The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-09-04

 smothered with crimson ramblers in full bloom. while upon one side of the place yellow roses half hid the wall. My knock was responded to by respectable old lady whose speech and manner told of quiet retirement. Pro- bably she had seen better days. When I asked for Dr. Blakeney she at once expressed regret that he had left on the previous afternoon. | She invited me into the clean little parlor. scented by the musk growing in the window. and in response to my l inquiry said:
 "Dr. Blakeney arrived at the inn a couple of days ago. and took apart ments with me. He wished to be alone in order to study. he said, and preferred private rooms" 1 "He is great student I said. He telegraphed me only yesterday that he was here. So I've come over from Mal- ton to see him." He's a most charming man-such good talker for one so deeply studious. He was telling me only yesterday morning what a great traveller he has been studying ecclesiastical architec- ture. ' told him he should see Little Ponton Church. which they say is pure l Norman" "But how came he to leave?" in- quired, anxiously.
 'sWell. about 5 o'clock yesterday two gentlemen strangers in Colsterworth, called. and he seemed very surprised to see them. But he treated them cordially. chanced to be looking out of the window and saw them approach ting. They struck me as rather sus- picious, from the confidential manner in which they were conversing." "Yes.'' said. breathlessly. "What then?''
 "well pr. Blakeney received them
 in this room, which he had as a sit
 ting room. The door was shut. and
 for nearly half an hour they seemed
 to be engaged in a long discussion. He
 came out looked rather pale. and ob-
 tained a bottle of brandy and three glasses from the dining room. Then a quarter of an hour afterward he came to me. and. speaking in a. tone quite unusual, paid me and expressed his great regret at being compelled to
 leave at once-on very urgent busi- , ness. He only had one suit case quite new it seemed-and he took that Iwith him. All three walked together
 into the village, and hear they drove , back into Grantham."
 "Did he mention where he was go- , ing?'' I asked. sThis departure was very sudden?''
 , "very sudden she exclaimed. "Only an hour before he was quite lively and cheerful, telling me how much he
 had enjoyed a. walk he had taken alone through the fields on the prev ious day But it seemed that his friends induced him to return to Lon r don."
 'To London! Then he went back te Londont"
 .eYes. I know that. because as F passed the door heard one of the v men say, You must go back to Lon q don with us.'"
 -j My heart fell within me. d "What were these two friends like }. Describe them.'' 4 q esBoth wee gentlemanly-looking men : and Londoners from their speech. r '.The doctor gave you no Instruction e as regards letters. I suppose?" e "None But he said he hoped to re . turn ere long. fear he won't how l | ever because he took all his belong e ings with him."
 I stood speech1ess. The truth wa n palpable. >Even the good woman wh :, had been Ganny's landlady had he + suspicious aroused by the pair iron :. London Could one of them have bee f Garshore himself?
 . I questioned her and came to tn . conclusion that both men were detec tives. She put them down as London CTS. This caused me to reflect. and Y saw that from the moment Of the re
 ceipt of his telegram to me at Staple ton Grange to the moment of his al = rest, there would be just sufhcier ' time for warning to be given to sco'
 land Yard and the arrival of polio officers.
 if "fIe had not been gone ten minute l. when a telegram arrived for him." tn a good lady remarked. s"That. of cours 1e I gave back to the boy.' m My warning wire. without, a doub as dined at the inn. and inlan hour n time was in the "up Scotsman. IS which was. fortunately. a little late et travelling swiftly towards Kings Cros I ze my chambers. should at once ia ,,- laeain under the surveillance of u 10 police To me that mattered but littl
 Indeed. my mind as sat alone in u d railway carriage was full of oth
 thoughts-thoughts of the beautifr ,d bright-eyed girl beside whom I hs o- sat at luncheon that day. and wi n- had charmed me by her beauty. "a her conversation and by her inna as daintiness. I was in love-desperatei . honestly and hopelessly in love.
 On the other hand. however. I w
 haunted by the fear of catastroph
 Had Granny been arrested?
 Why had he. at the order of the tv It, strangers, returned so suddenly th London? The one fact that he h nd not sent any word to me showed nd ability to do so. And inability mea It. arrest!
 as At last we ran into Kings Gro: