Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1920-11-11
CHAPTER x.

SN'Ns @'N 80
Hartley house had a general office
where the business of the estate was
handled. 1t was to one side Of the
main entrance.
1 had promised to be an extraordin-
airy person N meeting extraordinary
circumstances, but all did was to go
to the office and, lighting the lights, sit
there. was in the extreme detection
of weakling when the door opened
and Isobel came in.
"What are you doing, up?" asked.
"I'll ask the same thing Of you.
What are you and the whole household
doing, awake and movingT
I 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 aus-
tered by burglar scare, and then you
had better go to your mothers room
and stay with her until things quiet
down."
That seemed sound enough advice,
but when Isobel had gone was left
wondering again what to do next 1t
was out of the question to notify the
authorities. The thieves had stolen
something which, from what knew of
it, l preferred to have in their hands
rather than in the possession Of the
police.
Our detective agency l could trust
but l did not want to communicate
with anyone but Mcclure, 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 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 our protection had 70
be done extra-legally. l thought Nc
CURE could and would attend to that,
and intended to instruct him to con-
slider murder the only process not to
be thought of.
tried to reconcile my ideas Of Mr.,
Sidney's character with the facts Of
the family's terrible dilemma. What
could a man Of so just and honorable,
kindly and charming nature-as re-
vealed In his old age-have done, evea
in a hot and passionate youth, which
he could not face now? What crime
could he have committed which not
only constituted danger to his secur-
ity but remained source of satisfac-
ton to him?
For two hours sat by the telephone,
expecting momentarily to hear from
the chauffeur who had gone in pursuit
of the thieves. It was about four
O'Clock in the morning-there was
pale suggestion of light in the windows
when Mrs. Aldrich, the housekeeper,
came TO the Office. She was an imper-
t7Irbable 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. l came to you
with this probably unimportant do
nestle incident, thinking that-well
the occurrence Of the night might
have some connection with this girl"
II think Agnes probably was in
volved in the matter',I said.
'We have always so dreaded to take
new servant" said Mrs. Aldricf
but Agnes came recommended for the
month by very faithful girl who
wanted a months leave. Has anything
of great value been taken?
Nothing of any intrinsic value
whatever, Mrs. Aldrich. j Imagine the
robbers were alarmed before they
found any Jewels or plate"
"That's a consolation, In any event"
said the housekeeper; "but we never
shnll be able TO take In a new servant
again with any ease Of mind"
The chauffeur telephoned as Mrs.
Aldrieh went away. The chase In The
night had been useless, as might be
expected, and I told him to return
houno