Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-15

We'll" she said after hearing it.
with a bit of that which the English
people call American twang and with
4 businessiike air, 1.-The first thing to be
considered is. What are we going to
live on If you're turned out? Fortu-
nately father is wealthy, and l have
something in my own, right from
grandma. So that's settled. Next.
I've always had a fancy for detective
work, and / would like to interest my
self in getting at the bottom of this
mystery
There was something refreshing In
this Yankee heartiness, and Lady
Hartmore, who recognized the typical
American girl. smiled for the first
time In months. AS for the young
lord, he folded his fancee in his arms.
Miss Dorothy spent several hours
one morning with Lady Hartmore,
notebook and pencil in hand, asking
innumerable questions and noting the
replies. Then she asked to be intro
duced to Stanwood Berks. he was in
vited to dinner. Dorothy when tho
function was over said she didn't like
him.
The Hartmores went to their home
in the country, and Dorothy remained
in London. What she did there she
kept to herself. After awhile she
wrote Lady Hartmore that she and
her mother were going to follow out
their itinerary in a trip to Scotland.
The Hartmores had relatives in Edin-
burgh, and Dorothy asked for a letter
of Introduction TO them. The letter
was sent, and Dorothy went to Scot
land. There she chatted glibly with
the branch of the Hartmore family to
whom she had been introduced and
when she departed was spoken of as
that inquisitive American"
Lord William was TO meet Dorothy
in London, and Dorothy wrote him to
bring the blank certificate Of his moth
er's marriage with him. When he ar
rived he asked her what she intended
to do with it. She put her head on one
side and, looking at him saucily, said:
Don't you wish you knewP
But surely you Will tell me, your
fance"
do real detectives go about telling
people of their clewsY'
81 won't tell any one"
"Certainly not, because you won't
know. They say a woman can't keep
a secret, but a woman detective must"
He got no satisfaction and was
obliged to content himself with the
part of a lover, leaving whatever was
serious to his American girl" as he
called her.
One morning Mr.. Stanwood Berks
received a letter from Miss Dorothy
that sent him to London posthaste,
and he was closeted with the young
! d1v Foy- hot no
tween him and her she kept to herself
with all the rest of the moves she was
making. When Mr.. Berks returned
and again met his cousins, the Hart
mores, he was very much changed.
He had aged ten years. He was silent,
distract and had lost all that was gen
ial in him. He got away from them as
soon as possible.
Dorothy's last move had been made.
and she was ready to report results.
She wrote that if convenient for Lady
Hartmore she would spend a few days
with them, when she would have
something of Importance to communi-
cate. Lady Hartmore responded IA
Vorably, and one morning the detec-
tive appeared. Gathering the earl, his
wife and their son in a room and lock-
ing the door. she said to them:
"Tve worked it all out"
what have you worked out?" asked
the countess.
How did you do it," asked Lord
william.
Come. tell u.s." said the earl impa.
tently.
well, you know. got a lot of in
formation before l started in from
you. Lady Hartmore. l consulted law
yers and found out all about the
marriage laws in your country. Some
thing l learned put me in mind of
your visit TO Scotland soon after your
marriage. so, as you know. l went
there. l met a lot of people who re-
membered your visit and asked many
questions. They called me the inquisi-
tive American. Wasn't it funny? At
last I found an old friend OF yours.
Lord Hartmore, to whom you intro
duced Lady Hartmore as your wife.
That. according to the Scotch laws.
made her your legal wife"
Upon my word. you are right" ex-
claimed the earl, delighted. "Who
was the man?"
John Murchison, a classmate of
yours at Oxford
John Murchison! Will he swear it,
Here is his affidavit"
While the earl read the paper there
was a triangular embrace among the
others; then Dorothy continued:
You know. l didu't like Mr.. Berks
and got an idea that he had tempered
with the marriage certificate. l stated
the case to chemists, and one Of them
told me that a certain-here it is"
drawing a slip of paper-'solution of
iodide of starch when used for writ
ing appears much the same as ordi-
nary ink, but completely disappears in
the course Of a few weeks. and moth
ing will restore it. Having learned
from you that Mr.. Berks had taken
the clergyman after the wedding TO a
desk of his own choosing on which to
. fI,a 7 Io1 no