The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-09-19

stone-hell md her lot quicker
than any professional police wfTl."
where's he going to pick up d
clew?' inquired Crole. sarcastieally.
/ Leave that to Cottingieyi" retorted
Maythorne. Hell see a clew where
no one else would. All he wants is
clear-and concise-instructions to
start out on"
We found Cottingley at the top of
the street. He was eating an apple,
in supplement to his lunch of bread
and cheese. Phlegmatic as ever. he
turned with US toward the nearest
cab-rank. Maythorne talking to him as
we went along.
what next?" asked Crole as we
reached Edgware road again.
I'm just going round by Shorts
hotel" answered Maythorne, ito hear
if those chaps have made anything
out, and to give Cottingley a start.
Better come, both of you"
II won't" said Crole II must get
back to my Office. can do no good at
Shorts, and you can ring me up If
|
added, as Maythorne signaled TO a
taxicab driver, 81 forgot to mention 1t
before. Holt. Armintrade's check duly
arrived this morning. So that's all
right. and | suppose we've finished
with his part in all these mysteries"
FINISHED with nothing, Crole!" ex.
claimed Maythorne. "The curtain is
still up-well UPON everything.
| Coming, Holt?-you'd better"
went with him. was not so much
| concerned about Mrs. Elphinstone as
about Sheila. That some new and
Sheila called on her mother the pre-
| vious evening there could be no doubt
nothing else, was sure, could have
occasioned the strange departure and
disappearance of which Mr.. Elphin-
stone had told us. What was it?
1t took little time to run round to
| Shorts, a famous, If somewhat old
| fashioned hotel in the West end, great
| ly In favor with country family peo-
pie. While we rode there Maythorne
| occupied himself in posting up Cot
| tingiey in all our dOings that morning,
and especially about the disappear
| ance of Mrs. ElphinstOne. COttingley
soaked it all in without saying word !;
he was still eating apples. and he
munched them steadily while his en-
| ployer talked. But as Maythorne
made an end Cottingley also finished
his lasr apple, and tossing the core
out of the cab window. raped out a
word or two.
steamship offices !" he said. Like
Hest place, first"
"Good!" assented Maythorne "There
may be something in that. All right
you get on to it. But first, we'll
see if anything's turned up here"
We left the cab little way from
Shorts, and walked along towards the
principal entrance. Manners and Cor
kerdale were just coming out as we
reached it thought | saw in their
manner that they had heard some
: thing.
"Well?" asked Maythorne as we
Joined them. ANY news?"
"Nobody's returned" replied Corker-
dale, land there's nothing in Mrs.
Elphinstone's or the maids rooms to
suggest why they ever went away.
But we have heard bit that the old
gentleman hadn't found out when he
set off to you this morning."
whats that?" asked Maythorne.
"Odd circumstance, to be sure!" an.
swered the detective. "rd like to know
what it means. Got it from the under
hall porter. He says that some little
time after Mr.. and Mrs. Elphinstone
and the maid arrived last night-he
knows all three well enough, he says,
as they come there two or three times
a year-a man came into the entrance
hall and asked him if they-naming
them-were stopping there? He said
they were, and he believed they were
then having dinner. The man went
away But this under hall porter also
says that he noticed the same man
hanging about the hotel front after
that, and that he was there, as if
watching when Mrs. Elphinstone and
in fact, he's positive that the man fol-
lowed them down the street and round
the first corner. And-thats all!
"And a good lot!' remarked May
| thorne. ''Could he describe the man?"
"Oh, yes! A little, thin man, about
wore spectacles; very respectfully
J dressed; wore a Trilby hat-loOked
| like a clerk or commercial traveller
something of that Sort" replied Coz
! kerdale.
did he say anything to the under
hall porter as to why he wanted the
| ElphnstOnes? asked Maythorne
"No-the man asked him it he could
| take up any message" said Corker-
dale. HE replied not didn't mat
| ter: he wouldn't disturb them if they
were at dinner; he'd look in again."
'And he didn't look in again?"
"No-the last the under hall porter
saw of him, he was following the
three women down the street"
Maythorne renamed silen. for a
minute or two.
"Well," he said at last. II suppose
| you'll follow things up in your own
way. If can be of any help, let me
| know. If hear anything, I'll let you
| know, Corkerdale. May as well help
| each other" He turned away, Cot
| tingley and | following him. After go
| ing a short distance, he motioned to
| the clerk.
''Try your line-the shipping offices,
Cottingley," he said. MAY be some
| good"
| Cottingley went off, and Maythorne
and | walked on in silence for a
| while.
| This is queer business, Holt !" he
| said after some time. THAT Mrs.