The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-11-23

Have you cigarette. Harbord? Thank
you. And who may you be?"
II was to the detective he spoke.
My name Is Peace. Inspector Ad-
dington Peace. from Scotland Yard"
And owe my rescue to your"
The little man bowed.
"You will have no reason to regret
IL. And what did you think had be-
come of me. Inspector"
1T was the general opinion that
you had taken TO yourself wings. Mr.
Ford"
1t was as we travelled up to town
next day that Peace told me his story
/ will set Il down as briefly as may
be.
II soon came 10 the conclusion that
Ford, whether dead or alive, was In
! side the grounds OF Meudon Hall If
he had bolted. for some reason, blythe
way, which was perfectly incompre-
hensible, map of his ability would
not have left broad trail across the
center OF his lawn for all 10 see.
There was. moreover, no trace OF him
that our men could ferret out at any
station within reasonable distance.
motor was possible. but there were no
marks of its presence next morning
In the slush OF the roads That fact
| learnt from curious groom who
had aided In the search, and who.
with similar idea upon him. had
carefully examined the highway at
daybreak.
When clambered TO the top Of
the wall ! found that the snow upon
the coping had been dislodged
traced the marks as You saw. for
about dozen yards Where they end.
ed ]. too. dropped TO the ground out
side. There | made a remarkable
discovery. Upon little drift OF snow
that lay In the shallow ditch beneath
were more footprints. But they were
not those of Ford They were the
marks OF long and narrow boots, and
led into the road, where they were
lost In the track OF flock OF sheep
that had been driven over II the day
before.
IL took careful measurement OF
those footprints They might, OF
course, belong 10 some private inyes-
tigator; but they gave me an idea.
Could some man haye walked across
the lawn In Ford's boots. changed
them 10 his own on the top OF the
wall, and so departed? Was IL the
desire OF some one to let II be sup
posed that Ford had run away?
when | examined Ford's private
rooms / was even more fortunate
From the bootboy | discovered that
the master had three pairs OF shoot
ing-boots There were three pairs in
the stand Some one had made a
very serious mistake. Instead OF hid.
Ing the pair he had used on the lawn.
he had returned them 90 their place
The trick was becoming evident But
where was Ford? In the house or
grounds, dead or alive, but where?
II was able. through my friend the
bootboy. to examine the boots on the
night OF our arrival. My measure
ments correspondent with those that
Jackson. the valet wore. Was he
acting for himself. or was Hartford,
or even Ransom. In the secret? That.
TOO, Il was necessary 10 discover be.
fore | showed my hand
your story OF fIarbord's midnight
excursion supplied clue. The sec
rotary had evidently followed some
man who had disappeared mysterious
". Could there be the entrance 10 a
secret chamber In that corridor? That
would explain the mystification OF
Hartford as we'll as the disappearance
of Silas Ford II so Tlarbord was not
involved.
IN Ford were held "A prisoner he
must be fed. His gaoler must OF ne
cessity remain In the house. But the
trap set In the suggested journey TO
g6wn was an experiment singularly un-
fnccessful, for all the three men de.
sired TO test refused. However II |
we're right about the secret chamber
| could checkmate the blackmailer by
keeping a watch on him from your
room. which commanded the line OF
communications But Jackson was
clever enough TO leave his victualling
20 the nighttime. | scattered the
-four 10 try the result OF that ancient
trick II was successful That IL all.
DO you follow me7''
Yes" said l. bat how did Jack
son come to know the secret hiding.
placer"
'He has long been a servant OF the
house You had better ask his old
master"