The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-11-12
p x.

Hartley house had a general Office
where the business of the estate was
handled. 1t Il to one side of the
main entrance.
| had promised TO he an eXtraordin-
airy person n meeting extraordinary
circumstances, but all | did was TO 90
to the Office and, lighting the lights, sit
there. ] was in the extreme detection
Of a weakling when tie door opened
and Isobcl came in.
"What are YOU doing. up:" asked.
"Tll ask the same thing OF You.
What are YOU and the whole household
doing, awake and moving?'
l told her that housebreakers had
been surprised at work and had es-
capped.
IF you have been disturbed" / sug-
gested. "probably your father has, also.
You had better go to his room and tell
him that the servants have been tius-
tered by q burglar care, and then you
had better 60 to your mothers room
and stay with her until things quiet
down."
That seemed sound enough ADVICE,
but when Isobel had gone l was left
wondering again what 10 dc next. 1t
was out Of the question to notify the
authorities. The thieves had stolen
something which. from what ! knew Of
il, I preferred to have in their hands
rather than in the possession OF the
police.
Our detective agency l could trust.
but / did not want tO communicate
with anyone but MCGUIRE, the superin-
tendent. and there was no need Of tele-
phoning him until later in the morn
ing.
The case. as I thought it over. came
to this: The Spaniard and the attor-
ney, by the aid OF a confederate. a
woman had obtained possession OF the
diary containing the secret Of Hartley
house. They would soon be heard
from. They would not disappear. We
did not have to pursue them. They
would pursue Us.
There was the possibility Of dealing
with them by force eXtra-legally. Any
thing we did for III protection had to
be done cxtra-legally. thought Nc
CURE could and would attend TO that,
and I intended to instruct him to con
slider murder the only process not to
be thought OF.
/ tried tO reconcile my ideas OF Mr..
Sidncy's character with the facts Of
the family'S terrible dilemma. What
could a man Of so just and honorable.
kindly and charming a nature-as re-
vealed in his old aGe-have done, even
in a hot and passionate youth, which
he could not face now? What crime
could he have committed which not
only constituted Il danger to his sccur-
ity but remained a source Of satisfac-
ton to him?
For two hours I sat by the telephone,
expecting m~omentarily TO hear from
the chauffeur who had gone in pursuit
of the thieves. 1t was about four
o'clock in the mOrning-there was II
pale suggestion Of light in the windows
when Mrs. Aldrich, the ~housekeeper,
came TO the office. She was an imper-
turbable lady Of disciplinary habit and
ordinarily unrufled dignity, but now
she was disturbed.
doctor" she said. Agnes, the new
maid. cannot be found. She Is not in
her room. Her bed has not been
touched. Most Of her belongings and
her suitcase are gone. ] came to you
with this probably uniinportant do
nestle incident, thinking that-well.
the occurrence Of the night might
have some connection with this girl"
Il think Agnes probably was in
volved in the matter" ! said.
1--WE have always so dreaded 10 take
= new servant" said Mrs. Aidricl:.
but Agnes came recommended for the
month by a very faithful girl who
wanted a months leave. Has anything
OF great value been taken:"
Nothing Of any Intrinsic value
whatever. Mrs. Aldrich. | imagine the
robbers were alarmed before they
found any jewels or plate"
That's a consolation, in any event"
said the ho~usekeeper: but we never
shall be able TO take in a new servant
again with any ease OF mind
The chauffeur %tclcnhoned as Mrs.
Aldrich went away The chuse In The
night had been useless, aS mi@h' he
expected, md I told ham Ia refhrr
home