Baxter Springs news., 1917-07-12
The Vanished Millionaire

soled myself with book in the library
until half-past ten, when l walked OIL
to bed. A servant was switching of
the light in the hall when / mounted
the great staircase.
Ny room was in the old wing at the
further side of the picture gallery, and
! had some difficulty in steering my
way through the dark corridors. The
mystery that hung over the house had
shaken my nerves, and remember
that started at every creak OF o board
and peered into the shadows as passed
along with heaven knows what ghostly
expectations. ! was glad enough to close
my door upon them and see the wood
fire blazing cheerfully in the open hearth.
woke with a start that left me sit
ting up in bed, with my heart thump-
ing in my ribs like piston-rod. / am
not generally q light sleeper, but that
night, even while / snored, my nerves
were active. Some one had tapped ut
my door-that was my impression.
/ listened with the uncertain fear
that comes to the newly walked. Then
heard it again-on the wall near my
head this time. A board creaked.
Some one was cropping his way down
the dark corridor without. Presently
he stopped, and q faint line Of illu-
mination sprang out under my door. 1t
winked, and then grew still. He had
Lit q candle.
Assurance came with the streak Of
light. What was he doing, cropping in
the dark, If he had candle with himI
l crept over to the door, opened it, and
stared cautiously out.
About q score feet away man was
standing-a striking figure against the
light he carried. His back was to-
wards me, but l could see that his
hand was shading the candle from his
eyes while he stared into the shadows
that chung about the further end OF
the corridor.
Presently he began to move forward.
The picture gallery and the body OF
the house lay behind me. The corri-
dor in which he stood terminated in a
window, set deep into the stone OF the
old walls. The man walked slowly,
throwing the light to right and left.
His attitude was Of nervous expecta-
tion-that of q man who looked Tor
oOmeJnlnB InhI ne letLcu W ncC'
At the window he stopped, staring
about him and listening. He examined
the fastenings, and then tried door
on his right. It was locked against
him. As he did so / caught his pro-
file against the light. II was Harbord,
the secretary. From where l stood he
was not more than forty feet away.
There was no possibility Of mistake.
As he turned to come back / retreat
ed into my room, closed the door. The
fellow was in a state Of great agita-
tion, and l could hear him muttering
to himself as he walked. When he had
passed by peeped out to see him and
his light dwindle, reach the corner by
the picture gallery, and fade into a re-
hection-a darkness.
took care to turn the key before
got back into bed.
woke again at seven, and hurry
ing on my clothes, set of TO tell Peace
ali about it. ! took him to the place,
and together we examined the cOrri-
dor. There were only two rooms be
yond mine. The one on the left was
an unoccupied bedroom; that on the
right was a large storerOom, the door
Of which was locked. The housekeep-
er kept the key, we learnt upon inquiry.
Whom had Harbord folowedl The
problem was beyond me. As for In