Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1912-06-14
Copyright. by W. G. Chapman


ing regarding her future. Perhaps he
will tell me in confidence what he
thought well to hide from her"
Mungela shook her head sadly. "Ha-
ridas cannot tell her future" she re-
Piled. Everything is fnished-it is
all done"
In spite of my disbelief in the whole
business, l felt unaccountably disturb
ed by this remark. However. I re-
turned to Mrs. Colthurst laughing.
1 have found out nothing" | said
lightly. Evidently there is a limit
to the magician's powers; he cannot
foretell your future"
You mean he will not she respond
ed somberly. Il wish could make
him speak.
Her face looked haggard and worn.
Soon afterward she babe her hostess
good night, shook hands with me, and
left the room. had just risen on
the following morning, when to my sur
prise my servant ushered in Charles
Holdsworth.
Halifax" he cried excitedly, alma
Colthurst is dead, murdered. She was
found in her drawing room early this
morning. stabbed to the heart The
police suspect Lidderdale."
Good heavens" exclaimed, sthere
must be mistake. Lidderdale is in
capable of such crime"
We'll, the servants story is as
follows" said Holdworth. alma
returned home between II and
IL last night She found a card
from Lidderdale lying on the hand
table, with a line in pencil that he
would call to see her about midnight.
She told the servant that he was to
be admitted, and went up to her draw
ing room to wait for him. He arrived
and was shown upstairs. About half
past twelve Lidderdale left the house.
At Alma's request her maid had al
ready gone to bed. When Lidderdale
went away, the butler extfnguished the
lights in the rest of the house, but did
not return to the drawing room, as
Alma never liked to be disturbed, and
as rule put out the lights there her
self. On entering the room early this
morning, he found his mistress stretch
ed on the floor, quite dead. A doctor
was summoned, and declared that she
was stabbed through the heart, and
had been dead for many hours
Glow terrible" I cried. Holds
worth, I almost begin to believe in
chiromancy. Haridas would not tell
her future last night, and said she had
none. Yet cannot believe Lidderdale
guilty"
But think of the circumstantial evil
dence. He will, of course, be arrest
ed on suspicion. Let us go to the Met
ropole, and find out what has hap
pened."
ager informed us that no gentleman
of that name was staying there. 'The
police have already been inquiring for
him." he said, pointedly.
But here is his visiting card,'' ex-
postulated Holdsworth. "He left it
at my house yesterday, with the name
of your hotel scrubbed in the cor
ner."
Probably the name Of the hotel was
used as a blind" remarked the man
ager.
This did not satisfy me-. knew
that l would recognize Lidderdale If
should see him, and when Holds
worth left I remained behind in the
entrance hall, watching the guests as
they passed in and out. But no one
in the least degree resembling the
man l sought put in an appearance,
and soon after noon went away. The
case looked black again the missing
man. The writing in the corner of the
visiting card left at Boldsworth's house
was easily identified with some of Lid
derdale's letters which / possessed; a
similar card had been found at Mrs.
Colthurst's, with writing also IN Lid
derdale's hand On the night of the
21st man answering to his descrlp-
ton had called on Mrs. Colthurst, and
in the morning she was found stabbed
to the heart.
A week passed, and still the police
had obtained no trace of the supposed
murderer. But returning home one
evening, I was almost stunned when
my servant informed me that Lidder-
dale was waiting to see me in my lab
oratory. | rushed to the room, and
Harry Lidderdale, looking much the
same as when last saw him, came for
ward to meet me.
"How are you, Halifax" he said.
cheerily. II have not been two hours
in New York, and naturally you are
the first person wanted to see. Why,
what is the matter?" he Queried, OBJ
serving the Mortified expression on my
face.
'You have not been here two hours"
I repeated. Impossible. Don't you
know what has happened? am amazed
at seeing you. thought-you will for
give me, but I must speak plainly
fancied you were hiding from the po-
lice"
81 hiding from the police!" he ex-
claimed. why what do you mean,
Halifax. Is this joke?"
@Not at ALL I replied confusedly.