, 1913-01-09

"NO you mean she is not In her
roomr' asked Margery In
credulousiy. isn't she some
where around the h6usef"
go up and look at the ROOM" the
ing, we ran up the stairs.
Miss James room was empty. From
somewhere ear Miss Letitia could be
heard lecturing Hepsibah about put
ting too much butter on the toast. Her
high voice. pitched for Heppie's old
ears. rasped me. Margery closed the
door. and we surveyed the room TO-
gether.
The bed had been occupied Its GOV
erings had been thrown back. as If Its
occupants had risen %hurriedly. The
room itself was In a state of confusion,
a rocker lay on its side. and Miss
James clothing. folded as she had TAX.
en- 1t OF, had slid OF on to the door.
Her shoes stood neatly at the foot Of
the bed. and q bottle of toilet vinegar
had been upset. pouring a stream over
the marble top OF the dresser and
down on to the door. Over the higt
wooden mantel the Maitland who had
been governor Of the state years ago
hung at a waggish angle, and q clock
had been pushed aside and stopped at
half past l.
Margery picked up Miss James new
lace cap from the door. It was crum
pied and spotted with blood.
"She has been killed." Margery said
In a choking voice.
Margery had more presence Of mind
than l had.
Call Robert. the gardener" she
said. ''and have him help you search
the grounds and cellars. will take
Bella and go through the house. Above
everything. keep It from Aunt Letitis
hs long as possible"
1t takes short time to search an
acre of lawn and shrubbery. There
was no trace of the missing woman
anywhere outside the house, and from
Bella. as she sat at the foot of the front
stairs with her apron v her head, ]
learned in a m~onosyllable that moth
ing had been found in the house. Mar.
gerry was with Miss Letta. and from
the excited conversations I knew she
was telling her-not narrowing details.
but that Miss Jane had disappeared
during the night
The old lady was inclined to SCOT at
first
Look in the fruit closet in the store
foom." I heard her say. "She's let the
bpring lock shut on her twice. She was
black In the face the last time we
Found her."
Il did look: she's not therer' Margery
screamed at her.
Then she's out looking for stump
water to take that wart OF her neck.
She said yesterday she was going fol
some"
But her clothes are all here Mar.
Eery persisted. I'VE think some one
must have got in the house." .
III all her clothes are there she's
been sleepwalkihg." Miss Lettfa said
calmly. I'VE used to have to tie her by
p cord around her ankle and fasten II
70 the bedpost. When she tried to get
lup the cord would pull and wake her,
sent for Hunter that morning. and
pc came at 8 o'clock / took him
Through the back entrance to avoid
Miss Letitia. l think he had beer
Fkeptical until threw open the door
and showed him the upset chair. the
old lady's clothing and the blood
stained lace cap. He took q crumpled
sheet Of note paper out Of the wnste
basket and looked at II, then he stuffed
Ut in his pocket.
Before he left the room Hunter went
IDack and moved the picture that had
lpeen disturbed ' e the mantel. What
ne saw made him get a chair and,
standing on It. take the picture from
fts nail. Thus exposed. the wall
showed an opening about a foot square
ana perhaps eighteen inches deep. A
metal door. opening in, was unfastened
hhd aJar. and just inside was a copy OF
recent sentimental novel and q bot.
ele OF some sort Of complexion cream
I'm spite Of myself ! smiled: It was Sc
typical Of the dear old lady. with the
Ineart Of a girl and a skin that was los
ing It's roses But there was something
f'se In the receptacle. something that
Pnade Margery Fleming draw in heI
Preath sharply and made Hunter raise
us eyebrows a little and, glance at me.
me something was a scrap Of unruled
f"hite paper and on 1t the figures eiev
en- twenty-two.
Harry Wardrop came back from the
S'y at = O'clock. while Hunter was In
.ne midst or his Investigation. 1 told
"m what had ~happsnsd, and with thia