Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-10-13
CHAPTER XVII.
Who Is Nina Darlington?

\ Who Is Nina Darlington?
The four days, from Saturday to the
following Tuesday, we lived, or ex-
listed, in state of the most dreadtul
suspense. We ate only when Liddy
brought in a tray, and then very little.
The papers, of course, had got hold
of the story, and we were besieged by
newspaper men. From all over the
country false clews came pouring In
and raised hopes that crumbled again
to nothing. Every morgue within lOo
miles, every hospital, had been Wis
tied, without result.
The inaction was deadly. Liddy
cried all day, and, because she knew
Y objected to tears, SMILED audibly
around the corner.
"For heavens sake, smile!" i
snapped at her. And her CHASTITY at
tempt at grin, with her swollen nose
and red eyes, made me hysterical.
laughed and cried together, and pref
ty soon, like the two old fools we
were, we were sitting together weep
ing into the same handkerchief.
On Tuesday, then, / sent for the car
and prepared to go out. AS waited
at the porte-cochere / saw the under
gardener, an inoffensive, grayish'
haired man, trimming borders near
the house. The day detective was
watching him, sitting on the carriage
block. When he saw me, he got up.
Miss Innes," he said, taking on his
hat, do you know where Alex, the
gardener, Isl"
"Why, no Isn't he here" ! asked.
"He has been gone since yesterday
afternoon. Have you-employed him
long?"
"OnIy a couple of weeks" '.t
! "Is he efficient? A capable man"
IT hardly know" I said vaguely.
The place looks all right, and know
very little about such things. I know
much more about boxes of roses than
bushes of them"
"This man." pointing to the assis'
tant, Says Alex isn't a gardener. That
ne doesn't know anything about
plants ....-
That's very strange" said, think
ing hard. why, he came to me from
the Brays, who are in Europe"
Exactly" The detective smiled.
Every man who cuts grass isn't a
gardener, Miss lines, and just now ii
is our policy to believe every person
around here rascal until he proves
to be the other thing"
he
and the conversation stopped. AS he
helped me in, however, the detective
said something further.
mot a word or sign to Alex, IL he
comes back" he said cautiously.
I went first to DR.. Walkers. 1 was
tired of beating about the bush, and
felt that the key to Halsey's disap.
pearance was here at Casanova, in
spite Of Mr.. Jamieson's theories.
The doctor was in. He came at
once to the door of his consulting
room, and there was no mask of cor.
diality in his manner.
please come in," he said CURLY.
IT shall stay here, think, doctor"
I did not like his face or his manner;
there was a subtle change in both. He
had thrown off the air of friendliness,
and thought, too, that he looked anx.
ious and haggard.
"Dr. Walker" said, Il have come
you will answer them. AS you know
\ my nephew has not yet been found"
= $50 understand" stifiy.
IT believe, If you would, you could
help us, and that leads to one of my
questions. Will you tell me what was
the nature of the conversation you
held with him the night he was at.
tackled and carried off"
Attacked! Carried off" he said
with pretended surprise. Really Miss
lines, don't you think you exaggerate?
understand 1t is not the first time
Mr.. Innes has-disappeared."
"You are quibbling, doctor. This is
a matter of life and death. Will you
answer my question:"
Certainly. He said his nerves were
bad. and gave him prescription for
them. / am violating professional
ethics when tell you even as much as
that"
could not tell him he lied. think
I looked it, But hazarded a random
shot.
Il thought perhaps" ! said, watch.
ing him narrowly. that it might be
about-Nina Darlington"
For a moment thought he was go
Ing to strike me. He grew livid, and q
small crooked blood-vessel in his tenn.
pie swelled and throbbed curiously
Then he forced short laugh.
who is Nina Carrington?" he asked
II am about to discover that / re
piled, and he was quiet at once. II
was not difficult to divine that he
feared Nina Darlington a good deal
more than he did the devil. Our leave
taking was brief; in fact, we mercy
stared at each other over he waittne
room table, with its litter Of ye;r-olG
magazines. Then / turned and went
out.
ITO Riehfe,d," told .t1rner. and