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taken the footpath which led to the river。 The river was dragged
without result。 It remains doubtful to this day whether she died
by drowning or not。 The one thing certain isthat Alicia Warlock
was never seen again。
Sobeginning in mystery； ending in mysterythe Dream Woman passes
from your view。 Ghost； demon； or living human creaturesay for
yourselves which she is。 Or； knowing what unfathomed wonders are
around you； what unfathomed wonders are IN you； let the wise words
of the greatest of all poets be explanation enough：
〃We are such stuff
As dreams are made of； and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep。〃
Anonymous
The Lost Duchess
I
〃Has the duchess returned？〃
〃No； your grace。〃
Knowles came farther into the room。 He had a letter on a salver。
When the duke had taken it； Knowles still lingered。 The duke
glanced at him。
〃Is an answer required？〃
〃No； your grace。〃 Still Knowles lingered。 〃Something a little
singular has happened。 The carriage has returned without the
duchess； and the men say that they thought her grace was in it。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I hardly understand myself； your grace。 Perhaps you would like to
see Barnes。〃
Barnes was the coachman。
〃Send him up。〃 When Knowles had gone； and he was alone； his grace
showed signs of being slightly annoyed。 He looked at his watch。
〃I told her she'd better be in by four。 She says that she's not
feeling well； and yet one would think that she was not aware of the
fatigue entailed in having the prince come to dinner； and a mob of
people to follow。 I particularly wished her to lie down for a
couple of hours。〃
Knowles ushered in not only Barnes； the coachman； but Moysey； the
footman； too。 Both these persons seemed to be ill at ease。 The
duke glanced at them sharply。 In his voice there was a suggestion
of impatience。
〃What is the matter？〃
Barnes explained as best he could。
〃If you please； your grace； we waited for the duchess outside Cane
and Wilson's； the drapers。 The duchess came out； got into the
carriage； and Moysey shut the door； and her grace said； 'Home！' and
yet when we got home she wasn't there。〃
〃She wasn't where？〃
〃Her grace wasn't in the carriage； your grace。〃
〃What on earth do you mean？〃
〃Her grace did get into the carriage； you shut the door； didn't
you？〃
Barnes turned to Moysey。 Moysey brought his hand up to his brow in
a sort of military salutehe had been a soldier in the regiment in
which； once upon a time； the duke had been a subaltern。
〃She did。 The duchess came out of the shop。 She seemed rather in
a hurry； I thought。 She got into the carriage； and she said；
'Home； Moysey！' I shut the door； and Barnes drove straight home。
We never stopped anywhere； and we never noticed nothing happen on
the way； and yet when we got home the carriage was empty。〃
The duke started。
〃Do you mean to tell me that the duchess got out of the carriage
while you were driving full pelt through the streets without saying
anything to you； and without you noticing it？〃
〃The carriage was empty when we got home； your grace。〃
〃Was either of the doors open？〃
〃No； your grace。〃
〃You fellows have been up to some infernal mischief。 You have made
a mess of it。 You never picked up the duchess； and you're trying
to palm this tale off on me to save yourselves。〃
Barnes was moved to adjuration：
〃I'll take my Bible oath； your grace； that the duchess got into the
carriage outside Cane and Wilson's。〃
Moysey seconded his colleague。
〃I will swear to that； your grace。 She got into that carriage； and
I shut the door； and she said； 'Home； Moysey！'〃
The duke looked as if he did not know what to make of the story and
its tellers。
〃What carriage did you have？〃
〃Her grace's brougham； your grace。〃
Knowles interposed：
〃The brougham was ordered because I understood that the duchess was
not feeling very well； and there's rather a high wind； your grace。〃
The duke snapped at him：
〃What has that to do with it？ Are you suggesting that the duchess
was more likely to jump out of a brougham while it was dashing
through the streets than out of any other kind of vehicle？〃
The duke's glance fell on the letter which Knowles had brought him
when he first had entered。 He had placed it on his writing table。
Now he took it up。 It was； addressed：
〃To His Grace the Duke of Datchet。
Private！
VERY PRESSING！ ！ ！〃
The name was written in a fine； clear； almost feminine hand。 The
words in the left…hand corner of the envelope were written in a
different hand。 They were large and bold； almost as though they
had been painted with the end of the penholder instead of being
written with the pen。 The envelope itself was of an unusual size；
and bulged out as though it contained something else besides a
letter。
The duke tore the envelope open。 As he did so something fell out
of it on to the writing table。 It looked as though it was a lock
of a woman's hair。 As he glanced at it the duke seemed to be a
trifle startled。 The duke read the letter：
〃Your grace will be so good as to bring five hundred pounds in gold
to the Piccadilly end of the Burlington Arcade within an hour of
the receipt of this。 The Duchess of Datchet has been kidnaped。 An
imitation duchess got into the carriage； which was waiting outside
Cane and Wilson's； and she alighted on the road。 Unless your grace
does as you are requested； the Duchess of Datchet's left…hand
little finger will be at once cut off； and sent home in time to
receive the prince to dinner。 Other portions of her grace will
follow。 A lock of her grace's hair is inclosed with this as an
earnest of our good intentions。
〃BEFORE 5：30 P。M。 your grace is requested to be at the Piccadilly
end of the Burlington Arcade with five hundred pounds in gold。 You
will there be accosted by an individual in a white top hat； and
with a gardenia in his buttonhole。 You will be entirely at liberty
to give him into custody； or to have him followed by the police； in
which case the duchess's left arm； cut off at the shoulder； will be
sent home for dinnernot to mention other extremely possible
contingencies。 But you are ADVISED to give the individual in
question the five hundred pounds in gold； because in that case the
duchess herself will he home in time to receive the prince to
dinner； and with one of the best stories with which to entertain
your distinguished guests they ever heard。
〃Remember！ NOT LATER THAN 5：30； unless you wish to receive her
grace's little finger。〃
The duke stared at this amazing epistle when he had read it as
though he found it difficult to believe the evidence of his eyes。
He was not a demonstrative person； as a rule； but this little
communication a