Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-05-26

g WKos0 VINO ~ 11
EVELYN HASTE, beautiful ana ri 81,
girl, who sits down at tnc.gsa rs
her wedding night-ana mssss'io1s
xE SsssRIesY!IH HASTE. her husband: whe
s,,snects completely on the part u
his old war comrade. .,.ur
SIR RAwDON WELLss ~ a. isnd.
/. inr the couple Hiddea Hall CouIIs
his Gloomy and mystery r1oden g.
L, tate for their honeymoon, ana WY
r il found after the disappearance ~"
SesTet chsm n91esy-like girl. adopted
Aistsr q k ( ss and secretly in
love with Wells. ~r,,o
MISS GILLETT, an ex-war nurse, M
fsll in love with Haste n..n. ,n n :
ssi snd ~ wn9 y as Scotland said xsrd de.
tectiye. who has done glorified SPY
worL" in the war. He 10 OF vvio
Latin temperament. though Sanaoian
in training.
Sir Rawdon in Love
He was a privileged person az
Hidden Hall Court and had riSn.
to no and come as he pleased, even
after midnight: but II his improved
--nerhaps unprovable - suspicious
wera iust there would be q spy
about the place, bound by love. or
fear. or money, to report upon mas
movements. He guessed that TINS Spy
and Fanny Gillett were 'in the same
skim: and Fanny was an adversary
not to be despised, even by Dason
of Scotland Yard. Her room Was
far from his-as far as the iurthesI
end Of the house-but II she were
watching him It would be night as
well as day. Her experience as q v;
A.. d. must well have Saccustoiile"
her to might duty"
BACON used the secret door and
staircase leading down from the
tapestry boudoir in order to reach
the cellar. He chose this way be-
cause he knew that O. dog OF Fanny
Gelletts--a sharp-voiced FOX ter
rier-slept in the housekeepers
room; and he would have TO pass
that door il he descended to the cell
lar by the obvious route.
He knew the secret OF the spring,
over which he had brooded O good
deal lately, and the mechanism was
practically noiseless, IL carefully
handled. But tonight he was excit-
cd and must have bungled, for the
door behind the tapestry stuck In
its groove and the push he had to
give 1t sent it home with violence.
IakOh uAu buuL VAOh 0VSA NOhAtAN4
him as he passed, yet the noise the
tortured mechanism made seemed to
his tangled nerves to echo through
the house. It seemed, too, that he
heard some other sound-a sigh, a
rustic, the tap Of a heel, and had he
been superstitious his heart would
have jumped, for the tapestry
boudoir was haunted by the ghost
Of the long vanished bride--that
mysterious beauty who had disap-
peared two centuries ago, as Eve
Carroll had disappeared the other
night.
The detective, however. prayed It
might be nothing more perllous to
his plan that a ghost. He would
have secured his retreat by closing
the Eecret door again. but dared not
do so lest 1t should stick once more.
His electric lantern guided him
down the narrow stairway in the
thickness of the wall, and then the
cellar opened out before him-the
cellar Of the furnace, and Of Sir
Rawdon's laboratory. .... ,
The cave-like depths under the
old house fof which this central
portion was the oldest part) were
black as pitch, save for the small
wandering rod OF light sent forth by
his electric lantern. Dagon paused
for a moment, mentally taking his
bearings. The Persian Garden and
the pool should be south. or straight
ahead Of him as he stood. This was
the wall. then, where he must
search, he told himself There
should be brick which masked a
spring. To find 1t among O thous-
and other bricks would be like look
inn fnR mazda To- la a. al.
Nevertheless he would find It. He
must.
I've got till dawn" he muttered.
"But the sooner the better. Who
knows what's happening down
there?"
The words made no sound, yet at
that instant door opened, and a
light strearned out, shining full
upon his figure. dimming the lantern
glow. 1t was the door OF the
laboratory, and framed in 1t ap.
peared Rawdon Wells.
Both men were surprised. Each
exclaimed the others name. For the
detective there was no need to ex-
cuse his presence In the cellar, but
u was different with Sir Rawdon
Wells. He knew that he was under
suspicion. and probably guessed. II
he did not actually know. that he
might have been arrested instead OF
remaining in his owl, house "on
parole" mad 1t not been for DaRon,
II came down here tonight be-
cause | had the most amazing
dream" Wells explained instantly.
as II expecting a question. II
simply had TO come. I think YOUR
believe, DagOn. that I'd no hidden
motjve--no intention OF doing any
thing the police would disapprove
for a man in my position. shp-
pose you're here for a quiet look AZ
something or other that's struck you
as interesting. But if YOU don't
mind, I'd rather like to tell you
about that dream, and see what you
think OF It. There's nothing in It,
suppose! Stiii I can't get the
impression out Of my lieadF AZ he
lit the whole cellar.
DaSon thought Of the signals.
Those s o = calls hadn't been sent
out for nothing. He might at best
be Q long time In finding the way
to that hidden hall under the pool
SO he had no time TO waste in tiis.
cussing queer dreams.
DO you know. what n lunch
means In good American and
Canadian" Dagon asked.
1T means a kind OF 'fiair' or in.
splration that you ought 70 do some
ming. or that something's likely To
happen. diesn't ttT said. the other.
Yes: that's about It, II 1t can be
put into proper ianguage--which it
cant. exactly" returned f1aron.
Wen. I've got a 'hunch7 that I'm
going to. do q stunt OF sorts down
here tonight, And II YOU DON'T
mind | think I ought TO Be alone
when I--er-start my incaf1tafions'
20 to speak. Not that I don't trust
you',, l think you know DO. ,But.