Newspaper Page Text
The
Mazaroff
2 Mystery
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CHAPTER IX
Missing!
It needed no more than a glance at
the two policemen to see that this an
nouncement produced an effect on
their officially trained minds which
was equivalent to letting in a sudden
flood of Illuminating light on a hither
to dark subject. Corkerdale looked at
Manners; Manners staged at Corker
dale ; then both turned on the solicitor.
“Mrs. Elphlnstone!” exclaimed Man
ners. “In possession of the missing
will?”
But Corkerdale’s first remark was
in a quieter tone.
“That'll need some explanation,” he
said, with a significant look. “As I
understand matters, the will was in
Mazaroff’s pocket when he was mur
dered.”
“As far as is known, it was,” re
plied Crole. "He carried it away from
Postlethwaite’s office at York, in his
pocket, anyway, and it certainly wasn’t
amongst his effects at the Woodcock,
which we examined after his death.
Explanation, yes! But I’ll tell you
how we came to find out that Mrs.
Elphlnstone got it.” He went on to
narrate tiie happenings of the previ
ous night but one, on which Sheila
came to me with the missing will.
“Now,” he continued, “the thing of
course, Is—how, where, under what cir
cumstances did Mrs. Elphlnstone get
hold of that will? Last night, after
Mrs. Elphlnstone arrived in London,
Maythorne saw her and tried to get an
explanation out of her. He got noth
ing!"
"Not a word 1” said Maythorne.
“She showed nothing but defiance. I
pointed out the Inference that might
be drawn; the suspicion that might be
thrown upon her—all no good! She
refused to say or tell anything.”
“And that makes me think,” re
marked Crole, a little eagerly, “that
Mrs. Elphlnstone, after all, may have
a proper and reasonable explanation
to give. I can’t think that a woman of
any common sense—and she’s a
shrewd, clever, hard woman!—would
be so foolish as to behave In this
fashion unless she knew she was safe.
You hinted that you'd have to give in
formation to the police, didn't you,
Maythorne?”
, “I did!”
“And it produced no effect on her?”
“Not the slightest! Her whole atti
tude was that of —mind your own
business!”
Crole began to drum the table with
his fingers, looking round at the rest
of us as if he wondered whether any
body had got any suggestion to make.
As nobody spoke, he made one him
self.
“I wonder of Mazaroff, or Merchison,
as he really was, met Mrs. Elphin
stone, or Mrs. Merchison, as she really
is, at any time while he was at the
Woodcock before his death?” he said.
“Possiblel”
“I don't think he did,” replied May
thorne, at whom Crole was looking
particularly. “There’s nothing what
ever to suggest it. Os course, if Mrs.
Elphlnstone could be got to speak it
would clear up a tremendous lot.”
“From what little I saw of Mrs.
Elphlnstone at Marrasdale,” observed
Crole, “she’s the sort of woman who
will not speak—until it pleases her to
do so! A hard woman —d —d hard!"
’“Where Is Mrs. Elphlnstone to be
found?” asked Corkerdale.
“Short's hotel.” replied Maythorne.
“Then I think Manners and I had
better go there and see her,” said
Corkerdale. He turned to Eccleshare.
.-“You spoke of leaving England, doc
tor? vC’hen?”
“I’ve not quite settled the exact
date,” replied Eccleshare. “I thought
about the end of next week.”
t “Better put ft off a bit, doctor,"
suggested Corkerdale, quietly. "As far
as I can see, your evidence will be
wanted —and so will your man’s.
Now,” he continued, “I suppose Par
slave there is a native of this place,
Marrasdale? .lust so—then he’s very
well acquainted with the personal ap
pearance of Mrs. Elphinstone?”
“Known her a many years, sir—
ever since she came to live at Marras
dale tower,” replied Parslave.
“You'd be in the habit of seeing her
regularly, Parslave?” suggested the
detective.
“Most every day, sir—here and
there.”
“And you’ve no doubt that it was
Mrs. Elphinstone you saw that night, I
coming away from the place where
you heard the shot tired, and where |
Mazaroff’s dead body was afterwards j
discovered ?”
“Not a doubt about that, sir! Take
my solemn 'davy 'twas Mrs. Elphin
stone."
