STRANGE ABSENCE!

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 252, 25 October 1933, Page 17

STRANGE ABSENCE!

By ALLYN SLOAN, '

" Author of _______ " Th :° ivi H d,n H 9 X7 B h \. and "Guarded Watch."

CHAPTER VI. Police Called In. Leaning back in her cliair, Heleii Corst wondered what was wrong with this day. A few hours ago she had been peacefully picking flowers in her garden, pottering in it as she loved to do, moving slowly in the sunshine completely at peace with the world, except for feeling sorry that the nice Graham girl had gone. She had so admired her loyalty to that hopeless brother of hers, and very much wished that Jean could have paid her a visit before going home. And liere was her wish fulfilled, but liow tragically. She thought of the girl upstairs, and frowned. It was strange. But seeing Geoffrey Winton crossing the garden towards her, Helen waved. "Come to inquire?" she asked. "Er —yes," he stammered, uncomfortably aware that lie had not given Jean Graham a thought since he had seen his wife. "How is she?" "Conscious now. Not very happy, of course, but as well as may be expected." "O. And —er —what about her brother?" Mrs. Gorst shrugged her shoulders. "I've heard nothing. Jerry went off with the police to show them the place where he found Jean. I'm expecting him back at any moment." "0." Helen looked sharply at her visitor. "What's the matter, Geoffrey?" Winton moved restlessly and jerked unconvincingly. "Nothing specially." Helen raised her eyebrows, but said: "Have a cigarette." "Thanks." Winton helped himself, then, as if he could not help it, blurted out: "I told Doreen, and she was terribly upatt. Can't make it out." "0." Helen thought it strange, too, but she commented: "It's only natural. After all, they were her guests." "What d'you think happened?" he asked suddenly. "I can't im«gine. It looks as if Jean were driving, and yet —" she broke off helplessly. "Graham was at the wheel when they left us," Winton asserted. "It seems queer that Grant did see him." A smile of quiet amusement lit up Helen's pleasant face. "I think he was too—too concerned at Jean's condition to bother much." "Dm. Hullo, here lie is." Both looked up as rather breathlessly Grant hurried towards them. "How is she?" the young man asked immediately. Helen repeated what she had said to Winton. "Now tell me," she added. "What did you learn from the police " Grant sat down. "The smash had already been reported when I got there. They made an examination, wrote notes about it and all that, then we came back." "Yes, but what of the brother ?" Winton insisted. Grant shook his head. "The police say that he could not have been there. Miss Graham must have been driving herself." "But she wasn't," Winton exploded, his face becoming scarlet as he glared at Grant. Watching them, Helen wondered what was wrong with Geoffrey. But she said calmly: "Jean's first conscious words were of her brother." "You mean that he was there?" asked both men together. Helen nodded. "I haven't told her that Euan is missing, of course." "Good Lord!" Grant stared blankly. Then, after a moment's thought, lie said: "Mrs. Gorst, don't you think the police should be informed that Graham really was there?" Helen agreed that she must take immediate steps. "I can't believe that he lias® really disappeared. It's too absurd," she said. "Still, I wonder if you would come with me to the Prefecture?" "Bather!" Grant sprang up, saying urgently: "We must waste no time!" CHAPTER VII. Is Euan In Hospital? Three days passed, and still there was no news of the whereabouts of Euan Graham. All manner of inquiries were made by the police, who had been astonished, although convinced by Helen Gorst's statement —corroborated later that evening by Geoffrey Winton—that Euan had been in the car when they had started out. "It would seem M. Graham was rescued by some persons at present unknown, and he will be located in a hospital or a villa. We will find him very soon, have no doubt, madame," the commissary had assured them confidently. That had seemed reasonable, even likelv, to Helen, but Grant had objected. "Why should tliey have taken Mr. Graham and left mademoiselle?" "All—" The Frenchman's shoulders mounted up to his ears, and he spread out his hands in a typically Latin gesture. "Who can tell?" Helen found herself sorely perturbed. It was, all so incomprehensible. How could Euan have disappeared? It was useless, however, even to think about it. Everything possible was being done, and she could only wait and hope. Meanwhile she was busy, for the accident had been reported in the Press, and there were many inquiries from acquaintances and the merely curious; also many offerings of flowers. One of the finest of these bore the name of Baron Max de Laurier, which puzzled Helen not a little, for although Jean had not been expansive about those whom she had met at the Wintons, Helen knew that she had not liked him. In the afternoon, Doreen strolled in, taking Helen unawares as she sat at her table writing to cancel several engage- [ ments which she had made for the coming week. She was as usual someI what exaggeratedly dressed, and Helen fancied that she looked as if she had passed a sleepless night. "My dear. What a time you're having," she said in her harsh drawl. "I hope you didn't mind my keeping Jean ?" asked Helen, smiling inwardly, because she was sure that there was nothing that Doreen Winton would dislike more than to have a sick girl in the house. "Of course not. I think it too marvellous of you. May I have a cig.?" "Do." Helen passed the box, remarking: "I am very fond of Jean." "By the way—" Doreen paused to light her cigarette—"has anything been heard of Euan?" The words were just too carelessly spoken, Helen thought, then immediately told huereejf not to ie-ridiculoua. If per-

