Show 11 KEEPING DARK III 1 I I I B ii Mildred Vm I II J. IJ 11 want you ou OtI to tell tel me mc what ha hits has become he of Colonel Durand suit said Lady Lad Waters about a U before Christ Christmas Ia mas and tier her disappointment wa was perfectly per Per- Jr- Jr thy fee when IHn I expressed i m my Inability to enlighten her hem very I oth other person I meet is a asking ask asi- I- I ing lug time the same question I 1 returned I cant can't understand It in lii time the least who Nho continued I confess I begin to tn feel feol Immensely uneasy I 1 even went so far Car as itS to call cal at al his hou hous-c hous house house- ea e- e a nl ho lie at mit home At Al nit all ni events e his man admitted il he lie hewa was wa in London I met him three weeks ago at al dinner dimmer at Mrs Mis Norcutt's ama and ald lie iC H kept us nil all ni amused tIme the whole even eve I cn Ing Mrs orcutt Norcutt was tins saying ayin afterward after after- ward that hint mm no 10 one coul could possibly believe be be- bl- bl lie lieve h he lie had a son on who must l be lie er very nearly thirty fl By ny the b by I asked asket Captain expected home from Crom India In April Apri 1 I believe said sid ld Lady Waters aters Yes she she- added Colonel Durand is certainly the time youngest lookIng look look- lug Ing III man for COl his age in iii Lon London London on-an on and andone l lone one mimic of the handsomest and amid pleasant pleasant- est St st But I cant can't understand what has happened to him On 0 well wel 1 I suggested perhaps I ho lie had run down a n bit and prefers to tolie lie le low ant I I lIe Ho 10 was engaged ct to dine with mo me two tivo OU S 'S after ater i m met him at itt II Mrs Mis ls Nom Noi- 01 I cUls cUl's cults cult's she 11 explained and amid his letter r of excuse e didn't even eve to bo be le written written writ writ- ten by ly himself A womans woman's hand Ye Ye s. s. s she sime he answered and amid a short ant mice lie followed lie He le must bo ho lo alone with wih Omit only the time servants ser ants in his house La Lady y Waters ms continued But nut are aie you OU certain he lie Is time there at atal atall atall all al I suggested I 1 am not nol certain of she slum cued I 1 feet feel extremely tain lail Here le Is one omme of time the most popular men inca In society wh who suddenly puts HUs off offal oi l all al his engagements refuses to sec Cl anybody doesn't even eve o cn write hl his letters letters letters let let- himself Theres There's my telY in iii tIme tho faces o of his servants ants they Lucy have have- evidently evi evl- dently denty heath received especial Now Lad Lady Waters added I want wan t you iMm Ol to clear the lie mailer matel up But Bu how lieu 4 If l 1 i could tell te-il tel you how I could probably act for fOI or mY myself she aims ans UIS- UIS But I 1 have known Colonel l Duran Durand a good mali many years ye-am's and amid ald 1 cant can't help Ip anxious Something Some Sonic thing sho simo insisted must be ue done dOII I admit a desire the to stand well wel with Lady Lauy Lad Waters although In the time present t ca case e it I seemed difficult to see sec how it i was VIS possible to gratify lie her hel At I ia haJ explained she was by no means the time only person jerson on to lo won wonder cl what had imad oc occurred occurred oe- oe in connection with wih Durand who had in effect suddenly disappeared disappear ed eti from rein his friends s. s After considerable reflection lion the only feasible feasible- plan appeared to be bc a I journey to his hou house c In Manchester an street where he had hal c 1 lived alone since since- his wife's death over O four foU years mums ago There here more inure than once mite I had been entertained entertained en en- en- en at al his small smal and amid Vei very select se-he-ct parties parties- partes than thun which none in Iii Lon London on were more enjoyable Colonel Durand Is not at home sir sh SaIl said time the butler and I 1 placed one omme foot Coot over ore the threshold Not out o of Lon London ol I 1 suggested No Xo 1 sir mim Is tIc the colonel nuIte quie well ivell wel I I Quite well ive-ii wel sum sir m k Hu He It appear to h c 1 ed cd till an any of his fi lends very vel recently Not ot very Cly recently sl sir I presume I pcr persisted that al although a- a ul- ul though he is not nol at home to lo visitors Colonel Durand is actually in iii the house He is not at homo home to lo visitor sit sir was iSaS the discreet answer so that limit I 1 returned to Lady Waters no imo whit isei than I 1 left Jef lie her You didn't attempt to bu bl ibe the time butler sue she hc suggested ithie I 1 explained that I did not Jot Cae care to bribe an any mime member of oC a n friends friend's s 's household Besides es I 1 add added cd the time butler to lo be lie one of time