The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-07-23
and that no card was necessary. He.
however gave the name of Chatter"


you certain of that name?"
II only know what Cowan told me"
was my uncle's reply. But do you
know him?"
"Not at all. Only I've heard that
name before" said. 81 knew a man
out in Italy Of the same name. But
where is the visitor now?"
in the hospital at Dumfries. They
took him there in preference to leav-
ing him alone at Rannoch."
"Alone?"
"Of course. Everyone has left, now
,, the host and hostess have slipped of
without saying good-by. Scandalous
affair, isn't 1t? But, my boy. you'll re-
member that l always said I didn't
like those people. There's something
mysterious about them, l feel certain.
| That telegram gave them warning OF
the visit of the man Chatter, depend
upon 1t, and for some reason they're
afraid Of him. 1t would be interesting
to know what transpired between the
two men in the library. And these are
people who've been taken up by every
them" And old Sir George shifted
again at thought of such scandal hap
pening In the neighborhood. IF Gilrae
must let Rannoch, then why in the
name of Fortune doesn't he let 1t to
respectable folk and not to the first
fellow who answers his advertisement
In the Field? It's simply disgraceful!"
| ivlx ;c I;x,o
story" l declared. "Leithcourt evil
IDENTIFY wished to escape from his Wis
itor, and that's why he drugged him"
why he poisoned him, you mean.
Cowan says the fellow is poisoned, but
that he'll probably recover. He is al
ready conscious. hear"
/ resolved to call on the doctor, who
happened to be we'll known to me, and
obtain further particulars. Therefore
at eleven o'clock / drove into Dunn
fries and entered his consulting room.
He was a spare, short, fair man,
trifle bald, and when l was shown in
he welcomed me warmly, speaking
with his pronounced Galloway accent
well, it is a very mysterious case,
Mr.. Gregg" he said, after had told
him the object of my visit. THE gentle
man is still at the hospital and l have
to keep him very quiet. He was poi.
soned without doubt and has had a
very narrow escape of his life. The
police got wind of the affair and Mac
kenzie called to question him. But he
refused to make any statement what
ever, apparently treating the affair
very lightly. The police, however, are
mystified as to the reason of Mr. Leith-
courts sudden flight, and are very anx-
ious to get at the bottom of the curious
affair"
Naturally. And more especially
after the tragedy up in Rannoch wood
q short time ago." said.
That's just it," said the doctor, re-
moving his pince-nez and rubbing
them. Mackenzie seems to suspect
some connection between Leithcourt's
sudden disappearance and that mys-
terious affair. 1t seems very evident
that the telegram was a warning to
Leithcourt of the man Chaters inten-
ton of calling, and that the last-named
was shown in just at the moment
when the fugitive was on the point of
leaving"
Knowing all that did, was not sur
prised Leithcourt had undoubtedly
taken him unawares, but knights OF in.
dustry never betray each other.
My next visit was to Mackenzie, for
whom l had to wait nearly an hour,
as he was absent in another quarter of
the town.
"Ah, Mr.. Gregg" he cried gladly, as
he came in to find me seated in a chair
patiently reading the newspaper. You
are the very person wish TO see Have
you heard Of this strange affair at
Rannoch?"
81 have" was my answer. Has the
man in the hospital made any state
ment YETI"
None. He refuses point blank" an
swered the detective. But my own
idea is that the affair has very close
connection with the two mysteries of
the wood"
"The first mystery-that of the man
proves to be a double mystery"
said.
How? Explain it,"
well, the waiter Olinto Santini Is
alive and well in London"
What" he gasped, starting up.
Then he is not the person you identi-
fled him to be?"
mo. But he was Incorporating as
Santini-made up to resemble him, l
mean, even to the mole upon his face
But you identified him positively"
When a person is dead it is very
easy to mistake countenances. Death
alters the countenance so very much"
That's true" he said reflectively
but If the man we've buried Is not
the Italian, then the mystery is con-
siderably increased. Why was the
real mans wife here?"
"And where has her body been con-
cealed? That's the question"
Again mystery. We have made a
-.