, 1911-01-05

."he iuesuay, 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 go hold
or 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 100
miles. every hospital. had been Wis
tied. without result.
The inaction was deadly. Lddy
cried all day, and. because she knew
objected to tears. snified audibly
around the corner.
For heavens sake, smile!" I
snapped at her. And her CHASTITY at
tempt at a grin, with her swollen nose
and red eyes,. made me hysterical. I
laughed and cried together. n pref
ty soon, like the two old fools we
were. we were sitting together weep
Ing into the same handkerchief.
On Tuesday, then, I sent for the car
and prepared to go out. As I 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 of his
hat, do % know where Alex, the
gardener, is?"
Why, no. Isn't he here?" asked.
II has been gone since yesterday
afternoon. Have you-employed him
long?"
Only a couple of weeks"
rs he efficient? A capable man7"
81 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
he doesn't know anything about
plants"
That's very strange" I 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. Mise Innes, and Just now it
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 he
helped me in. however. the detective
said something further.
Not a word or sign to Alex, II he
comes back" he said cautiously.
I went first to DR.. Walkers. I was
tired of beating about the bush, and I
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
diality in his manner.
please come in" he said CURLY.
81 shall stay here. I think. DOCTOR"
1 did not like his face or his manner;
there was a subtle change in both. He
had thrown OF the air Of friendliness,
and I thought, too, that he looked anx-
ious and haggard.
DIR. Walker" I said, II have come
to you to ask some questions. I hope
you VIII WCI thShhs M you hhSWb
my nephew has not yet been found"
$50 I understand" stifiy.
ct believe, If you would, you could
help us. and that leads to one of my
questions. VIII you tell me what was
the nature of the conversation you
held with him the night he was at
tackled and carried orr"
Attacked! Carried on" he said,
with pretended surprise. Really. Miss
Innes, don't you think you exaggerate?
l understand 1t is not the first time
Mr.. Innes has-disappeared."
You are %quibbling, doctor. This is
a matter Of life and death. VIII you
answer my question:"
Certainly. He said his nerves were
bad, and I gave him a prescription for
them. I am violating professional
ethics when ! tell you ever as much as
that"
/ could not tell him he lied. l think
I looked 1t. But I hazarded a random
shot.
81 thought perhaps" l said. watch
ing him narrowly, that It might be
-about-Nina Darlington"
For q ONE l u ne was go
ing to strike me. He grew livid, and a
small crooked blood-vessel In his tenn
pie swelled and throbbed c%uriously.
Then he forced a short laugh.
"Who is Nina Darlington? p he asked
81 am about to discover that" l re
piled, and he was quiet at once. IL
was o dificult to divine thai ne
feared Nina Darlington = good deai
more than he did the devil. Our leave
taking was brief: in fact, we merely
stared at each other over the waiting
room table, with its litter OF year-oid
magazines. Then I turned and wen'
out.
ITO Richfeld," l told Warner, ant
on the way / thought. n thoush'
hard. -.