“And you've no doubt either, doctor?
though you. of course, being. I
gather, a mere visitor to these parts,
wouldn't know Mrs. Elphinstone so
well?”
“I’ve no doubt,” replied Eccleshare.
“Although I was only a visitor, I
know Mrs. Elphinstone well enough.
My host, Mr. Courthope, Is her
nephew. He, Mr. Armintrade, and
myself dined at Marrasdale tower two
of three times during my stay. I often
met Mrs. Elphinstone out on the
moors, or in the village. I’m positive
she was the woman Parstave and I
saw coming away that night from
Reiver’s den.”
Corkerdale turned to Manners.
“I think we’d bet/ter go round to
Short’s hotel,” he remarked.
“That’s what I think,” agreed Man
ners. “Can't be left where it is.”
We all got up. There was a brief
silence. Crole was Just going to say
something when a knock came at the
door. Eccl eshare’s housekeeper put
her head inside.
“There's a young man outside, sir,
wants to know if Mr. Maythorne is
here?” she said. "Come in a taxi, sir,
with an old gentleman. The young
man said —if Mr. Maythorne’s here
which his name is Pickles.”
“One of my clerks,” muttered May
thorne. “Excuse me!”
He hurried out—to return within a
minute or two with Mr. Elphinstone.
And, for the first time since the be
ginning of my acquaintanceship with
him, Maythorne showed evidence of
something close akin to excitement.
“Here’s n new development!” he ex
claimed as he came into the room.
"Mr. Elphinstone lias been to my office
and followed me here to tell me that
Mrs. Elphinstone lias disappeared!”
We all turned on Mr. Elphinstone.
He was shaken out of his usual dream
iness ; he looked perturbed, dismayed,
puzzled, wholly at a loss. Standing
there a little within the doorway,
blinking at us as if unable to make us
out or reckon us up, he nodded auto
matically at Maythorne’s announce
ment. But he was sufficiently master
of himself to confirm it, in words.
"Since last night!” he said. “Dis
appeared—completely! Most extraor
dinary—and unpleasant—and embar
rassing—l really do not know what to
think —or do!”
Crole, who had given the two police
men a sharp glance on hearing the
news, pushed a chair toward the new
comer.
“Sit down, Mr. Elphinstone,” he
said. “Perhaps we can help you a
bit. When did Mrs. Elphinstone dis
appear?”
Mr. Elphinstone dropped into the
chair, and looked round us again.
“Just so!” he said. “The fact is,
the whole thing is really most confus
ing. Last night, of course! We left
Miss Apperley’s fiat and went to
Short’s hotel. We had dinner on our
arrival, in our own private sitting
room. It was some little time after
that that Sheila came. She —”
“Oh ! —Miss Merchison came there,
did she?” interrupted Maythorne.
“Miss Merchison—Sheila —my step
daughter—yes. She came. She and
her mother went into the adjoining
bedroom —to talk. I heard them talk
ing. I —l went away—downstairs, you
know—l thought I’d smoke a cigar in
the smoking room. I was down there
perhaps an hour. I foregathered
with a man who turned out to be some
thing of an archeologist—interesting
conversation. Perhaps I was a little
longer away. Then I went up to our
rooms again. There was nobody there
—nobody at all! I thought perhaps
Mrs. Elphinstone and Sheila had gone
into the drawing room, and I went
there, but they were not to be seen.
I waited some time. Then, as they
didn’t come, I made some Inquiry.
And I found —really most astonish
ing!—l found, from the hall porter,
that Mrs. Elphinstone and Sheila, and
Alison Murdoch had all gone out of
the hotel some time before, evidently
soon after I had gone down to the
smoking room. And—”
“Pardon me, Mr. Elphinstone,” broke
in Maythorne, "but —who is Alison
Murdoch?”
Mr. Elphinstone looked at his ques
tioner pretty much as a man looks
who wonders that anybody shouldn't
know as much as himself.
“Alison Murdoch?” he answered.
“Oh, ah! —you're not a Marrasdale
man, of course. Alison Murdoch is a
sort of foster-sister of my wife’s.
Brought up together, as children, you
know. Then at one time she was for
many years my wife's maid —still acts
in that capacity when we go traveling,
as in this instance. But for some few
years she has lived in a little house at
Marrasdale —Birnside, really—on her
own means—little competency, you
know. An active woman, though—in
the tourist season, for instance, she
helps them at the Woodcock with their
cooking—clever, bustling woman !”
