Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-06-24
CHAPTER vl.-(continued.)

+ sE mo. SlT, ne SalQ, Ill a low VOICE,
throwing his hands out with ges.
ture OF pompous but perfectly sincere
despair; mo, sir, nothing at all has
been discovered. Her grace is pros.
trated. The duke of Perth and Sir
Anthony HELLER are In the house
now, and all the morning the people
have been coming and going from
Scotland Yard, but they have not
found out thing. In short, sir, we
are in about as bad state as we
could be-
Marriott noticed--and he was quick
and keen to notice verything-that
the confidential servant spoke to Mi.
chael Grant as he might have spoken
to his master. Basil remembered the
genia gossip of his father. Sir Her.
z cules, and he realized that Michael
Grant was, indeed, a very dominant
factor in this palace of dukes.
Well, Remington" Basil heard
Grant saying in a quiet voice, Il have
brought Capt. Basil Marriott with me.
He has an extraordinary story to tell
about the whole occurrence. He has
seen something. He knows some
thing
Remington turned towards Marriott,
and then for a moment the natural
man burst through the veneer of SUI
avity and trained manner.
oh, sir" he said, wringing his
hands with aagesture absolutely I'M
like his usual >F possession-''oh
sir, II you could throw any light upon
this dark business, then God has sent
you here!'
Rather touched, and full of the
qulckening sense of mystery, of dis
aster, of imminent happenings, Basil
passed with Michael Grant out of the
yestibule and into the great hall.
Remington attended them. The foot
man and the detective remained in
their places by the front door.
Marriott had heard from his father
OF the interior glories of the ducal
house, but when he entered the mag
nificent marble hall, surrounded by
its double columns Of pure Carrara on
] their high continuous basement, he
drew, even in that moment of excite
ment, a deep breath Of pleasure and
admiration. Looking up he saw the
roof painted with armorial devices
and floral wreaths, in blue, crimson,
cream and gold. His eyes, falling
little. saw the famous frieze of green
and crimson. with the FURNISHED metal
chain work hanging over all of it.. He
saw the enormous staircase Of white
marble, the huge purple carpet in the
center, the cleaning statuary, the
palms and the spacious galleries
above
Now, what will you do, sir?" Rem
ington said. "Will you come into the
library, where his grace, the duke
Of Perth and Sir Anthony Heller,
are? Or, perhaps" He paused,
looking anxiously at the young man,
not quite aware of his intention.
Grant turned to Basil.
Il don't quite know what to do" he
said. But I think, perhaps, 1t would
be better IL we saw the duchess first.
AS matter of fact" he continued, in
q somewhat lower voice, though Rem
ington could easily have heard it had
he wished" the duke of Perth is Of
no use at all. And Sir Anthony Hell
Herwell, you know quite we'll what
Sir Anthony HELLER is! Remington =
he said. Twill you tell the duchess
that have arrived with Capt. Basil
Marriott Sir Hercules son--and that
We have something most important to
tell her, II she can possibly see us!D
4 Remington called q man In livery,
who was standing near, under the gal
lery, and gave him the message.
The man disappeared.
Grant and Marriott stood waiting
III the hail. Remington talking earn
estlys and In a low voice to the for
mer, occasionally turning to Basil and
including him in the conversation.
ut seemed that nothing whatever
had been discovered. The house was
full Of detectives and agltated guar
dams and connections of the little
duke. No more complete bouleverse-
ment could possibly be imagined. NO
& body knew what to dc, next The i'm
& passe was unpreced ented.
The footman came hurrying down
the grand staircase, accompanied by
I q French woman In q black dress, who
went straight to Michael Grant.
Madame ia duchesse veut bien
yous voir de suite,' she said. DON
4 rez-vous, 8 II svous plat, messieurs. la
I peine de monteri e
Together the two young men fol
lowed the girl up the staircase, round
the angle OF the gallery, down the cor
ridor, and into the boudoir OF the
duchess. sIs
She was lying back In q long chair.
dressed IA q tea gown. Her dark VIC.
4 let eyes were rinEed with gray. The
Il kind, good-natured mouth drooned
piteously. The wonderful hair q
seemed TO have lost much 81 It's color
4 and brilliancy.
Oh, Michael. I, she said, Ia 4 thin
nnio6s voice, have You found on
I a1ay thing Nobody knows anything
thing han hap ened, think / ahalI
9sas rant presented Basil Marriott.
she did not rise, but held out he,
III r. S1,H ~ him