The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-01-02
CHAPTER v.
Blind CIeWs.

| MIS-. Melville, yOu 1uuSL hdVo oSSiA
him had he come out of the room; you
we're directly in front of the doors all
the time"
81 was" admitted the colonel; "can
can the boy be hiding to scare usT'
He spoke to Miss Smith. She had
grown pale; he did not know that his
own color had turned. Millicent stared
from one to the other.
How ridiculous!" she exclaimed;
"of course not; but he must be some
where; let me look!
Look as they might through all the
staring empty rooms, there was no
vestige of the boy. He was as clean
vanished as If he had fallen out OF
the closed and locked windows. The
colonel examined them all; had there
been one open, he would have peered
outside, frightened as he had never
been when death was at his elbow.
But it certainly wasn't possible to
jump through window. and not only
shut, but lock it after one.
Under every bed, in every closet, he
prowled; he was searching still when
Mrs. Winter returned. BY this time
Mrs. Melville was agitated, and, natur-
ally, irritated as well. ~ think it is
objectionable in Archie to sneak out
in this fashion," she complained.
II suppose the boy wanted to see
the town Bit" observed Aunt Re-
becca, placidly. Rupert, come in and
sit down; he will be back in mo-
ment; smoke cigar, If your nerves
need calming"
Rupert felt as If he were boy Of
ten, called back to common sense out
of imaginary horrors of the dark.
But, if he wanted to go out. why
did he leave his hat and coat behind
him." asked Miss Smith.
"He may be only exploring the
hotel" said Mrs. Winter Don't be
SO restless, BERTHE; sit down"
The colonel's eye was furtively pho
tographing every article of furniture
in the room; it fingered longest on
Mrs. Winters wardrobe trunk, which
was standing in her room. Randall
had been dispatched for hot-water
bottle in lieu of one which had sprung
lGdh Ou JAO II all oo LA0 u uAh
stood, it's door ajar.
Maybe he is doing the Genevra
stunt there's that what you are
thinking?" she jeered. well, go and
look"
Light as her tone was, she was not
unaffected by the contagion of anx'
iety about her; after moment, while
Rupert was looking atssthe wardrobe
trunk, and even profanely exploring
the swathed gowns held innrigid safety
by bands of rubber, she moved about
the rooms herself
There isn't room for mouse in
that box" growled the colonel.
"Of course not" said his aunt.
languidly, sinking into the easiest
chair; "but your mind is easier. Archie
will come back for dinner; don't
worry"
How could he get by mc?" retorted
the colonel.
perhaps he went into the neigh
boring rooms" Miss Smith suggested.
shall ] go out and rap on the door
of the next room On the left?" On the
right the last room of the party was
corner room.
! "Why, you might" acquiesced Aunt
Rebecca; but Mrs. Melville cut the
ends of her words.
pray let me go, Aunt Rebecca,"
she begged, suiting the action to the
words, and was out Of the door almost
obood NJ hor contpnoo
The others waited; they were 81
lent: little fecks OF color raddled
Mrs. Winters cheeks. They could
hear Millicent's knock reverberating.
There was no answer. Telephone to
the adjacent room," proposed the
colonel.
I'll telephone said Mrs. Winter,
and rang up the number Of the next
room. There was no response; but
when she called the number of the
room adjoining, she seemed to get an
answer, for she announced her name.
Have you seen a young lad?" she con-
tinued, after an apology for disturbing
them. Gle belongs to our party; has
he by chance got into your room? and
is he there?" In a second she put
down the receiver with a heightened
color, saying: They might be lit
tie civiler in their answers, IL 1t is Mr..
Keatcham's suite"
What did the beggar say?" bristled
the colonel.
"Only that 1t was Mr.. Keatcham's
suite-Mr. F.. S. Keatcham-as If that
put getting into 1t quite out Of the
question. Some underling, presume"
There is the unoccupied room be-
tween. That is not accounted for. But
1t shall be. l will find out who is in
there" Rupert rose as he spoke,
pricked by the craving for action of
man accustomed to quick decision. He
heard his aunt brusquely repelling
Millicent's proposal Of the police, as
he left the room. Indeed, she called
him back to exact promise that he
would not make Archie's disappear
ance public. 1--WE want to find him."
was her grim addendum; land we
can't have the police and the news.