The Circular Staircase - Page 112/154

"Halsey?" I asked unceremoniously, ignoring the stranger. "Did he not

meet you?"

"No." Mr. Jamieson looked slightly surprised. "I rather expected the

car, but we got up all right."

"You didn't see him at all?" Louise demanded breathlessly.

Mr. Jamieson knew her at once, although he had not seen her before.

She had kept to her rooms until the morning she left.

"No, Miss Armstrong," he said. "I saw nothing of him. What is wrong?"

"Then we shall have to find him," she asserted. "Every instant is

precious. Mr. Jamieson, I have reason for believing that he is in

danger, but I don't know what it is. Only--he must be found."

The stocky man had said nothing. Now, however, he went quickly toward

the door.

"I'll catch the hack down the road and hold it," he said. "Is the

gentleman down in the town?"

"Mr. Jamieson," Louise said impulsively, "I can use the hack. Take my

horse and trap outside and drive like mad. Try to find the Dragon

Fly--it ought to be easy to trace. I can think of no other way. Only,

don't lose a moment."

The new detective had gone, and a moment later Jamieson went rapidly

down the drive, the cob's feet striking fire at every step. Louise

stood looking after them. When she turned around she faced Gertrude,

who stood indignant, almost tragic, in the hall.

"You KNOW what threatens Halsey, Louise," she said accusingly. "I

believe you know this whole horrible thing, this mystery that we are

struggling with. If anything happens to Halsey, I shall never forgive

you."

Louise only raised her hands despairingly and dropped them again.

"He is as dear to me as he is to you," she said sadly. "I tried to

warn him."

"Nonsense!" I said, as briskly as I could. "We are making a lot of

trouble out of something perhaps very small. Halsey was probably

late--he is always late. Any moment we may hear the car coming up the

road."

But it did not come. After a half-hour of suspense, Louise went out

quietly, and did not come back. I hardly knew she was gone until I

heard the station hack moving off. At eleven o'clock the telephone

rang. It was Mr. Jamieson.

"I have found the Dragon Fly, Miss Innes," he said. "It has collided

with a freight car on the siding above the station. No, Mr. Innes was

not there, but we shall probably find him. Send Warner for the car."

But they did not find him. At four o'clock the next morning we were

still waiting for news, while Alex watched the house and Sam the

grounds. At daylight I dropped into exhausted sleep. Halsey had not

come back, and there was no word from the detective.