chance Doreen and the boy had been moro than friends it was none of her business. "Nothing; the police are still searching. You have no idea what might have happened, I suppose?" "I 1" Laughing harshly, Doreen raised her eyebrows. "Of course I haven't. The police came up and asked us a thousand and one questions this morning, as if we could know anything." "Well, it's natural, as you were the last •person to see them. By the way, you don't know if they stopped anywhere in Monte after leaving you?" "No. Tlie police asked ua that. Hasn't Jean said anything?" "No. She's hardly spoken yet." Doreen gave her a look which she could not interpret, then abruptly changed the subject. ' "My dear, I nearly forgot. Will you come over and dine to-morrow? The Alwyns are coming, and they'd love to see you again." Helen declined, saying that she would not be going out until Jean was better. "My dear, what nonsense!" Evidently Doreen was much put out. "You can't stay cooped up here because a practi—" Helen interrupted with a laugh. "I'm not at all cooped up, thank you. I've five rooms, a loggia and a, large garden." Doreen shrugged her shoulders and moved towards the door. "You might let mo know what happens," she said, and went out.

CHAPTER VIII. Rivaux Investigates. Still there was no news of Euan Graham, and a few clays later M. Rivaux, of the Surete, called by appointment to see Mrs. Gorst. Grant, liis friend Dan Washburn, and the Wintons, as persons concerned, were also present. Rivaux was a round, pompous little man, yellow of complexion, whom Washburn disrcspectfuly described as looking like the canary after it had eaten the cat —triumphant, but over-full. He seated himself where he could see everyone, glanced at some notes in his hand, then gave cach of them a long penetrating look. M "Hope he's not going to say grace,' whispered Grant. In reply, Washburn recited beneath his breath: "In all that we're going to say, Lord make us very careful." The examination opened by Rivaux shooting a somewhat peculiar remark at Helen Gorst. "It is a great pity that Mademoiselle Gra'am will not tell us anything." "It is not that she will not, monsieur," corrected Helen. "But she is not well enough yet to be worried with questions, especially on such an unpleasant subject." "Oho?" Rivaux took her up sharply. "Is the recovery of her brother an unpleasant subject then?" "Certainly not, but Miss Graham does not know that her brother is missing." "Does Mademoiselle not ask news of her brother? That is a little strange, is it not?" "Of course Miss Graham lias asked of her brother," Helen explained patiently. "Her first conscious words were of him, but Doctor Thomas says it is most important that she should not worry. I could not therefore tell her that he was missing." Rivaux regarded Helen a moment, then asked: "And what have you told her, Madame?" "I said that Mr. Graham was in hospital in Nice." A silence followed whilst Rivaux consulted tlio paper in his hand. Suddenly he looked up. "What kind of a young gentleman was this M. Gra'am?" "I guess he was a swell guy," came laconically from Washburn. "Un 'svell guy'? What is that, monsieur?" Grant chuckled and gave his companion's shoulder a friendly slap. "It's American for a good fellow, monsieur." "Ah, je comprends." Helen waited the least bit anxiously. She was grateful to Washburn for his support, but did not think his description very apt. Rivaux turned his gaze to Doreen. "Now you, madame. M. Gra'am was in your villa for two weeks. What do you think?" Her lips twisted into a somewhat scornful smile as she replied: "Mr. Graham was my guest. Naturally I agree with Mr. Washburn." "Urn." Suddenly his little eyes rested on Winton and it came to him that the big Engli.simian did not agree with his wife. "And you, M. le Colonel, did you find M. Gra'am un 'svell guy'?" Winton moved his feet uncomfortably, grew scarlet in the face, and stammered : — "I—l did not know him very well." "Comment? When he was in your villa for two weeks?" "He was a friend of my wife's. I play golf all day and did not see him often." Rivaux nodded. "So—he was a friend of Madame your wife's. And when you were playing golf what did M. Gra'am do?" Doreen opened a thin gold case and took out a cigarette before answering with a question: "What has all this to do with you? It's your bushr-ss to find Mr. Graham, not to ask questions." "Ah, so Madame does not like to have questions asked?" Rivaux leaned forward and smilingly met Doreen's hard, angry eyes. "That is insolent," she retaliated coldly. Rivaux's hand beat an impatient tattoo on the table. "Madame, I am trying to arrive at the character of M. Gra'am. You know hira best, but you will not tell. Is it perhaps—because it is like—your own?" Doreen stiffened, but before she could reply Rivaux hurried on: "When M. le Colonel was at le golf you were with M. Gra'am in the Casino perhaps Doreen uncrossed her legs with an abrupt movement and broke in: "Since you know so much about his movements, why ask me?" "I thought Madame would help. However —" With a reproachful sigh Rivaux added: "Let us get on." "I'm with you there," murmured Washburn. "Madame—" The Commissary addressed himself again to Helen. "What d) you know of M. Gra'am?" "Very little excepting that his sister adored Mm and that they were setting out on their journey home when the accident occurred." CTo be continued -dafly^