"And she went out last night with
Mrs. Elphinstone and Miss Merchison?"
asked Maythorne.
“So I learned from the hall por
ter He said that Mrs. Elphlnstone
EARLY COUNTY NFWt. BLAKELY. GEORGIA
and her maid —they know them both
well enough at Short’s for we are al
ways up, all three of us, two or three
times a year, and Miss Merchison,
whom, of course, they also know well,
all went out together about —I think
he said half past nine.”
“Did he call a cab for them?” de
manded Maythorne.
"No—lie said they turned to tiie left,
down the street —walking,” replied Mr-.
Elphinstone. "Dear me!—l really
can’t think why they should go walk
ing at that hour of the evening!”
“But the point is—did they, or any
one of them, return?" inquired Crole.
“None returned!” said Mr. Elphfn
stone. “I waited up till midnight—
eventually I retired —very much puz
zled. And—l was so fatigued I fell
asleep at once, and slept soundly un
til morning. To my great amazement,
I found that neither Mrs. Elphinstone
nor Alison Murdoch had come back —
Sheila, of course, I supposed to be at
Miss Apperley’s. So, after getting a
little breakfast, I drove to Miss Ap
perley's, and Just caught that young
lady as she was leaving for her
classes. To my still greater amaze
ment she knew nothing whatever
about Sheila. Sheila, she said, had
suddenly remarked, after sitting in
silence for a long time the previous
evening, that she would go to Short’s
hotel and have things out with her
mother, and had set off there and
then—and had never returned! So,”
concluded Mr. Elphinstone, waving
his silver mounted cane, “there it Is!
All three have vanished !—in London!
I thought of Mr. Maythorne and went
to his office —and was brought along
here to him. And I was going to ask
you, Mr. Maythorne—do you think it
possible they have been kidnaped?”
No one laughed: Mr. Elphinstone’s
simplicity was too apparent. He was
very grave, too, in his simplicity, and
Crole was equally grave in replying to
his ingenuous question.
“No, Mr. Elphinstone, no, I don’t
think it possible for three women to
be kidnaped, even In London,” he an
swered. “I think you’ll find that they
went out on some business of their
own, and that they had good reasons
—again of their own ! —for not return
ing. But let me ask you for a little
more information —when your wife and
her daughter went into the bedroom to
talk in private, where was Alison Mur
doch?”
Mr. Elphinstone considered this for
a moment.
“Probably,” he replied at last, “prob
ably in the next room to that —a
dressing room, which she used as a bed
room. We always have the same
rooms when we stay at Short’s.
There’s a sitting room, a bedroom, and
a dressing room: Alison Murdoch al
ways has the dressing room. I should
say she’d be In there when my wife
and Sheila went into the bedroom.”
“Did you find out from the hall
porter if they took anything away
IF
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“Do You Think It Possible They Have
Been Kidnaped?"
with them?” inquired Crole. “Any
light baggage—anything of that sort.
As if they, or one or other of them,
meant to stay away for the night?”
“I didn’t inquire,” replied Mr. Elphin
stone. “But I'm sure they didn’t. The
hall porter—an intelligent man whom
I’ve known for many years—told me
this morning that his own opinion,
when they went out was—well, in
short, one that would never have oc
curred to me.”
“And that was—what?” asked Crole.
“He said he thought the ladies were
going to have what he called an hour
at the pictures,” answered Mr. Elphin
stone. “Os course, I didn’t under
stand him. He explained that Just
round the corner from Short’s, in the
direction they took, is one of these
new-fangled cinema theaters, where, I
am told, moving pictures are shown.
But I can’t think—”
“I think we may take it that they
didn’t go there,” remarked Maythorne.
He glanced significantly at the two
policemen. “This’ll have to be gone
into carefully,” ha murmured. “Your
line!"
“We don't know that Mrs. Elphin
stone mayn't be found at Short’s—
when Mr. Elphlnstone goes back there,"
said Crole, glancing at his watch. “It’s
now noon, and —”
“We don't,” interrupted Maythorne.
Then, in an undertone, he muttered:
“But I guess he won’t! Mr. Elphin
stone!" he continued, raising his voice.
“I want to show you something—
something that I have in my pocket.