the tle colonels colonel's t servants tho time two left ler the army to- to timer gether and amid lie he is absolutely imme ible Well el said aId Lady Waters I dont don't pretend to be bo satisfied One hears beaus of or orthe the the- strangest things Why hy should Colonel Durand refuse to receive everybody ev ev- Wh Why hy doesn't he hc write his own letters No 0 one out outside l e his imis house hoUe has seen see him for fOl three lire weeks s and you ou must admit admi time the afa affair has huts a amy my mysterious appearance e. I J did die not riot dispute the statement furan for fur foran foran an instant although I 1 had hail no doubt that the colonel had sonic some excellent reason for his retirement retire In any amm case I 1 did lt not see se-c my wa way iva to tal take lake aim any further steps In the matter mater and amid In Indeed fn- fn deed both bOlh Ld Lady Waters and m myself cl were on the point of ot leaving London for Christmas It I was the second week in February before we ire met again and then she sent se-mit me an un ur urgent urge ent summons summons sum sum- summons mons to her house Now sho she exclaimed leCore before before- I had Imad 11 been bee a minute in her drawing i loom I am I d determined dete ter that something somethIng I must ue done What about I asked not thinking of ot Colonel Durand at nt the lime line About the colonel v Good gracious I 1 cried you dont don't mean rime to ta say that ho he is still sll keeping kee dark As 8 s fa far l' l as I can gather she sho hu re returned ye- ye turned no one omme- has seen see seel him He lie has tas not been bee to the time club chub 1 cant can't meet a n man who has hus entered his hll house Are Arc re you that lint he ime Is time there Absolutely AbSolute I 1 have o been mi two or tim him him-ce limes this week wee The rime butler a admits he tie Is In iii London but lut when I 1 asked to tu see ee cc him him I 1 was simply told not hot a at l homo Then Time I said saih alc there time has been leen no nu nuns lews s of Durand for longer langel than two months If IC t I don't dont arrive at somo om I ton lon iou before this da day Is week cried Lady LUI week Waters in iii lie her most i d mantor man man- tor nel I shall shah Inform tho time polee police But of what I demanded d cd I 1 am tormented l by alt all al kinds of she answered He Ho ma may have been murdered Oh buln but but but- l U n R 1 la is quite possible J she sho hc Insisted and amid his servants ma may bo be lc In Iii a con con- piracy to lo act In lii this wa way tva to throw off of the time scent scent Durand might never nver forgive jou ou forsI c If I f you ou called caled public attention to his ails I 1 urged urge B Ely By the thc by hy havo o hu ou thought of oC writing to him Of 01 cour course e I 1 have written wu shu ha e th 10 ro- ro torte I have ha e begged hIm him to see sec me mc hinted that his were were- an- an x bus lous- Well Veil Vei I 1 received ived an aim answer In lim the same seme s mC woman hand hamid Lull Lt Lady Waters con con- con con- assuring me mime there was ivits not mint time the he sl slightest cause for fOI or anxiety and amid that lint he lie would woul a ask k hl his son on to come coune to see seo co me mo soon toun after hl his arrival next m month o a t I I Earlier Earler than you ou anticipated Of course COUIse said sid Lady Laty Water that may lay be he a slip and amid Colonel Durand ma may not have ha e received m my mn letter Jeter Eager for foi Lad Lady Wat Waters's eras era's sake as veil ire wel as for or Durands Durand's to lo prO prevent the mistake of e informing the police of or her cr suspicions I 1 thought the time matter mailer O c ver lie same sanie night with the time mater result that I wih resul determined tie myself to w write to time the colonel colonel Sitting hitting down dowl at once I Imade made a clean breast of If things thins ex explaining ex- ex that his old friend frien ed h by anxiety had made up uJ ml her hel iii mind to communicate with the tho authorities unless her hem alarm should be ala allayed ell h by the following Monday He lie must have ti me-ce-ire-ti my letter INtel in il due tuc course COle the next for 01 at 11 1 o'clock an answer cl was delivered d at In my door by bj hand hanU Breaking time the seal eal with wih not Jut a little Itc excitement 1 saw aw that the lie short note was it written by a woman not not vcr very ery well wel written to to n-to to the time effect that thai Colonel Durand would be bc happy to tn see mo inc at 3 l o'clock time the sammie same afternoon I contes confes con- con tes s I had hul seldom eldom felt fel more curious curlUs curl curl- Otis ous Us or 01 01 more moc impatient for Ol a few ew hours 10 to l puss COl tax nix fl m my ingenuity us as l I I might il It clr upon It a U Dimind's 1 I I IIii