The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-07


his tone was thoughtful. as though he
we're assembling facts for his own con-
yenience.
Mrs. James Macmillan" he said. rs
the widow of former United States
senator from Michigan. She Ii nearly
eighty years old. and since his death she
has spent much Of the time with her
granddaughter, Mrs. Preston Gibson"
remembered Mrs. Gibson. She was
one of the most active figures in WASH
ington society not long ago.
Mrs. Gibson was Grace Macmillan
Jarvis" Dr. Holmes went on. "a society
belle Of Detroit. She is a niece Of Lady
Harrington. She was educated abroad.
/ believe, in Berlin. Her engagement to
Gibson was announced within a couple
Of years after his first wife, who was
Miss Minna Field. daughter Of Mrs.
late Marshall Field. OF Chicago. obtained
her divorce. The marriage was Q fash
ionable event OF the Washington season
in February. 1909. Two children were
born to them. But domestic affairs
failed to run smoothly and last May Mrs.
Gibson brought suit for divorce. Since
that time she and her grandmother have
been at the Macmillan summer home,
Eagle Head. Manchester-by-the-Sea near
Boston"
Eagle Head, then. and not Boston was
our destination. Was Mrs. Gibson the
doctors client. and was hers the voice
heard over the telephone? How was
the great detective able to remember
details of family history. such as he had
just discussed. keeping every group Of
details separate from every other group?
Extraordinary!
. My mind was busy with conjecture.
but l thought Il wise not to talk to DR..
Holmes who was thinking deeply. Pra-
vided that Mrs. Gibson had called him,
was 1t on a matter that had to do with
her divorce proceedings? She figured In
capital society when Mrs. Nicholas Long
worth entertained and she has been
more or less in the public eye ever since.
An expensive looking limousine with
a liveried driver met us at Boston. The
ride to Manchester-by-the-Sea was &C
complished almost in silence. 1t was
dusk by the time We arrived at the beau
tfful summer home. with the sea rolling
beneath its very windows.
We were shown into a spacious living
room, remarkable for elegance of ap-
pointment. log fire burned on the
gloom OF a cloudy September night.
Shaded lamps cast an inviting glow over
tables and deep chairs.
While we waited, Dr. Holmes moved
about restlessly. member of the
household, entering suddenly. would
have thought him merely guilty Of curl
osity; knew that there was purpose in
his wanderings.
He paused suddenly before pier glass
to pick something from the rug. He was
placing whatever he had picked up care
fully in his card case when a young and
very beautiful woman swept in. She
was so tall and slender that the cling
ing fashions Of the day looked as though
they had been designed for her person
ally. She wore something. l don't re-
member what. off color to contrast strik-
ingly with her great brown eyes and
masses Of brown hair piled high. she
carried herself with almost regal pride.
under which there was Just a shadow of
disdain Something told me that even
though hers was the agitated voice / had
heard earlier in the day she did not ap-
prove of US, nor OF our being here. She
turned out to be Mrs. Gibson.
She selected a chair against the light
and waited for DR.. Holmes to begin.
Has the robbery been reported to the
local police?" he asked her. 1t seemed a
bit odd that he began thus instead of
waiting for her story. but l felt that he
had changed his mind and method since
she came into the room.
She replied in the negative. Who has
worked on it?" he questioned.
Men from Boston and New York