Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-25
THE RAGGED
PRINCESS
Continued from Yesterdays Starr
CHAPTER III.

tor and nurse.
do you know what hap
pened 10 her?" asked Dick.
He was standing by the side OF MS ped
in his pajamas. telephone IN hand
No. sir. The porter who was on the
floor below. heard a Shrek. He ran
llps.airs and found Miss Bedford'S door
open: he saw she had tainted, and sent
for me. l was down in the hall below.
mo sign of Malpas?"
None whatever. sir. There must
have been somebody trying 10 get az
her. because the gentleman in the room
next to Miss Bedford's was found at
the end of the passage knocked out.
He had evidently been dubbed, prop
ahlv with a rubber stick. for the SKIN
wasn't broken. He has gone OH 10 a
hospital TO have his head dressed
Dick was at the hotel in five minutes
and the girl was sufficiently recovered
TO receive him. She sat before the gas
fire in her dressing gown. very Whlte'
but. as usual, perfectly sef-possesSeo
There's nothing to tell, except tnat l
saw Mr.. Marshall"
You saw him. too, did you?" Dick
bit his lip thoughtfully.
Have YOU seen him?" she asked in
smazement.
He nodded
yes. we had a vision of him last
night, Do you remember no more?'
I'm afraid l tainted" she said rue
fullv TT was dreadfully feminine
thing to do, but one gets that way. Inc
norter told me that the man IN the
next room was badly hurt. on, DICK
what does it mean?
1T means that Marshall Is alive ana
in the hands of this old devil, SAD
Dick. Last night we found a hyl'o-
dermic in the house: we had the s'll
analyzed and discovered 1t TO be osue
that would have the result OF reouc-
inc a man to complete Inconsistencies
"a mixture of hyoScln, morpnl3 anu
another drug that hasn't been identlned:
Tonight / had letter from MaipaS
He took out sheet OF typewriter
naper This is copy. The orlginai
has gone to the Yard for finger print
tests"
She took the letter in her hand and
there was no need for her to ask who
had written those struggling lines. :,
UNLESS you're fool. you discovered
something last night Lacy Marshall Is
not dead. Knowing him. ! oughtsto
have realized that he would take no
risks. The bullet-proof slnglet ne wore
under his shirt turned the bullet, as
YOU would have discovered II you mao
made an examination, instead OF DeHig
concerned with getting the glri out Vi
the house. / am glad he Is alive
death was too good for him and he Will
die in my time If you wish him 10
live. withdraw your watchers and spies
from my house"
everything I have found in the
house confirms the view," said DICK
Marshall is being kept under the IN
fluence of this drug and is either taken
on his own feet or carried wherever
Malpas goes"
1T did not seem like real face to
me-" interrupted the girl.
This was a new idea to Dick Snan-
non.
"You mean it might have been a
mask? That might be an explanation.
Yet If it were so why should tins man
write as he does? No, think his letter
is true. The reference to the ny.
podermic suggests that he was forced
into telling the truth by steers dls-p
covery. 1t is quaint case aitogetner.
I'm going now to see after our unknown
friend-I presume your scream aroused
him and he came upon both Malpas
and his burden-if burden 1t was
and was dubbed for his pains"
The injured visitor had left the hotel
for a hospital, as he said. His name
on the register was Henry Johnson
of South Africa" The clerk who had
received him was not on duty, so Dick
had to be content with that informa-
ton. and, leaving instructions that he
was to be notified when the unknown
guest returned, he went home. he
drove on to Portham square. there 10
learn that nothing exceptional had nap
pened The inspector and three men
were in the house; he saw Wiiltts
watcher in the street outside.
Leaving, he remembered Stormer's
reference to the caretaker. and early
the next morning Dick Shannon was
a caller at Marshalt's house.
He bad had very little time to con-
siGea the effect of Marshalt's disap-
pearance upon his household, but he
knew. as a matter of fact, that the
man had given very exact instructions
as to what should happen in the event
of his death. Within a few hours OF
the news being published a representa-
tive from Lacy's lawyer had visited the
house, taken complete control and re-
moved Marshalt's papers. 1t was on
the following day Dick heard that a
caretaker had been appointed in accord
ance with Lacy Marshalt's wishes, but
llC lkdu lldu llO O(CdSAOAi " taAAs NAAS
police work being in the hands OF the
local inspector and. so far as he was
concerned, the caretaker had remained
Invisible.
A servant whom he remembered
opened the door and showed him into
the drawing room where he had last
seen poor old longer.
II suppose things have changed very
considerably with you?" he said to the
maid.
"Oh, yes, sir. The whole house has
been upset, cook has gone and there
are only Milly and I left. Wasn't 1t
dreadful about poor Mr.. longer and
poor Mr.. Marshall, too!'
1t was evident to Dick that the death
Of longer had distressed the house con-
siderably more than the fate that had
oyertaken its owner.
You have caretaker now?"
The girl hesitated.
Not exactly caretaker, sir" she
said. THE gentleman was a friend II
Mr. Marshalt's."
"Indeed?" said Dick, to whom this
was news. Il had no idea that Mr..
Marshalt-' He checked himself, not
wishing to speak disparagingly OF the
womans employer. II did not know
that. Who is it?"
"a Mr.. Stanford, SIR
Dicks jaw dropped
Not Bill Stanford"
Eyes, sir, Mr.. William Stanford. I'll
tell him you're here, sir; he's upstairs
in masters study"
Let me save you the trouble" SAID
Dick with a smile. Mr.. Stanford ana
are old acquaintance"
Bill was sitting in front Of big fire,
his feet on the silver fender, an enor-
nous cigar in the corner OF his mouth
and on his knees a sporting newspaper.
As he looked round he rose with an en-
barrassed smile.
Good morning. captain. I was ex-
pecting to see you before"
y SO you're the caretaker?"
Bill smiled.
I'm the man in charge" he said.
Nobody was more surprised than ]
lzr-e aCra