The Winslow mail., 1923-03-02


and stared out into the darkness. He
heard the sound of the hunt some
where beyond the fir-trees. For
moment he thought of joining 1t. But
the starlt gloom gave faint encour-
agement-pursuit seemed very use
less. With a sudden impulse Alexan-
der ran back through the hall, turned
on the light, and pulled open the door
of the telephone call ROOM He
snatched the receiver from the hook.
"Stanhoe police station put me
through quick!" cried Alexander.
Lady Erythea descended the stairs,
a superb model for Boadicea among
the wreck of the Roman legions. Her
eyes flashed fire, her lips were COM
pressed in thin, tight line, her hand
gripped the brass shovel. She glared
at the disgruntled butler.
"Tarbeaux" she cried sharply.
"Tarbeaux!' -
Mr.. Tarbeaux came forward, limp
ing. One hand pressed a crimsoned
handkerchief to his nose, which had
impacted rather violently upon the
good knights breastplate. His other
hand grasped a yard of torn blue
cloth, which he waved before him.
did you stop that woman?" cried
Lady Erythea.
Mr.. Tarbeaux' inart1culate answer
was in the negative.
"Why not, idiot r said his mistress.
"A houseful of useless membranes
unable to stop a single" The en-
purpled handkerchief caught her eye.
''Why, what is the matter, man? Are
you wounded?"
''PrOud-shed M blood-ladyship'
service!" snuffied Mr. Tarbeaux.
Couldn't help skirt tearin, M lady,"
''Whatw
Mr.. Tarbeaux, with a silent but
splendid gesture, laid the piece Of
torn skirt upon the hall bench
"Clue, m lady" he said, with the
air of bankrupt making the most of
his assets. with this IL should NOT
be difficult to trace the thief"
''Trace her!" snorted Lady Erythea.
IF you had held on to her there would
would have been no need to trace any
thing!"
Mr.. Lam5e joined them; his mild
eye at once apprehended the signifi-
cance of the piece Of serge.
Il cannot see that Tarbeaux is to
blame" he said in his aunt's ear; 'he
did his best, and after all it is rnim-
portant"
"Unimportant! The infamous crea-
ture has got clear away"
'My dear aunt That stupid girl
cannot have been the thief. You do
not really suppose this burglary was
committed by a woman!"
''Most certainly l dot" cried Lady
Erythea. Il can believe anything o:
the modern woman-anything! She
hid when the alarm sounded, and
made a desperate dash for escape
when l discovered her. 1t is as clear
as daylight to anybody but a fool!
1t is certain she had my emeralds
upon her at the time, and it is lucky
none of you are killed-though 1t
would be very little loss. TarbeauX,
did you recognize the creature whom
you allowed so egregiously to escapes"
''No, my lady. 1t was too dark.
And the incident was somewhat sud-
den," said Mr.. Tarbeaux ap0lOgeti-
cally. "It was young person. am
unable to say more. But l am sure
she was not one of our household"
II have telephoned the police at
Stanhoe," said Mr. Lambe; ''they
are coming Immediately by car"
"a CLEAN of intelligence at lastI
mel am overwrought. My censure
does not apply to you. The whole af-
fair is appalling!" said Lady Erythea,
clenching her hands. "My pearls, the
diamond chaplet-these comparatively
are trifes-but the emeralds are gone.
The Lambe emeralds!"
The audience shrank before her
wrath.
1T is Incredible! Twelve years ago
the abbey was broken into-this is the
second case. had taken every pos
sible precaution, under skilled advice.
My safe is modern; considered 1 had
made the house itself impregnable at
night. SO it would have been, had l
been adequately served. What meas
ures did you take, Tarbeaux? was
absurd enough to think l could rely
upon you, in an emergency like this !"
81 retired at the usual hour, my
lady, to my room in the passage" said
Mr.. Tarbeaux unhappily, "as l have
done for years, by your instructions,
in view of-er-er-an emergency like
this. One of the alarms reused me;
1 rose Immediately, only waiting long
enough to don a garment"
"Go on, man, go on"
"While putting them-while putting
it on, my lady, 1 sounded my bell,
which connects with the other men,
servants rooms, and ran into the hall.
At that moment l thought heard feet
on the gravel outside, and unbolting