The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-06-17
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Grant.
He was therefore rather surprised
that his hosts manner, perfectly
courteous and thoroughly polite, was
not that of welcoming a guest, al
though the girl was obviously known
to him.
what Is it, please?" said Michael
Grant.
Il have been discharged from my
situation, Mr.. Grant" the girl replied,
and Basil Marriott noted, with a
%quickening interest, that her voice
and ]intonation were those of a lady.
well, you must excuse me for say
ing it," Grant answered, but think
the duchess was quite right in send
ing you away. If you had not left
the nursery when you did, probably
the duke would still be safe and
sound"
Marriott started. Nursery" What
did this mean? Was this girl, then,
one Of the little dukes attendants?
This girl-who was so obviously a
lady, so obviously graceful and at
tractive! Then he realized suddenly
that it might indeed be SO in the case
of the duke Of London.
The girl blanched and grew paler as
Grant answered her.
THAT is possible, Mr.. Grant" she
said, "but Il Is not what | came to
speak to you about when I asked to
see you"
For the first time, something in the
manner and voice seemed to strike
the athlete. He had known her as
second nurse to the duke, although
he had hardly ever spoken to her In
| his life before. He suddenly realized
that this was no ordinary servant.
Won't you sit down, please, Miss
-" He hesitated.
INV name is Hobson," she an
swered. taking a chair, with quiet self
possession.
"And now, why have you come to
me. Miss Hobson?" Grant asked
This gentleman, Capt. Marriott
he inclined his head towards Basil,
who bowed to the girl-"and myself
were just on the point of going to the
duchess, when"
He did not conclude his sentence.
81 am glad, then" the girl answered.
that | have seen you frst'-turning
to Baeil-"to regard what say as IN
the very strictest confidence"
I'm so far as it does not go against
the interests of the duchess, for pre-
sumo that you have come to speak to
me Of the dukes disappearance,
think I can safely give that promise,
both for Capt. Marriott and myself"
said Grant, in answer.
81 have nothing very definite to tell
you," she said, "but a series OF small
happenings and one especial occur
renee seem to point to a cumulative
fact, and I have my suspicious as to
who is at the bottom Of the whole az
fair. These suspicious will sound In
credible to you, Mr.. Grant; but. new
ertheless, I hold them with a con
yinced mind, and II l do NJ more than
at least put you upon the alert In a
certain direction, l shall have accom-
plished very much. For my own part
my only wish is to have this dreadful
mystery solved. For my W dismis'
sal | am, Of course, sorry, but 1t viii
not ruin me, as 1t might have done
were | an ordinary servant, whose life
must be passed in the service Of EN-,
ployers such as the duchess.
my father Is a country rector with
small means, and both myself and my
sister. by earning our own livings, are
enabled to assist him to send the
younger children to good schools. My
situation with the duchess was well
paid, which was an important thing to
me. SO, you see I am not altogether
homeless o without AL
this | mention, not because | wish to
intrude my private affairs upon you
but simply to assure you that my OBJ
iect in coming here this afternoon is
quite dis~interested, and l feel, in a
sense, that | ought to make every pos
sible effort that | can in the matter
because | undoubtedly contributed to
what seems so like a tragedy by be,
ing absent from the nursery for half
an hour, at a time when I was in
charge"
Hef voice faltered as she said this
and tears came into her dark eyes
whilst one Of her little hands clenched
itself upon her knee,
Capt. Marriott thought he had never
seen any one so winningly forlorh ~
this girl. He wanted TO go up to her
and pat her on the shoulder, to tell
her it was all right. that she need
not worry.
Grant bowed In answer to her
speech. "And now" he said, tell me
to whom your suspicious point?"
The girl hesitated for a moment:
opened her lips to speak, closed them
again, looked round the room, and
with a half-frightened air. gathered
herself together, and spoke two
words:
Miss Decies!"
Grant started violently. and then
the color mounted to his cheeks.
Miss Decies!" he said; you must
be mad, Miss Hobson! Miss Decies
the aunt Of the duchess! Miss Decics!
Oh. you must be mad!" he repeated
again. at a loss for words.
The girl began to speak. but with