t t Will Iii II you OU walk walt this wa Way ita sir l. l saul said al Limo tho butler and alid aal somewhat to 0 tw buter ha o my may surprise sur sur- prise ho lie led lell me inc past the time drawing room mount door doom up a second l light flight ht of oC stairs taim's to a room at the tIme back of the time lu house If I you will wi wait vait one omme- moment mt sit sir sl said Hall time the butler buter a as he cautiously opened open open- ed eti tho lie door doom and about eighteen inches further i In iii I saw a with see hour door obviously ob oh- lou I a recent emit a addition covered CO with black baize When hen the servant nant invited me le to Eu enter elite tho narrow space between the two I 1 confess confes to uncanny ion the thc more when the tIme outer door was vas llo closed and we stood ct in lii the time most total darkness A moment later I was able ahle to advance within the room but bul this also was ivas wat in such daik- daik nc s that It I was impossible to di distinguish dim dis limo tho position of tho time window tIme the Ila day was mitts cold no un 10 fire burned burned burn burn- ed eJ In lum the tl grate Slate I 1 he door minor shut and a assumed ume C that lt tho tIme butler bullet laid had hat re retired I me tired but hut I felt Cel afraid to go JO farther Into Inlo the time black room e lest t I 1 overturn sonic some article of 1 furniture A second later lallI however JO ter I recognized ed Durands Durand's voice voice voice- That Thal you ou Marchant Aro lio 10 you fU time there Durand I cried and amid time then 1 I felt fel a hand baud on omi my may armLet armLet arm Let me uric lead load you OU oti o to a a lie le said Mid quietly and an presently lila his hands ire u el e c on tam my shoulders a as h me mae IC down But nut what on omi earth ma makes s you sll sit sll in iii t the IC I 1 demanded Im Im going Joing to I tell tel you QU though 1 I should have hn preferred to tip tell tel nobody Its It's Is I's a ease case however hu e imf ff if saving a oneself front from mont ones one's oles ole's friends Youre You're the lit ui-st ui si h T man i nave een cun si o i cant i I see you OU In iii since December I dined dimmed at Mr Mu I carl early carly La Lady met you t time there My 21 I eyes had Imami met lice boon bothering me time ho lie continued and alt I had hud an appointment appoint ment with wih Ramsay Hamay time the ophthalmic mile surgeon the lie t following llo Ila day I Good heavens I 1 exclaimed You have not nol lost your sight Not Not not ot-not not he lie yet answered still tl In Iii time the self self controlled voice olce But I 1 am going to i In Jose se c It You understand there time Is not the tho lii slightest elt doubt about aboul it My ly blindness is absolutely certain a a mere meme mutter matte mater of Jf weeks My My-mi-my My f m my boy hoy is on mI If way tray home Yn You see sec I should like Iko to see seo time tho tw tie dear chaps chap's face ace once more I mOe examined cross clus Ramsay HU lie maid ald that hut if I lived cn- cn in lii time thc dark dank kept kepl quiet didn't smoke moke or 01 drink clink I 1 might Just manage to lo hold out out My I tie dear fellow elicit There I. I are on only a u. u fc few feit weeks mom n-mom-c mor moio it I. I HU C I i i L 1 I m shall tic do doDo p Do you lU moan I salt said all to lo toll tell mo mime I tel you ha havo been heen stuck up hero helo in iii total tola darkness slime since F February F f A ray of tf light lie ho answered would absolutely destroy iii 1 my chance of seeing dug old lid l Donald Its It's live years It you OU know wc Vc 0 haven't met mot tinco inco his 18 mother died But Bul ha cl t you ou tried to 0 h hasten hAste sten his 1 return Durand One Omme Ole hates And Anti to to tl make o a l fuss I said ald you understand I don dont don't t want t to see seo time chap with u ulong tw a it long face Ho lie is iii on omm time the thea wih 01 way a and I b believe le c I am nun n going oln to J hol-J out unc So out now you can tell cli tel Lad Lady Waters Vaters that time there thelex s no need leed to P send eld tho time police tolie-e. Perhaps both s iio io 10 and amid all you OU wont won't mind keeping ke 11 It I to to yourselves Now Note ow he added e as I h heard him rise from Crom rum his chair I I am am going to ring for Banks Hanks to lo tule take you ou awu away atty I stood tood by uy hl his sl side o scarcely knowing what to K say st mull first the te outer door was opened an and shut tl then timen n the inner Let Let mu ipe guide you IC s aid s-aid Id Dui Durand and mon ment nt I 1 Intel laier gripping ln In Ue tip I JI Jils itis hand a a- amo nJ- nJ mo o How Hou on do do you OUI ou git get the tho da days s 's I g tt through r eXClaimed n ir aim almost st t In o of m f. f Durand lau far more than I 1 could have hae done |