Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-21

hunted it down to its source, Which we
| found with his head upon table in the
main dining lali, asleep in chair
II was Grady. even as sevrance had sur
| missed Grady drugged and dead to the wide
world. a whisky bottle, halt full, a couple
| OF empty soda water bottles, and dry,
| ureg stained glass at his elbow showed us
| the way Of his undoing.
Sevrance shook the man vigorously by the
| collar as terrier shakes rat. The only
| response he got was a couple OF mufiied
| snorts II became plain that Grady had
| succumbed to double the dose which had
| been administered to us. at the least. It
was impossible TO do anything with him.
Nevertheless. between the two Of us we
| contrived to get him to the front door,
| where we plimped him down in the open
| air, hoping that it might help to revive him.
There was no time to be lost We felt that
| our doubts, . u hopes and fears must he
| resolved at once. else We should 20 mad
| with anNiety--and chagrin Together we
| ran down the hiding carriage drive to tho
| gatekeeper's lodge, deriyiVg an immense
benefit from the exercise in the fresh. cold
| air. 1t was like morning draught of wine
' to me, for one; l felt stronger physically
, and montally, filter to cope with difficulties,
when at length we had come to the lodge.
The door was wide, and within we could
| see Thompson moving about welding n
| broom with al! imaginable composure. He
| was house cleaning in his primitive way,
| and immensely astonshed to hear our hail
"Lor' bless We, Mr. Sevrance, sir !" he
cried, coming out to stand in the doorway
the Incarnation Of surprise. "why be ye
not with her leddyship?"
Where? With her ladyship2 What do
you mean"
The mans gaunt and weather-beaten face
was lined with perplexity.
ut lie more nor ! can fathom," he COM
planned Mrs, Nixon, the housekeeper sir,
came out and woke me up at two this
morning to tell me that her lcddyship and
her leddyship's party were agoin' 10 leave
on the yacht right then sir without waitn'
for mornin, sir. Mrs. Nixon. she said how
as she was instructed to close the Hail. sir
and go away with both servants sir. and
to say nothing whatever about the matter
upon pain of dismissal sir. So she went
l surely thought ye both of the party sir
SeVrance and / exchanged gances of
mutual understanding. He had been right
in his deductive reasoning, then.
I'VE were left behind, with Grady" said
Sevrance. What time did you say 1t was?"
After two in the mornin', sir I see them
all come out Of the house together and go
down toward the cliffs, sir. Mrs. Nixon
and the servants was already gone. The
lights was all out, sir, and / heard some
one lock the main door when the last were
leaving"
That is strange" I said to Sevrance
the door was not locked"
No matter. Thompson is mistaken. Come
along-we'll make sure of this"
saw that he meant the cliffs, and fell
In mt his side. With n word or two TO
Thompson about returning shortly, we set
out at sharp trot around the house and
swung into broad avenue of trees, at the
farthest end of which patch of blue water
shone like a sapphire. This was the way
l recognized, by which we had gained
the Hall the previous night. Nor was 1t
short. On the contrary, II took us n good
20 minutes to reach the top OF the landing.
Here all was as we might have expected
to find it-deserted. Beyond a trampled
area of dead grass, scarcely a vestige of the
nights conflict remained to testify to the
reality of our experience. Only that area
where the fight had taken place, n dried,
blackish spot or two upon the grass, marks
of muddy feet upon the landing and stairs,
and one cruel-looking poniard, which
stumbled upon by accident, were there TO
prove the adventure something moro than
nightmare vision.
From cape to cape the little cove yawned
wide, empty of sail or ship; on the farthest
arm the lighthouse stood out prominent,
rigid and austere OF contour.
Far, far out on the waters, that nearer in
were dotted with the dingy sails of fishing
vessels n murky trail of smoke hung low
upon the horlzon-dark and dirty against
the new-washed purity of the day.
you have the glasses?" I said to
Sevrance.
He nodded silently. handing them to me
from his coat pocket 1 turned them upon
that smear of smoke. family hoping that
beneath its pail might catch a glimpse
of the white shape of the yatch But did
not.
We were finally outwitted; the Myosotis
was gone, bearing with 1t my Hearts Desire
and all the burden OF her distress; and no
man might say whittier.
Dejectedly we turned back toward the
Hall.