Here it is,” he went on. producing the
cairngorm brooch, and laying it on the
table. “Teri me! —have you ever seen
that article before?"
Mr. Elphinstone peered carefully at
the brooch and then looked up, quickly:
“Where did you get this?” he asked,
as if in surprise. “To be sure—it be
longs to my wife!”
Maythorne bent over the table
toward Manners and Corkerdale and
for a moment or two spoke to them in
a whisper: I gathered that he was
telling them how and when he found
the brooch which he had Just ex
hibited. Again he turned to Mr. El
phinstone.
“You've no doubt that this is your
wife’s brooch?" he asked. “After all,
I suppose that one of these things Is
very like another.”
"That’s is my wife’s property!" af
firmed Mr. Elphlnstone with more de
cision of will and manner than he
usually showed. “I bought it for her
myself, years ago, In Inverness. It is
one of two —they are precisely alike.
The stones are of a rather uncommon
sort of cairngorm; the silver mount
ings are old. I bought the pair in a
sort of odds-and-ends shop in Inver
ness—l remember the circumstances
very well. But to be sure!—l haven’t
seen either brooch for years.”
“Mrs. Elphinstone didn't wear them,
then?” suggested Maythorne.
“She thought them old-fashioned
and rather too heavy,” replied Mr.
Elphinstone. “She looked on them, I
think, as curiosities —she said they’d
been used, originally, for fastening
plaids—men’s plaids, you know, at the
shoulders —and she put them away. I
don’t remember that she ever did
wear them —but I have no doubt what
ever that what you show me is one
of the pair. Now, where did you
get it?”
“Let it suffice for the moment, Mr.
Elphinstone, to say that I found it,
accidentally,” answered Maythorne.
“Picked it up, you know —when I was
at Marrasdale. Never mind more,
just now.”
He replaced the brooch in his pocket
and rose, looking round at the rest
of us. “Well?” he said. “What
next?”
Nobody made any suggestion. The
next words came from Mr. Elphinstone.
“I wish I knew what has become
of my wife!” he said, plaintively.
“Can no one think of anything
to do?”
(continued next week.)
EXECUTOR’S SALE.
GEORGIA—EarIy County:
By virtue of an order of the Or
dinary of said State and county,
there will be sold at public outcry,
on the first Tuesday in July, 1930,
at the court house door in Blakely,
Ga., between the legal hours of sale,
to the highest bidder for cash, the
following described premises in said
county, to-wit: An undivided one
eighth interest in and to that house
and lot in the city of Blakely, said
county, known as the old Stuckey
home place, which is bounded on the
north by land of Mrs. John Lane, on
the east by land of John Lane, on
the south by Central Warehouse lot
and lot of R. C. Singletary, on the
west by Cuthbert street.
This June sth, 1930.
W. H. FRAZIER,
Executor - of the last will of
Mrs. J. M. Bethune.
N °M° RE RATg
or mice, after you use RAT-SNAP
—it’s a sure rodent killer. Try a
package and prove it. Rats killed with
RAT-SNAP leave no smell. Cats or
dogs won’t touch it. Guaranteed.
35c size 1 cake enough for
Pantry, Kitchen or Cellar.
65c size 2 cakes—for Chicken
House, coops, or small buildings.
$1.25 size—s cakes—enough for
all farm and out-buildings, storage
buildings, or factory buildings.
Sold and guaranteed by
FRYER’S PHARMACY
r t i
jHJIs. " Jr
W.C. ROUNTREE, M. D.
PELLAGRA A SPECIALTY
If you have many of the following
•ymptoms, I have the remedy, no mat
ter what your trouble has been diag
nosed: Nervousness, stomach trouble,
loss of weight, loss of sleep, sore mouth,
hurting in back of head, shoulders or
back, peculiar swimming in head,
frothy-like phlegm in throat, passing
of mucous from the bowels (especially
after taking purgative), burning feet,
yellow or brown skin, burning or itch
ing skin, rash on hands, face and arms
resembling sunburn, chronic constipa
tion, (sometimes alternating with di
arrhoea), copper or metallic taste, skin
sensitive to sun heat, forgetfulness,
despondency, thoughts that you might
lose your mind, gums red and falling
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and are still sick, I especially want YOU
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W, C. Rountree, M. D., BOX 1150
Dept. G-F, Austin, Texas
SHERIFF’S SALE.
