had been
sent after Brewer to the cricket field.
What message was it that so disquiet-
ed him?
For a moment the detective was
afraid that the doctor might notice
the ladder propped up in the embra-
sure of the wall; he was perfectly
aware that he was exceeding his du-
ties in acting as he had done, and he
had no wish to be caught. But much
to Detmold's relief the doctor strobe
straight across to the French windows
without once glancing at the ladder.
He walked through the windows and
into the room below the balcony, evi.
IDENTIFY to confer with the Squire.
When DR.. Brewer spoke, it was in
voice that the detective in his coign
of vantage just overhead was able
family to distinguish. And what he
heard was this:
Gould anything be more unlucky?
His daughter is in England, and al
ready on her way to Lendal! Mar.
garet Strangways-taking us by sur.
prise, and she may be here at any
time; I've just had telegram from
her. What's to be done?"
(To be continued)