Nightly at nine it had
been his custom to stroll round the gardens before settling down for
three hours' work upon "Amy Martin." During his stroll Abishag would
slip into the gardens, meeting her master upon his completion of the
circuit.
According to this practice, Mr. Howard, on Monday night, had followed
his usual custom. He believed he might possibly have walked a little
slower than usual as he was pondering deeply over his final revise of
the proof of "Amy Martin." Otherwise his programme was identical with
its usual performance. But upon his return the cat was not to be
found.
Theories, suggestions, investigations that had already been made,
followed. The _Daily_ abundantly proved that the cat had not strayed
but had been deliberately stolen by someone well acquainted with Mr.
Howard's nightly promenade; pointed out that this second outrage
showed that no one possessing a valuable cat was safe from the
machinations of a desperate gang; asked, Where are the police? and
concluded with the pica sub-head:
"DAILY" OFFER.
The _Daily,_ it appeared, on behalf of the whole reading public of
Great Britain, the Colonies, America, and the many Continental
countries into whose tongues Mr. Howard's novels had been translated,
offered 500 pounds to the person who would return, or secure the
return of, Abishag the Shunamite, and thus restore peace to the heart
of England's premier novelist, whose new story, "Amy Martin," would
start in the _Daily_ on Monday week.
Pages:
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448