Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-06-21
THE
SECRET
HOUSE
By
EDGAR WALLACE
Author of 1.-THE Clue Of the
Twisted Candle" Kate Plus
TO-" 1.-THE Man Who
Knew" etc.
CHAPTER XVII.


CHAPTER XVII.
T. b. Smith was playing a round
of golf at Walton Heath, when the
news was telephoned to him.
He left Immediately for town, and
picked ur, Ella at1uncheon at the Fritz
Hotel, where the detective had his
headquarters.
',rhe whole thing Is perfectly clear
now" he said. 1.-THE ineXplicable dis
appearance Of Mr.. harrington is ex-
planned in poster type, that he who
runs may read"
II am little hazy about theNsolu-
Stion myself" said Ella dubiouslS.
Then I will put it in plain Ian
guage for you," said I. 3. as he
speared sardine from the hors
d'oeuvre dish. harrington knew all
along that the heir to the Tollington
millions was George Doughton. He
knew 1t years and years ago, and it
was for that reason that he settled
at Great Bradley, where the Dough-
tons had their home. Evidently the
two elder Doughtons were dead at
this time, and only George Doughton
the romantic and altogether unpracti-
Cal explorer, represented the family.
George was in love with the lady
who Is now known as Lady Constance
Dex, and knowing this, Harrington
evidently took every step that was
possible to ingratiate himself into her
good graces, He knew that the for-
tune would descend equally to Dough-
ton and his wife. Doughton was q
wtdower and had q son. a youngster
at the tin1e. and It is very possible
that, the boy being at school. tand be-
ing very rarely in Great Bradley.
Harrington had no idea OF his exist
ence. -
1.-The knowledge that this boy was
alive must have changed all his
plans; ct any rate, the engagement
was allowed to drift ,on, whilst he
matured some scheme whereby he
could obtain a large portion Of the
Tollington millions for his own use.
Again think his plans must have
been changed.
TT was whilst he was at Great
Bradley that he was entrusted with
the guardianship OF Doris Gray. and
AZ his affection for the young girl
grew-an affection which think was
ono Of the few wholesome things in
his nfe-he must have seen the ex-
traordinary chance which fate had
placed In his way.
with diabo1ical ingenuity and
with q remorSelessness, which Is re-
miniscent OF tho Borgias he planned
first George Doughton's death, and
then the bringing together OF Dough
toms son and his own ward. There Is
every proof Of this to be- found in his
subsequent actions. He was pre-
pared to~introduce the young people
to one another, and by affording them
opportunities for meeting. and such
ENCOURAGEMENT as he could give, to
bring about the result he. so desired.
but things did not move fast
enough for him, and then he must
have learnt, as the other trustees
seem to have learnt recently. that
there was an undiscovered time limit.
He threw out hints to his niece, hints
which were received rather coldly.
He had taken the bold step Of en-
ploying Frank Doughton to discover
himself, That was move which
had two-fold purpose. It kept the
young man in contact with him. It
also satisfied tho other trustees, who
had entrusted to Harrington the task
OF employing the necessary measures
20 discover the missing heir.
'.But neither hint nor suggestion
served him. The girls fortune was
due for delivery to her care and his
guardianship expired almost at the
same time as the time limit for dis
covery OF the Tollington millionaire
came Ito an end. He had to take a
desperate step; there were other rea-
sons, Of course, contributing to his
move.
.The knowledge that he was sus-
pected by me. the certainty that Lady
Constance Dex would betray him,
once she discovered that he had sent
her lover to his death. all these were
contributing factors, but the main
treason for his disappearance was the
win that was read after his bogus
death.
TN that WIN he conveyed unchal-
lengable instructions for the girl to
marry Frank Doughton without delay
suspect that the girl now knows he
is alive. Probably, panic-stricken by
? her Hardness, he has disclosed his
hand so far as the alleged death is
concerned
T. B. looked out OF the window onto
the stream Of life which was flowing
east and west along Piccadilly; his
face was set In a little frown of doubt
and anxiety.
7 can take Harrington tomorrow
II ! want to-" he said after moment,
but wish to gather up every string
Of organization In my hands,"
''What Of Lady Constance Dex?''
asked Ella. whilst we are waiting
she is In some little danger"
T. B. shook his head,
III she is not dead now,' he said
simply. "she will be spared. IF Far
ringtoni wished to kill her-for Far
rington 1t was who spirited her away
-he could have done SO in tho house;
no one would have been any the wiser
as to the murderer. Lady Constance
must walt; we must trust to luck be-
fore Z inspect that underground
chamber Of which imagine she is
at present an unwilling inmate. ]
want to crush this Matchmaking
force" he said, humping the table
with energy; IT want to sweep out OF
2 England the whole organization
which Ia vork{nr rioShf ,,ndor tho