A Mysterious Disappearance

smore almost collapsed. The strain had been a severe on

and soda, and then wished him to retire to rest,

e alone. You have seen me through a lot of trouble to-ni

best thing you can do, after all.

er and said: "Exclusive of the original st

le of notes and bills. Claude's notes were among th

ll see if the total is all

le package. He bothered with the figures for some time but could not

coups, beginning with ten louis, work out at ￡3,128 all right enough. B

the series of seventeen, or eighteen, to be exact. On my own account, as you were too dazed to notice anything, I

l my debts, and we go shares in the balance, a thousand each, if you think tha

the barrister more than any other

which you do not now need. No. Please do not argue. I will consent to no other course. This turn of Fortune's wheel should provi

s another who will be thankful to you when she knows. Ask anyt

bargain.

, bearing the crest of the Hote

e months, I will not make a bet of any

little. "Won't you except pigeon-shooting?" he s

low no ex

it me for tw

even your life, upon the turn of a card or the flight of a bird, the sooner thereaft

put matters pretty straight, too. However, here go

limitation of his intentions imposed by Mensmore's final sentence. The man undoubtedly was

I ask as a friend to what use you in

ndid 'spec,' into which I will now be able to place about ￡2,000-a thing which I have good reason to believe will bring

to have taken such a part in the affair. I w

lying in the gardens now, or in some

contemplative puffs of a cigar, "wh

in a sense, that I remained here. I have loafed about the world a good deal, but I may honestly say I never made a fool of myself at cards or backing horses. At most kinds of sport I am fairly

nodded ap

first woman I ever spoke two civil words to. We met at a picnic along the Corniche Road, and she sat upon me so severely th

indulged in a

y; neither is Phil-Phyllis is her name, you know. This is for life. I am just bound up in her, and she would go through fire and water for me. But she is rich, the only

oction of brandy and soda. The diff

I am fairly well off, living as I do, and I can't bear acting under false pretences. I hate it like poison, though in this world a man often has to do what he doesn't like. However, this time I determined to be straight and above board

stories of real life are often so much more dram

came. She wanted to get the money from her mother to enable me to pay up, but I would not hear of it. I pretended that I could raise the wind some other way. The fact is I was wild with myself and with my luck generally. Then there was the disgrace of failing to settle on Monday, combined

this last sentence. The barrister tried

not succeeded too

s which would bring things to her knowledge that, unexplain

tly a painful one, so

said. "Are you sure it's all right,

l tell you all about it. If you will pardon me a moment I will bring you the papers, as I s

for h

ed the door a gentle tap heralded

. Monsieur is not in his room. He is

lush, and handed it to the barrister, saying: "Under the cir

y missi

erything. She likes you, and though she gave me a blowing up, she has promised to give me ￡500 to-morrow. We ca

r yo

yll

eturned

y, here's the mother plotting with the daughter on your behalf. Sir Wil

tter to Sydney H. Corbett was still unclaimed, and he thought he was justified in examining it. On the reverse of the e

ined him in the billiard-

she spoiled my aim by shrieking out. Sir William has chartered a steam yacht to go for a three weeks' cruise along the Gulf of Ge

his friend had gone out early, leaving word that he had been summoned

e a whirlwind. "We're off to-day," he said. "

id, "My permanent address is given here, the Orleans Club, St. James's.

oner. Good-bye, and don't le

keep any fellow all right once he got his chance,

ly to the search for Corbett. He inquired in every possib

baize-covered board until it was covered with dust, and the clerk of the bureau had g

ith imperials and long moustaches-the interest taken i

el was closed, and the mysterious