The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1910-06-10
CHAPTER VlI.-Continued.


"Ljddy," I called, "go through the
bouse at once and see who is missing,
or II any one is. Well have to clear
this thing at once Mr.. Jameson. il
Won will watch here l will go to the
lodge and find Warner. Thomas
would be of no use. Together you
may be able to force the door.
"A good idea" he assented But
there are windows, of course, and
there is nothing to prevent whoever is
in there from getting out that way.
Then lock the door at the top of
the basement stairs" | suggested,
land patrol the house from the out
side"
We agreed to this, and I had
feeling that the mystery of Sunny
side was about to be solved. | ran
down the steps and along the drive.
Just at the corner | ran full tilt into
somebody who seemed to be as much
alarmed as | was 1t was not until
had reeoiled a step or two that rec
ognized Gertrude, and she me.
Good gracious, Aunt Ray" she ex-
claimed. what is the Natter
There's somebody locked in the
laundry painted That Sunless
you didn't see any one crossing the
lawn or skulking around the house.
did you99
Il think We have mystery on the
brain" Gertrude said YEARLY. no.
| haven't seen any one. except old
Thomas, who looked for all the world
as if he had been ransacking the pan
try What have you locked in the
laundry
Il can't wait to explain" replied.
q must get Warner from the lodge. If
you came ont for air, you'd better put
on your ogershoes." And then no
ticcd thar Gertrude was limping-not
much but sufficiently to make her
progress very slow, and seemingly
painful
"You have hurt yourself 1 said
sharply.
Il fell over the carriage block" she
explained Il thought perhaps
might see Halsey coming home. lie
he ought to be here
FASTENED to the lodge.
Where IS Warner" asked.
II think he's in bed, ma am
Get him mp" | said, and for good
ness sake open the door, Thomas III
wait for Warner"
It's kind o close in here ma am.
h. said, oheying gingerly and diselos-
Ing cool and comfortable-looking in
terror Perhaps you'd keer to set on
the porch an rest yourself
II was SO evident that Thomas did
not want NE inside that | went in
Toll Warner he is needed in a hur-
~. ! repeated. and turned into the
httle sitting room | could hear
Thomas going up the stairs. could
hear him rouse Warner, and the steps
OF the chauffeur as he hMriedly
dressed. But my attention was busy
with the room below
On the center table, open, was a
sealSk'n travelling bag 1t was filled
Win goId-topped bottles and brushes,
ana It breathed opulence, luxury. fem
!hlhiE from every inch of surface
no" d3d 4 get there? was still ask
iuS myself the question when Warner
came running down the stairs and
INTO the room. He was completely but
somewhat anonymously dressed and
ms onen, boyish face looked abashed.
re Was country boy, absolutely
IIahb and reliable, of fair education
ana Wicllieence-one of the small
Hi'Ny OF American youths who turn a
natural aptitude Tor mechanics into
ne special field of the automobiles
ana earn good salaries in a congcnial
occupation
What is it. Miss lnnes?" he asked
anNiously.
Iherp is some one locked in the
laundry replied, Mr.. Jameson
wants You to help him break the lock
warner, whose bag is this?"
ne Was in the doorway by this time,
ana te pretended not to hear
Warner, called, come back
mere Whose bag is thise"
ne stopped then, but he did not turn
itS-it belongs to Thomas" be
san and fled up the drive.
10 Thomas A London bag with
~ and cosmetic jars of which
i"o'las could not even have guessed
.ne use! However, put the bag in
,Ne oaek of my mind, which was fast
oe'"Illng stored with anomalous and
apparently irreeoncilable facts, and
'0.'oWed Warner to the house
Llddy had come back to the kitch-