Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-16
CHAPTER /.

LHt Hcuu WdlteI Ut t4it llOlel care. ne
is usually here by 7. 45. "
Perhaps they forgot 10 call him, +"
suggested ono Of the walters.
~ will see,i said Francois, and he
went to the Office.
No, said the hotel clerk. ''Mr.
Williams left no call for this morning. ~
" Have you seen himF'
BY iing This is worry strange, said
Francois, as he returned 10 the cafe.
CHAPTER Ill.
Eleven o'clock.
- have not seen Mr.. Williams this
morning, said the clerk.
And he called Il boy.
" Find out what is the matter with
75S. y said he.
The boy disappeared.
In 10 minutes he returned,
The door is locked" :" said he.
Arc You suref"
"Surc. +"
did you rap?"
II rappnd thrice and there was no
response. ="
This is very Ftrance,' said the
clerk, and he sent for the night elevator
man.
Ibid you sec Mr. Williams come
home last nighi?"
Yes, sir. "
"What time was it?n
About II O'clock. -
"Was he's
Perfectly sober. sir. -
Strange, very strange, said the
clerk.
CHAPTER ".
One O'Clock. -....
- suppose Mr.. Williams will not bo
here to day" said MIR. Mcintosh, Of
the firm Of Mcintosh ~ Schwartz, aa
he glanced at tho closed desk where
usually sat the courteous and obliging
Mr.. Williams
Have you heard anything from him
today" asked Mr.. Madison, Of the
dried fruit department.
Not word. y
Doesn't he usually telephone you
or send message when he is detained
at home by ilness?"
Invariably, may say. ! regard It
as very strange that we have not heard
from him to-day, "
''lt is so. y
I" / shall ask you TO call up the hotol
Yes, sir. "
A few moments later MIR Madison rc.
turned, his face blanehed.
''rhe clerk telephones, said he,
that Mr. Williams door is locked and
that he has not been out of his room
all day.
'Heavens!" calculated Mr.. McIn.
tosh, and the two men returned to their
respective duties.
CHAPTER V.
Three o'clock.
We can wait no longer" " said. the
proprietor of the hotol, as he stopped
in front of room I1S.
He was followed by tho engineer,
who carried a slcdge hammer. l3c.
/ hind the engineer came the clerk.
three chamhcrmaids and bell boy.
remember, only thrco days ago,
Mr. Williams coming out Of his room. -
said one Of the chambernaus, and.
oil, hc had that most sorrnwful express
sion on his face"
Sh II said the proprietor. "Thero's
no need for going into Mysteries over
these affairs. might have known
from the way he's been acting lately
that something Of this kind would
happen.
Can you sce anything through the
seyhole?" asked the clerk
No; the key has been put in from
the inside, replied the engineer.
Caution they always show eau
tion, said the proprietor. There's e
no chance TO pick tho locki"
None, sir,
door. ="
For a moment the neavy slcGee was
poised in the air.
lEnro waH a crash.
~ shattered door fell away.
They rushed in.
CHAPTER W. .-..
| Williams MAS in a chair beside the
window.
As tic door fpll and thc crowd rushed
in he dropped his paper and glanced
up.
What's tho matter?'' he demanded.
- Are you all right;" asked Tie uro-
prietor.
Certainly. I'm reading the presi.
dents message. " you'd let me alone
for another hour I'd pave finished ii. .
lie tesenr,a the Query.
HIS eyrs frightened and hie ster
tuliptgu4ti ms Itt Et t+.rnJ Mic fnurg. III,