Evening star., 1909-07-11
gered.
What I had read there was beyond be-
| lief
CHAPTER III.
Reveals Some Amazing Facts.

At the kiosk at the door OF the Cecil
bought several other papers. and. seating
myself in the same cane chair in which l
had sat with Granny on the previous
evening, opened and glanced at them. one
after the other.
What / read was practically tie same III
each-a report evidently supplied by the
Central News.
! sat staring into space, utterly dumb
founded. Suddenly ] caught sight of the
same porter who had spoken to Garshore
when the dark-hared woman had called
for him. Rising. 1 went across and said:
do you recollect last night a lady dTlV-
ing up in a cab? She was in an opera
cloak A gentleman joined her and gave
you an address to tell the cabman-Just
about dinner time
The man thought for few seconds.
then. looking straight at me: said:
You were sitting here at the time with
Mr.. Cough, weren't you, sir?
| .Yes-so you know Mr.. Cough. eh?'
| '.Of course. sir. We all know him here,
SIR was the mans reply. What causes
me to recoilect was that he came TO ME
| afterward and asked what address the
gentleman had given
| Did he ask you that / gasped.
Yes, sir-and told him. The caonan
was ordered to drive to 121a Redciine
4 w
| did you notice the gentleman return:
| "Well-I think So sir. l believe he came
| in about half-past II. But ] can't say
for certain. You see. We get perhaps 'oo
people in and out between 10 ana -
! / thanked him and returning within the
hotel inquired of the smart reception
clerk il Mir. Ralph Garshore was staying
| there.
He was staying here but he left this
morning.
You haven't any idea where he's gone,
/ suppose"
The reception clerk eyed me keenly, and
after a moments hesitation said:
| .Well-if you leave a letter II will be
sent on to him-providiue he's left an
address.
That was all the satisfaction could
obtain.
Therefore ! returned TO the courtyard,
and again studied the extraordinary news
paper reIort.
| It read as follows:
The Central News states that the Met
! ropolitan police are today engaged in en-
deavoring to unravel what seerus to have
! been a most extraord nary and sensa-
tional crime At half-past = this morning
a constable on his beat in Redcliffe Gar
dens West Brompton, noticed the door OF
| a house slightly ajar. There was no light
| in the hall, and the house seemed to be In
darkness Suspecting that burglars had
visited the place. he entered in order to
| alarm the inmates. His theory was that
the thieves had opened the door with n
| latchkey. but feared to close II again lest
| they might awaken some one within.
| "In the hall a Woman's white feather
boa vas lying upon the ground, but be-
yond that there appeared TO be nothing
unusual The front room on the ground
floor was a well furnished dining room.
upon the sideboard OF which the plate was
arranged, and untouched; thus at once
| neaatiying the suggestion of theft. The
yoon, behind was a large drawing room
With bay window overlooking the garden.
"Entering this apartment and turning
on his lantern, the constable was startled
W see evident signs OF struggle. Chairs
we're overturned, a small table with brio
a -hrac had been smashed. heavy orna-
menf had been taken from the mantel-
shsIf and hurled across the room. while
one of the big plush curtains across the
window had been torn down and lay In
a heap. 49,, :, ~.
The constable ran in alarm 10 the
door and blew his whistle. In Few
moment two Of his companions Wels
upon the scene, and they returned
to the room. where. beneath the iaiien
curtain: and half wrapped up In 1t: lay
the body of a strtkingly handsome dark
haired woman of distinctly foreign ap-
pearance She was. In a black evening
Sdress, trimmed with silver. but though
she was Iifeless. there was no external
sign Of injury
CTo be continued tomorrow