A LOST WITNESS, OR THE MYSTERY OF LEAH PAGET

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 253, 1 November 1897, Page 6

A LOST WITNESS, OR THE MYSTERY OF LEAH PAGET

By LAWRENCE L. LYNCH, Author of "Shadowed by Three," "A Slender Clue," "Dangerous Ground, "Madeline Payne," " A Mountain Mystery," "The Diamond Coterie," "Romance of a Bomb Thrower," "Out of a Labyrinth."

f CHAPTER XL 'CAPTAIN CONNORS OPENS THE CASE. At an early hour on the evening of the following day, Chief of Police Connors sat in his inner office, alone, and carefully scanning what seemed to be a list of names in one note-book, alternating with sundry memoranda in another. After some minutes he apparently finished with the book of memoranda, and dropping it into an open drawer, -which he closed and locked, he drew back in his chair and glanced over his desk, putting away one or two written documents, closing a ledger, casting a wary glance down at the floor and into the waste-basket, lest a dropped letter or a misplaced paper might fall into wrong hands. AU being as it should in the sanctum of a careful and methodical Chief of [Police, he rang a bell. 'Are they here?' he asked of a man who promptly appeared. 'All but Marcus.' 'Very well.' The Chief took out his watch, glanced at it, and then, from force of habit, up at the clock opposite his desk. 'Send in Waters.' Waters came in and seated himself in a chair drawn up before the desk of the Chief, and very near it. He was a small, spare man, grey-haired, and quiet of manner. He said nothing until the Chief addressed him, merelylooking up with the calm air of a man accustomed to the situation, and smiling slightly as their glances met. •Well, Waters?' M think I've exhausted Grammercy Park, sir. The Carters are an old family there; wealthy, highly respected, etc. The solid sort. The family, that is, the old people, are not especially intimate with the Pa gets.' 'You're sure of that?' 'Quite sure, sir. It's very clear, though, that they, with the rest of social' New York, hold the Pagets m high esteem.' 'Yes.'

'It's the daughter, only daughter, Miss Gertrude or Gertie Carter, who is the friend of Miss Leah Paget, The young ladies were chums at school. 'Yes, I see.' 'They have not exchanged many visits—the young ladies, I mean—because Miss Carter has been absent until quite recently pursuing the study of music in Germany. Ido not think they can have seen enough of each other since their school days to become intimate up to the confiding S 'And how far back do they date— these school days?' _ 'Considerably more than a year.

'Oh, indeed.' . 'The family have no more idea ot the present whereabouts of Miss Paget than I have. They are thoroughly startled by the news. It Miss Paget had a secret of any sort, .1 don't think she would have confided it to Miss Gertie Carter.' 'Why?' quickly interjected the Chiei. 'Mi^s Paget,' Waters went on, imperturbably, 'is, I am told, a young, lady of much intelligence, brilliant, talented, soundly sensible. Miss Carter is apretty, good-natured, chatterin^ little magpie; utterly incapable of taking things seriously; of givmg good advice or taking it, or of keeping a secret.' .'•'■_.•_. Captain Connors leaned back m his chair and laughed. 'You're a model band with a verbal report, Waters. I feel quite well acquainted with Miss Carter. We will drop her and all the Carters, or rather I will drop them and leave them to you, unless—is there anything else?' 'Nothing except this: Miss Gertie is not merely the only daughter, she is the only child. They live alone— a family of three.' 'Ah, Waters, you don't forget. I wish some of my youngsters were like you. About the others now—did you find them —'

'Plenty. The Lathrops are soon disposed of. Miss Amy Latbrop is an orphan, an heiress of a modest sort — twenty thousand or so ; another school friend of Miss Paget's. The Lathrops, uncle and aunt, are summering at Point Comfort. They live somewhere over in Jersey, and know -the Pagets only by reputation or through their niece. Miss Amy Lathrop is a rather dignified young woman with decided tastes and manners. The two young ladies, Miss Paget and Miss Lathrop. certainly hold each other in strong regard, but they are not in any sense intimates orconfidantes. There is nothing to be gained by cultivating these people. Captain Connors heaved a sigh, not deep but suggestive of business-like disappointment. I feared or thought as much, Waters. Here are some other names,' holding a slip of paper towards him. 'Try if there's anything in these tomorrow. Leti the others drop. That's all, Waters.' Waters withdrew, and the Chief after a few moments of grave thought again touched his bell. 'Send in Nickerson.'

