The Holly chieftain., 1915-06-18

Sloi tcu ioI mere, SFdi6 HdAoSuhSo W
one of the Scotland Yard men on the
back seat, and the other in front with
the driver About half mile from the
south entrance to the park the road
runs across rather desolate strip of
country with lot of low underground
on one side. We have had a little
trouble with poachers there, as there
is sort OF gypsy camp on some COM
mon land little way away. My head
keeper, to whom the very idea OF a
poacher Is intolerable, was patrolling
this ground himself that afternoon and
caught sight of one of these gypsy
fellows setting trap. He chased him.
and more, l am sure, to frighten him
than anything else, when he saw that
the fellow was getting away. he fired
his gun, just as the dogcart was pass
ing. The horse SHE'D, the wheel
caught great stone by the side of
the road, and all four men were
thrown out. The man to whom Craig
was handcuffed was stunned, but Craig
himself appears to have been unhurt.,
He stumbled up, took the key of the
handouts from the pocket of the Off
Ger. undid them and slipped off into
the underground before either the.
groom or the other Scotland Yard man
had recovered their senses. To cut
long story short. this was last Thurs.
day, and up till now not single trace
of the fellow has been discovered"
Quest rose abruptly to his feet.
Say, Id like to take this matter up
right on the spot where Craig disap-
peared," he suggested. Couldn't we
do that?"
"By all means" Lord Ashleigh
agreed. touching bell. I'VE have
several hours before we change for
dinner. will have car round and
take you to the spot"
The professor acquiesced readily,
and very soon they stepped out of the
automobile on to the side of a narrow
road, looking very much as it had been
described. Farther on, beyond
stretch of open common, they could
see the smoke from the gypsy en-
campment. On their left-hand side
was stretch of absolutely wild coun-
try, bounded in the far distance by the
gray stone wall of the park. Lord
Ashleigh led the way through the
thicket, talking as he went.
Craig came along through here"
he explained. "The groom and the
Scotland Yard man who had been
sitting by his side, followed him They
searched for an hour, but found no
trace of him at all Then they re-
turned to the house to make re-
port and get help. I will now show
you how Craig first eluded them
He led the way along a tangled path,
doubled back, plunged into a little
spinney and came suddenly to small
she'd
This is an ancient gamekeeper's
shelter" he explained; built a long
time ago and almost forgotten now.
What Craig did, without doubt was to
hide in this. The Scotland Yard man
who took the affair in hand found
distinct traces here Of recent occupa-
ton. That is how he made his first
escape"
Quest nodded.
"Sure!" he murmured. well, now,
what about your more extended
search?"
Il am coming to that" Lord Ash
leigh replied "As Edgar will re-
member, no doubt, l have always kept
few bloodhounds in my kennels, and
as soon as we could get together one
or two, of the keepers and a few of
the local constabulary. we started
eff again from here. The dogs brought
us without check to this shed, and
started off again this way"
They walked another half mile
across reedy swamp. Every now
and then they had to jump across a
small dyke, and once they had to
make Getour to avoid an osier bed.
They came at last to the river.
Now, can show you exactly how
that fellow put us of the scert here"
their guide proceeded. "He seems to
have picked up something. Edgar, in
those South American trips of yours,
for cleyerer thing I never saw.
You see all these bulrushes every
whereabouts of them all along the
river?"
I'VE call them tules," Quest NUT
tered. Well?"
When Craig arrived here" Lord
Ashleigh continued, "he must have
heard the baying of the dogs In the
distance and he knew that the game
was up unless he could put them or