A Mysterious Disappearance

ir companion dropped for the hour t

ere was in their present escapade a spice of that romance not so lackin

was too soon yet. He must trust to the vagaries of chance to elucidate many things now hidden. Meanwhile a good dinner

en a part, but the details of which had been rigidly kept from the public. He more than hinted that Mr. Sydney Corbett had figured prominen

f glasses of Mo?t '89 had consolidated friendly relat

he has been hard pressed to live at all. As a matter of fact, it is this scrape he blundered i

t is his

pumping me again.

ous reasons when a man disgui

o you. It was good enough. Now you come with this story of meddling with somebody else's wife. Surely thi

you quar

. Hillmer was so emphatic th

ting at the entrance, said to her coachman, "You may

inquire who Dobson

. Dobson i

er before, nor met her in public. None of his friends were known to her, and she mentioned no one beyond those popular personages who are connu of all the world. She was obviously

typical family party of father, mother, and two girls who o

d him to make her his dupe, and he resolved that, if by any chance her scapegrace brother were concern

up his mind to conduct his future investigations without causing her

y herself paved the way for it. Her comments betrayed such an accurate acquaintance w

ery much. But I was st

e not appear

orked so hard that I fell ill

much to theat

by oneself, and there are

he isolation of her existence. In his new-found sy

iticism of the actors and actresses. Not that I could do bett

gard killing time as

strive otherwise." And again that sh

edian, Mr. Prospect Ricks, was singing his deservedly famous song, "It was al

hées his brain was busy piecing together all that he had heard. The odd coincidence of the dates of Lady Dyke's murder and the sp

be a perfectly valid motive for the journey. If the man did not desire hi

and high-principled lady could have nothing in common with a careless adventurer, taking the most lenient view of his sister's description of h

s were alike inadequate to the new and startling fact which

nd visible anxiety of the novice, who is not yet accustomed to the glare of the footligh

detection of criminals, an unusually good memory for faces, to

particular member of the company close to the proscenium, Bruce became quite sure of havin

ge was Jane Harding

ged scrutiny placed the fact beyond doubt. Not even the make-up and the elaborate wig could conceal the contour of her p

that he utilized every opportunity of a full stage to examine st

ng had vanished, he was brought back

one of the fair ladies in front. Which one is it? The tall sta

ndering how a young woman manages to secure

l-known agent may, for a nominal fee, get an opening for a handsome, well-built girl who ha

possible for a

acquaintances. As a rule, I should say not. A theatr

ing conversation, while he thought intently, almost

e astonished at the celerity with which he conducted her to her carriage and the waiting Dobso

" she cried, as he stood near the window o

liceman had not ordered the coachman to make way for the n

f the theatre, and he caught sight of Mr. White, who, too late, averted his round e

cigarette, and Mr. White slid off quietly into the stream of traff

e too. 'Pon my honor, I shouldn't wonder if he suspected me of the murder! I'm glad I s

p to continue the surveillance, he buttoned his overcoat to the chin, tilted