GEORGIA—EarIy County:
On the first Tuesday in July,
1930, will be sold at public outcry,
before the court house door in the
I city of Blakely, Ga., within the
legal hours of sale, to the highest
bidder for cash, the following de
scribed property, towit:
The south half of lot of land No.
393 in the 28th land district of Early
county, Georgia.
Levied on and to be sold as the
property of Joseph Freeman to satis
fy a tax execution issued by J. C.
Loyless, tax collector, for unpaid
state, county and school taxes for
the year 1925, said fi. fa. having
been transferred to Mrs. J. E. Free
man on January 2, 1926.
This May 31st, 1930.
SID HOWELL, Sheriff.
CITATION.
GEORGIA—EarIy County:
To all whom it may concern:
S. G. George having in proper form
applied to me for Permanent Let
ters of Administration on the estate
of Maria Gilbert, late of said county,
this is to cite all and singular the
creditors and next of kin of Maria
Gilbert to be and appear at my of
fice within the time allowed by law,
and show cause, if any they can,
why permanent administration should
not be granted to S. G. George on
said ostate.
Witness my hand and official
signature, this 2nd day of June,
1930.
H. H. GRIMSLEY, Ordinary.
CITATION.
GEORGIA—EarIy County:
To whom it may concern:
Mrs. Ruby Lee Justice, of said
county, having applied to me for
letters of administration with the
will annexed, on the estate of Mrs.
Fannie Barnett, deceased, this is to
cite all persons interested to be and
appear at the July term, 1930, of
the Court of Ordinary of said coun
ty, to show cause, if they can, why
letters of administration with the
will annexed, should not be granted
to said Mrs. Ruby Lee Justice on
said estate.
This June 3rd (term), 1930.
H. H. GRIMSLEY, Ordinary.
No. 1 can Tomato Juice 10c
No. 2 can Fancy Asparagus 25c
1 lb. Dried Peaches, Apricots, Apples 20c
Distilled Vinegar, 1 gallon 35c
Pickling Spices, all kinds 10c
Fresh Vegetables Daily Lettuce, Cel-
ery, Tomatoes, Corn, Green Peas,
Squash, Beets, Cucumbers, Carrots,
Turnips, String Beans, etc.
JORDAN’S MARKET
Quick Delivery Phone 196
AT THE
Seneca Theatre
Blakely, Georgia
*iw^-TTmTW^"- , ’~ufn——n nrrniimi >■lll*ll mtjju maxw*-. az* . rr-
Friday
CHARLES FARRELL, MARY DUNCAN
AND DAVID TORRENCE
—in—
“ The Citi Girl”
A FOX PICTURE
Bringing the city to the old farm, in the
person of the farmer’s daughter-in-law, the
couple decide to stay and help father. It’s a
splendid comedy romance.
ALSO TWO REEL COMEDY
Admission, 15c and 35c
Saturday
A M Wtston FsaiiirG
—and—
TWO REEL COMEDY
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H. G. SMITH
...DENTIST...
X-Ray Machine*
Over Citizens Bank
BLAKELY, GA.
I FELIX RDAVIS
Dentist
BLAKELY : GEORGIA
Price* reasonable and al) work guar
anteed. Specialist on Crown and
Bridge wora. Office in Gay building,
first two rooms at bead of stairs.
Phone 157.
LOWRE Y STONE
Attorney at Law
Alexander Bldg.
BLAKELY, GEORGIA
C T ALEXANDER
Dentist
BLAKELY. : GEORGIA
Office upotairs in Southern Stat's
Life Building, rooms 5 and 6.
Office hours; 8:30 to 12:00 a. tn.;
2:00 to 6:00 pZm.
BLAKELY CHAPTER 44 R. A. M.
Blakely Chapter 44
W Royal Arch Masons
meets on the second!
and fourth Monday
nights of each month
at 8 o’clock. Visiting
companions invited.
Shelly Simmon*,
High Priest-
J. G. STANDIFER.
Secretary.
BLAKELY CAMP W. O. W.
CWoV Meets every Ist and
3rd Tuesday nights.
Visiting Sovereigns cordially invited.
J. F. GILBERT, C. C.
W. R. ALEXANDER, Clerk.