The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-05-14

| had been conveyed away in this man.
ner.
The ball room, picture gallery, occu-
pied bed rooms, state bed rooms, bou-
doris were all alike scrutinized with
absolute scrupulousness.
In the middle of the search Miss
Decies was seen coming up the great
central staircase towards the gallery.
"Whot is that LADY," Downs whis.
pered to Michael Grant.
Miss Augusta Decies," the athlete
whispered back. Her Grace's aunt;
a very shrewd and sensible old lady,
l think"
Then she'll be a help to u.s." the
detective answered. :" expect she's
got a little tired of the duke OF Perth
and Sir Anthony in the drawing room,
and. Of course, the duchess herself Is
naturally too upset to be of any use.
It's q strange thing, Mr.. Grant, but
I've always found hat the aristoc-
racy, with all their c~leverness in 9TH
er directions, are generally singularly
at fault and useless when anything
really happens. You'll excuse me,
sir, for saying this. You've come.
madam, to give US your assistance, l
hope?"
Has anything yet been discovered,
INSPECTOR Miss Decies said. Haven't
you found anything yet? I'm afraid
her grace will have a collapse in a
fN~, 49, II ,-.1N Ho o~ -,~11 -
send for Sir William Larus. Where
have you been, MI. Grant,"
I'VE have been everywhere, Miss
Decies," Michael answered.
"And you've found nothing at all ;"
she asked.
There's something very queer here.
madam" the detective broke in, be-
cause we really have not found any
thing at all"
AS he spoke they had been walking
towards the door which led into the
old lady's private apartments.
Come in here for n moment"
she said. Give me your ideas Of
what can have happened"
They entered the sitting room, brill
iantly lit with electric light, as was
the bed room which opened into it.
Nov, then" Miss Decies asked,
turning to the detective, what is
your opinion! What can have hap
pened?"
Madam" the man answered, pull
ing at his moustache in angry irrita-
ton, I'VE have been through every
room in this house, and we have dis
covered nothing at all. To cut it
short, madam, I confess myself abso-
lutely at a loss"
The old lady and the man from
Scotland Yard were facing each 9TH
or, and Michael Grant was standing
a little on one side. AS the inspector
made his frank confession he thought
he saw that the old lady's clasped
hands suddenly relaxed, and he i'm
agined at that momen that a look al
most of relief came upon those hard
old features.
The thought came to him and pass
ed, and it was not not until long after
wards that he remembered it.
Then what is to be done?" Miss
OCClCS 0ohCu.
1.-The only thing. madam the de-
tective replied, lis to go downstairs
and tell the duchess that we have
failed to discover anything: only we
had better do that at once. and then
l will telephone to my chief and some
more men will be sent up immedi.
ately."
You're quite right" Miss Decies
said, tapping Downes upon the arm,
"and there is no time to be lost,
Come down at once and tell them"
With that she swept out OF he1
room and Grant, with the detective,
followed her quickly.
They all went down the great stair
case together and walked across the
hall to the door Of the small blue
drawing
A Strange Episode Which Concludes
the Fourth Chapter.
Capt. Basil Marriott Lad left the
Cocoa Tree club with his father close
upon 6 o'clock. The admiral had gone
back to the Albany, and Basil to his
own rooms in Jermyn street. The
admiral was dining in Cadogan
square, while Basil himself had nc
had no dinner engagement. Father
and son, however, were to meet al
Mrs. Edward Isaacs' dance in Hall
Moon street.
ITO BE continued.)
~AnAa Fall A. o.,N>r>Ai:A,.A e.