Nickerson came with much breeze and bustle. He closed the door with noise and fussiness, looking back to see that" it was closed; sitting- down and getting up again in the same instant; fussing about himself as if in search of a concealed treasure, only to produce at last a brown silk handkerchief, with which he vigorously mopped his face. Evidently accustomed to the ways of the man, the chief lay back in his chair and waited until stillness had succeeded this preliminary confusion. Then he said, 'Well, Nickerson, are you ready now?' Nickerson smiled as if sharing with the Chief the little grin, discernible behind that official's shaggy moustache at his own foibles. 'All ready,' he said.

'Well, go on then about the Pagets.'

'There is nothing about the Pagets that isn't perfectly fair and square and straight —absolutely nothing,' began Nickerson, bluntly. 'Miss Leah Paget is an only child, petted, courted, flattered, beautiful, heiress to two

fortunes. Father and mother both rich. She is in. perfect physical health —if the word of +he family physician is to be believed. Has never had a week's illness, never had a sorrow nor a disappointment, never, had an. ungratified wish—' 'Oh, come, Nickerson,' remonstrated the Chief, smilingly, 'don't go off in that way.'

Nickerson's eyes rested upon his superior with a shade of reproach. 'You know a man can talic best in his own fashion,' he said, 'and since we don't write —'

'Confound it,' broke in the Chief, 'if you wrote reports, I'd have to read a chapter out of a three volume novel every day. But : > on, old fellow; you and I are toe good friends to argue over whims. Go on, and take your own way. If you have formed an opinion, let's have it.'

Captain Connors and John Nickerson had indeed seen service together; first, as common policemen, and later, upon a select staff for special duties

and dangers. The Chief was too genial to preserve, even with his younger and less well known subordinates, that dignity usually found in the bearing- of an official of his high degree—vastly helpful and becoming whenit is the gift of: Mother Nature, eminently absurd and lacking of its proper' impre,.siveness, when as often happens it is donned and doffed like a garment of state.

Nickerson drew his chair a little nearer his chief, and smiled, evidentlypleased. 'Well,' he said, leaning back and inserting two thumbs into two waistcoat pockets—a favourite position-—■ 'well, I have formed an opinion, and I don't believe I am going to find cause to change it right away.'

'Oh.' The Chief settled back in his chair, folded his arms across his chest, and looked very alert. 'Now, then?' 'First; every moment spent in interviewing, shadowing, or burrowing into the history or character of the Paget servants is so much time thrown away.'

'Yes, I begin to think so.' 'So, too, is every moment given to the past or present of the Pagets. I mean, of course, Paget and his wife.' 'Um—m.'

'Oh, you'll find that I'm right. I'm almost prepared to say as much of the missing young lady.' 'Almost?'

'Yes, I said almost; not quite, however.'

'Very wise in you, too.'

'Well, I don't know. I may as well say that, already, I incline strongly to the belief that the young lady is not absent by her own wish or will.' 'That's making a long jump, Nickerson. What does it lead up to, first and most naturally, in your mind?' 'It leads, first, of course, to all manner of conjectures; abduction, for instance; sudden insanity, suicide, elopement, a possible family quarrel, some secret trouble or sorrow; a possible accident that might have rendered her insensible '

'Pshaw!'

'You asked what were my first thoughts concerning- this disappearance didn't you? Well, I'm giving- you some of them. Then ,there's abduction followed by murder; there's abduction to rob; there's revenge, there's jealousy'

Connors groaned aloud

'Then there's such a thing as injuring the child to hurt the parents. There might be a rejected lover with a bad temper and an appetite for wine; or' a jealous and perhaps jilted rival. Don't you remember the story of the rival singers of Italy? The one carried oft" the other, and spoiled her face scientifically with hot irons.' 'Nickerson, if it wasn't you, I'd shut down on this.'

'Well, you asked a question. T'm answering to the best of my ability. There's another thing-,'—here Nickerson grinned behind his hand—'there's the mad house business.'

Again Connors groaned; and as if in answer to the sound, some one tapped lightly at the office door. 'Open it, Nickerson,' said the Chief. Nickerson complied, and Polly Cousin stood revealed in the doorway. 'Come in, Cousin,' called Connors. And the reporter, nodding familiarly to Nickerson, entered the room, and closed the door.

'Lock it,' said the Chief. Nickerson turned the key, and Cousin pushed a bolt into place.

'You're just the man for us, Polly,' began the Chief. 'Sit down, both of you. I want you to hear Nickei-son propound theories.'

