The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-09-10

lear the house. - well - the fact
hat he had only suspicion to 90 up
IN. hampered him considerably. The
knowledge that on, the day Of the race
he would probably have . better
.hance Of pursuing his investigations
1t 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 q conviction which
| nothing could shake that Lathom was
still hiding In the Grange. though his
| superior ofiicer at Fellsgarth was 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.
where only the nurse and doctor ever
went. He felt he would risk good
deal for the chance Of catching the
man who had twice slipped through
his fingers; such q capture would be
balm to his wounded self-esteem.
"Lathom's hiding in the Grange; /
feel that In my bones! It's my i'm.
preston the doctor is q 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 a way Of taking risks; a danger
! GUS policy was often the safest In the
end, was a favorite axiom Of his. His
eye had been caught by the balcony
Immediately over the room where the
Squire was sitting. with its open cur
tanned window; and some distance
away among the fruit trees he had no
ticed a short ladder which gardener
had been using. By means Of that
ladder 1t 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. II could only slip
in when the doctors out of the way
I should not have anything to fear"
he reflected.
For the servants-only q 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 q hurried in.
vestigation, since the Squire would
no doubt keep to his own room.
"If only the chance comes!"
And the chance came. Detmold saw
the doctor stroll or 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-grown embrasure, and
climbing up dropped lightly on to the
balcony.
On the balcony he gave a 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 a look of |
chagrin he stopped swiftly to hide
out OF sight behind the creeper-covered
balcony rail. He had seen the figure |
of man come into view-it was the |
doctor returning in haste.
The doctor was looking perturbeo |
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 DIR. Brewer !
smoothed out the message in his hand |
and read 1t again.
Evidently the telegraph boy who |
had come with the message had been
sent after Brewer to the cricket field.
What message was 1t that SO disquiet,
ed him?
For q 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. 1t was in
a voice that the detective In his coign
of vantage just overhead was able
faintly 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.
Drise and she NAV ho haro A. ervI