The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-08-09

posed Of them later. I made a note to
Try to follow up the missing pearls.
Then l chung to the theory that Miss
Maitland had been abducted and was
being held for ransom But-and l
stuck here-the abductor who would
steal an old woman and take her out
into the May night without any cover
1ng-not even shoes-clad only in her
night clothes. would run an almost GER
tain risk of losing his prize by pneu-
mon1a. For a second search had
shown not an article of wearing ap-
rarel missing from the house.
Just before dinner | made a second
round OF the grounds. About a hun
dred feet beyond the boundary hedge
l found circular tracks. broad and
deep. where an automobile had backed
and turned. The lane was separated
by high hedges Of Usage orange from
the properties on either side. and each
house in that neighborhood had drive
Of its own. which entered from the
main street. circled the house and went
out as it came.
There was no reason. or. so far as l
could see. no legitimate reason why a
car should have stopped there. yet it
stopped and for some time Deeper
tracks in the sand at the side of the
lane showed that.
l felt that I had made some prog
ress. had found where the pearls
had been hidden after the theft. and
this put Bella out of the question. And
had founder thought l had-the
way in which Miss Jane had been
taken away from Bellwood.
l came back past the long rear wing
of the house which contained. pre-
sumed. the kitchen and the other mys-
terious regions which only women and
architects comprehend. A long porch
ran the length of the wing. and as l
passed | heard my name called.
"ln here in the old laundry Mar
| gery's voice repeated. and | retraced
my steps and went up on the porch
| At the very end Of the wing disman-
tied. piled at the sides with firewood
and broken furniture. was an old laun-
dry. Its tubs were rusty, it's walls mil
dewed and streaked. and it exhaled the
musty odor of empty houses. On the
floor in the middle of the room, unde-
niably dirty and disheveled. sat Mar
| gerry Fleming
II thought you were never coming"
she said petulantly. II have been here
alone for an hour
I'm sure ! never guessed it," l apol-
ogized. II should have been only too
glad to come and sit with you
| She was fumbling with her hair.
which hung. loosely knotted. over one
small ear
II hate to look ridiculous. she said
sharply. land l detest being laughed
at. I've been crying. and | haven't
any handkerchief"
I proffered mine gravely, and she
took it.
"Now," she said when she had jab-
bed the last hairpin into place and
tucked my handkerchief into her belt,
IF you have been sufficiently amused
perhaps you will help me out of here"
She brushed aside her gown, and l
saw what had occurred. She was sit
ting half over trapdoor in the floor.
which had closed on her skirts and held
her fast.
Il was sure Robert had not looked
carefully in the old wine cellar" she
said. land then remembered this trap
door opened into it. 1t was the only
place we hadn't explored thoroughly.
put a ladder down and looked
around"
Couldn't you-er-get out Of your
garments. and-I could go out and
close the door?" suggested delicately.
"You see. you are sitting on the trap
door and
But Margery secuted the suggestion
with the proper scorn and demanded u
pair Of scissors. She cut herself loose
with vicious ships. while l paraphrased
the old nursery rime. ''She cut her