'Theories?' Cousin drew a chair so close that he touched Nickerson's elbow. 'Easy work, that.' 'Yes; and Nickerson's good at it.' 'It's about the only easy work wc have,' Nickerson retorted," 'and it is usually the way we begin, I guess.' T guess so, too,' said Cousin. 'Is it the Paget business?' There was neither interest nor curiosity in- the question. Cousin spoke and looked like a man whose mind is already too full to admit of another idea.

'Yes,' replied the Chief, 'it is the Paget business. And I may as well say, right here, that it does not progress. I've had a dozen men out, and they've come back empty-handed.'

Cousin brushed a hand across liis brow, as if to exorcise all outside thoughts, and said, in the same indifferently quiet tone:

'You mean that our first idea has been carried out, I suppose?'

'Yes. Miss Paget's parents, friends, neighbours and servants have all l.assed under the microscope—to no purpose.' 'And among them all,' said Cousin, 'could they not furnish you with a single peg big enough to hang one of Nickerson's theories upon?' 'Or one of yours?.' suggested Nickerson. 'My good fellow, I haven't sucli a thing about me.' ~ 'If you had,' broke in the Chief, 'it would be thankfully received —by me, at least.' 'Yes, and by me,' agreed Nickerson;'even if it's a very small one.' 'Well, I have an idea,' said Cousin. 'Of course, if you have learned absolutely nothing, you haven't found out who are Miss Paget's enemies.' 'Her enemies?' exclaimed Nickerson. 'Her enemies?' echoed the Chief. 'My good souls,' began Cousin, as if remonstrating, 'don't you know that there are only two kinds of women who don't make enemies?' 'Umph!' from the Chief. Silen.ce and a long stare from Nickerson. 'The first are in the insane asylum,' went on Cousin, .'and the others are in their graves.' 'Oh!' cried Connors, 'this grows worse and worse.' Cousin went on, heedless of the interruption: 'To fancy that a woman as young, as fair, as. fortunate as Miss Leah Paget could live in this world and make no enemies is as absurd as to say that envy and jealousy and avarice and all uneharitableness have gone out of the world. Connors, if I were you, I , would trouble myself less with look-

ing after her friends, and try to locate her enemies.'

For a long time there was silence, except for the sound of Cousin's cane tapping lightly and regularly against the toe of his boot. Then Nickerson. turned, and put out his hand. 'Shake, boy,' he said. 'You'll lead _s all yet. Gad, you did have an idea.'

'Well,' said the reporter carelessly, 'you people had better1 utilize it then, and be ready for the next.' 'Have you >got another?' 'Almost.'

'We will utilize it, Polly,' said Connors. He hesitated a moment, glancing askance at Nickerson, and then, seeming to think of something worth remembering, drew a blank card toward him and wrote a few words hastily; then he said, 'Your other idea Cousin, can't we have that, too?' 'Yes; it is this—and a good job it will be for Nickerson, here. Find out what the friends and enemies of Miss Pajget were doing durihg- the night of Ji'er disappearance.' , « ' 'Good,' exclaimed the Chief, with new-animation; and lie began to cover another card with his peculiar scrawl. 'Now tho wheels are beginning to move.' A knock at the office door caused him to pause, and then he sig-nalled Nickerson to admit the applicant. It was one of his men, who silently presented a card to the Chief. Connors caught it up and glanced at the name thereon, and at the words pencilled below— M. B. TALFOURD. Will Captain Connors spare half an hour to one personally interested in the case of Miss Paget? The Chief re-read the name and the words below it, and then passed the card to the reporter. 'Do you know him?' asked Cousin, after glancing at the card. 'Slightly. Pass it on to Nickerson.' Nickerson took the card and perused it in his turn. 'I don't know him,' he said, as he returned it to the Chief. 'Tell the g-entleman I will see him in live minutes,' said the Chief to the waiting messenger. And when the door had again closed, he turned to Nickerson. 'I am going to let you work up Cousin's last idea, Nickerson, and it won't be a small job I'm thinking. Take your own way, and as many men as you need; only be lively.' Nickerson arose with alacrity. 'I'll take half an hour to think things over,' he said, 'and then I may want to see you again.' 'Very good,' replied the Chief; and Nickerson went briskly out. Then Cousin arose, and stood a moment silently leaning against the desk before Connors.

'You'll wait?' said the latter in a confidential tone.

'I'll come back,' Cousin replied. 'Do you know Mr Talfourd, Cousin?' 'Not personally. He's a square man, though.' 'Yes, I'm sure of that.' Cousin took up his hat, went toward the door, and then turned back. 'Don't forget,' he said slowly, that this man is the father of Max Talfourd, and that Max Talfourd is the fiancee of Leah Paget.' (To be Continued.)