Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-10-08
CHAPTER XVII.
Who Is Nina Darlington?


The four days, from Saturday to the
following Tuesday, we lived, or ex-
listed, in a state of the most dreadful
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 VS.
tied, without result
The inaction was deadly. Ilddy
cried all day, and, because she knew
I objected to tears, SMILED audibly
around the corner.
For heavens sake, smile!" l
snapped at her. And her CHASTITY at
tempt at a grin, with her swollen nose
and red eyes, made me historical l
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 l waited
at the porte-cochere 1 saw the under
gardener, an inoffensive, gray1sh-
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 OH his
hat, ''do you know where Alex, the
gardener, is?"
seWhy, no. Isn't he here?' / asked.
"He has been gone since yesterday
afternoon. Have you-employed him
long?"
only a couple of weeks
rs he efficient? A capable MANI"
81 hardly know" 1 said vaguely
'eThe place looks all right, and know
very little about such things l know
much more about boxes of roses than
bushes of them"
This man." pointing to the assis
tant, .tsays Alex isn't a gardener. That
| he doesn't know anything about
| plants
That's very strange" 1 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 {
gardener, Miss lines, and just now i
| is our policy to believe every person
| around here a rascal until he proves
to be the other thing"
| Warner came up with the car then
and the conversation stopped. AS h'
helped me in, however, the detective
said something further.
mot a word or sign to Alex, if h,
comes back" he said cautiously.
/ went first to DR.. Walkers. I wa
tired of beating about the bush, and
felt that the key to Halsey's disaI
pearance was here at Casanova, il
spite of Mr.. Jamieson's theories.
The doctor was in. He came a
once to the door of his consulting
| room, and there was no, mask of col
diality in his manner.
please come in he said CURLY.
ct shall stay here, 1 think, doctor.
/ did not like his face or his manner
there was subtle change in both. H
had thrown off the air of friendliness
and thought, too, that he looked am
ious and haggard-
DIR. Walker" I said, 81 have com
to you to ask some questions. 1 hop
you will answer them. As you know
my nephew has not yet been found"
$50 understand stiff1y.
81 believe, if you would, you coul
help us, and that leads to one of m
the nature of the conversation 70
: held with him the night he was a
tackled and carried Off"
Attacked Carried on" he sal,
; with pretended surprise. Really. Mis-
Innes, don't you think you exaggerate
I understand it is not the first tim
Mr. Innes has-disappeared-"
( you are quibbling, doctor. This
, | a matter of life and death Will 20
answer my question:"
Certainly. He said his nerves wei
l bad and I gave him prescription fe
: them I am violating professions
ethics when tell you even as much 6
that
I could not tell him he lied I thin
looked it. But hazarded a rando
shot
Il thought perhaps" 1 said. watc
a | ing him narrowly. that it might
I aitout-Nina Darlington.
r. r-ent ! thought he was &