Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-12-14
CHAPTER XIII.

CHAPTER XIII.
Hendricks called cab at the door
and drove to the Office of Capt. Welsh.
fever Of impa1ience.
II thought you would never turn up
in the world,' said Welsh, as they took
seats. ut seems to me that everything
is at a standstill. The city is wild with
excitement and demanding that some
thing be donc.'
Hendricks shrugged his shoulders as
if he had only half heard the remark
and had been disturbed in some train of
thought. He reached for a cigar in a
box on the captains desk, bit the end
of it. and then seemed to sink into a
rcverie again.
Welsh stared at him moment in
veSation, then he said:
II was on the watch myself at the
mayors last night. About ten o'clock
saw Mrs. Walters slip out on the lawn.
She came very cautiously from the
rear of the house. saw her stoop to
pick up something near where your UNI
brella was left, and then she returned
by the front door,
Hendricks nodded slowly, but did not
look up from the spot on the carpet
at which he had been staring for sew
eral minutes. Welsh flushed slightly
and went on awlwardly:
Il had expected to find out Il lot about
her early life from lady friend OF
mine, but, as bad luck will have it.
the lady has left the city for the sum-
mer. and l don't exactly know where
she has gone. IWas thinking of hunt
ing her up and going to see her, if you
| think"
Hendricks rose abruptly.
II must write a letter." he said. ""Give
me some paper, please"
| Welsh's face fell as he rose and drew
some writing materials from drawer
and put them before the detective.
do you want Inc to cease my investi-
gations?' he asked, impatiently.
Hendricks dipped pen in the ink
well, and as he did so he looked up and
caught sight of the captains face.
ooh, hang it all, captain!" he said
pardon me; have not heard half of
what you We're saying. I only caught
enough at the start to know that you
were not on the right track. Let the
woman alone for awhile. Do you re-
member I said that if discovered GER
tain things about mysterious
stranger in the city should have to
begin all over again?''
"Yes, certainly, but
Il have begun all over again." And
Hendricks began to write hurriedly.
"Can help you in any way?r"
II am afraid not now, captain. A
little later, Perhaps; but time is too val
liable just now for useless explana-
tions; every minute must count. This
is the hardest nut ever tried to crack"
| Welsh said nothing further. He sank
into a chair and looked out of a win
dow till Hendricks had finished and
sealed his letter.
"Now," said the detective, as he rose
and grasped his hat, II am going out
| for a little lunch, and then I have an
appointment. shall see you later"
At two o'clock Hendricks rang the
bell at the Strong homestead. WILDLY
himself opened the door.
els Miss Delmar here?" asked the de-
tective.
''She has been here several minutes"
answered WILDLY. ''She is in the Ii
brary."
"Good!" said Hendricks. "Now for
business" he went on. cheerily, as he
entered the library and bowed to Miss
Delmar. ''Move up your chairs, both
of you. There, that will do. Now,
here's what I want to get at. Col.
Warrenton was good enough to put me
Oh to Il little circumstance which he
says he has not mentioned to you, Mr..
WILDLY, but which we must sift to the
bottom. It may lead us, to. a motive
for the crime. and that is what we
are looking for. Do you happen to
know if your uncle had an enemy of
any sort?"
WILDLY shook his head thoughtfully.
II can't think who it could be, if he
had one," he said. ION the contrary,
uncle seemed to make friends with
everyone
"You don't know much about Mr..
Strong's early life which he spent in the
mines out west, L believer"
mo, don't. He did not speak Of it
cften." ,1~ss :. j. :. ~: -
1T is possible, you know, for him to
have an enemy even that far back.
Matthews, with whom have talked,
remembers your suncle's having a
strange visitor here year or SO ago,
while you were at the seashore. 1t
! seems that Mr.. Strong had o. sort Of
n =, ~
II. - 80 - .x.,za.