Evening star., 1925-10-02

mother in surprise.
He felt a strong sense Of citation.
He had meant to make this test, bus
had hoped little from il. Eemarka bic.
even mysterious as Mrs. Gillett seemed
in the situation of housekeepers, he o.
had not expected her to know am
thing of Pandora Haste's past-his
own past, surely linked with that OF
the girl. Yet his stray arrow had hit
the bull's.eye. This woman did know .
notwithstanding perhaps. She
was alarmed or conscience stricken.
well-nigh overwhelmed.
The detective realized that at this
moment he had her at his mercy. II
he chose to spring his discovery upon
the woman she might be frightened
into telling some part of what she
knew! But he would not be satisfied
with part. He wanted all. SO he
must wait.
Now, II she chose to hold back i'm
portant information he could not prove
that she had it. Armed with what he
guessed, he must earn moro, 10 gain
hold upon her. As for Fanny. the
look of surprise he had caught made
him think that she did not know the
secret Of her mothers alarm. She
wondered what 1t meant. and was.
dying for him-Dagon-to go, so that
she might ask questions.
"She won't get the right answers,
though" he thought. Il begin 20 be
lieve both those women are in the pay
of my Unknown They're in this
house for a special purpose, the young
one and the old. But this secret be
longs to the mother alone. II she
wanted her daughter TO know, she'd
have told her long ago. She won't tell
now. The girl might betray her 10
Haste. She'd do anything to please
him."
If the detective had hoped that
Fanny could Wheedle anything from
her mother, he might have given her
the chance she wanted. and Played
eavesdropper. But. believing there
| was little to gain thus, he fingered
on.
You're both kind enough 10 say
you'd gladly help in my researches.
he said. when the thimble had been re-
turned. This is battling case. The
most difficult job I ever tackled. SO /
hope you won't mind. Mrs Gillett, ex-
planning what you meant about seeing
ghosts in this house?"
The pale woman made desperate
effort at self-control. Seeing ghosts
| she stammered. Il don't-remenber
sayina-any such thing to you"
1T wasn't to me- Dagon vo!un-
| teered Some one-I forgot who
| mentioned hearing you, the night OF
| Mrs. Hastes disappearance. 1t was III
| the music room or the tapestry oou-
doir. 1 wanted to ask when | met YOU
first, but you seemed so nervous
| waited. You're all right again now,
| or l wouldn't upset you
She looked family relieved. as II
glad that he supposed her 20 he all
| right
! Il don't know what I said then
she replied. Il was so horrified by
the blood and-and everything"
What I was told was like this
Dagon persisted. That ghosts had
appeared to you here at the court.
| That you believe in the haunting OF
| the tapestry boudoir. That you
| hadn't wanted the Hastes to spend
their honeymoon in the house because
of warnings you'd had-and Of what
/ you'd seen"
IF I said that I must have been
hysterical," cried Mrs. Gillett.
"Thourh. confess, I do believe in
apparitions on a scene where crime
has taken place"
"Oh. you think a crime has taken
place at the court?"
Probably many crimes, the place
is SO old"
Had YOU any one particular crime
| in your mind?"
| Sle looked IluIileu. bul "dS
| to answer, The bride who disap-
| peared."
You don't mean Mrs. Haste
"Oh, no. The bride in the eight
eenth century, about the time they
| lost knowledge Of the secret rooms
| If there are any. She was the first
Lady Wells at Hidden Hall Court
And an Italian?"
! Yes; I've heard So"
hoy q ~
! helped to make history OF this OLD
| place.
Mrs. Gillett looked up. flush on
! her cheekbones but Dago1's face was
| eXpressionless, and she made no an
! swer. Instead, she bent intentlE over
her work. The detective watched her
for a moment, then flung a double ,
question at her head: And Mr.. Pao
10 Magnani-you know him? He
comes here often?'
| The eyes of the mother and daugh-
| ter met 1t was the younger woman
who replied: Il know Mr.. Magnani.
Mother doesn't. She lived here only
a short time, and he's been too busy
with a picture his company,s making
to visit his cousin. l met him wh,le
1 was nursing Capt. Haste: And
he was at the wedding. What brought
Mr. Magnani to your mind
"Well, he can't be mixed up III the
| disappearance anyhow cried the '.
A. D. He told me at the wedding re-
| ception that he was leaving at once
for Skye. There was something In the
paper next day, too, about his going.
| So you can't suspect him of having a
hand in the business
! why, should he have? Dagon
shrugged. He wasn't i'll love with
Miss Carroll, was he?"
| "Certainly not snapped Fanny.
eff he ever did admire her, he changed
his mind 1 wouldn't be surprised IL
he married the aunt. She's got pots
| of money
And she'd have more if Mrs. Haste
| died and left her something" the Ca
madam remarked. What did MI.
| Magnani do in the WARP
! He was exempted on account Of
a weak heart" said Fanny.
Its an i'll heart that does no one
good" garbled Dagon. WAS he In
his own country or England while the
war was on?'
Mostly in England, acting / be-
| lieve, but England is his own country
now. Mr.. Magnani has been natural
| lied as an Englishman. Living here
| so much. it gives him advantages, [
/ suppose"
Dagon agreed He had got all he
could hope to get in one interview
from the mother and daughter. and it
! seemed from what he heard on all
sides that no theory which included
Magnani in the list of suspects would
| hold water. A man couldn't be doing
| moving picture stunts" in Skye and
| numbering or kidnapping girls at the
same time!
Apparently the cinema star was In
| nocent and Dagon must look farther
! for his Unknown" Yet he was not