The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-01-21
Highest of all in Leavenng Power.-Laes o. S. Govt Report
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sDid you lik, my story?" be asked.
Yes, 1t is ii good story" Perkins
SLOWLY responded. 1T is something
OF an advance on the other Still, l
don't tnd that it contains all l expect
ed"
''Why, what did you want? Paine
was on his mettle now "You would
hardly eXpec. three volume novel
for the price you offeredr'
Il didn't bid high enough, that's q
fact the publisher confessed. But l
want the rest of it-baaly. / am
thinking of making you big offer for
all you know obout Navy"
I'm series of short stories like the
others?"
"Oh, anyway you like-yesw Per
kins got up and walked the floor i'm
patiently. Il can't explain!-It's this
way: You have what want. and If I
can make deal with you we won't
dicker about the price Now what
can you do for me!
/ can supply the demand. said
Paine, confidently But you must
give me time for this. Unfortunately
all my notes were stolen last night.
"That WIS all you knew about Navy?'
aoked Perkins. hopelessly.
Everything 1 had. Stay There is
Nsvy's own story; but l have already
clipped into that for few of his peculiar
ideas"
fNavy's own storyr the publisher
echoed, in strong excitement. "What's
tbat?"
Paine made Il brief explanation, and
upon learning the fate OF this story Per-
klns drew a long breath as if tantalized
almost beyond endurance.
"But you say that you copied it," he
exclaimed, with a CLEAN of hope. Where's
the copv?"
ut is still at my old home packed
away with trunkful OF old letters up IN
the attic"
i"Then you could get it?"
Certainly if it is of any value to YOU"
Strangely enough. the publishers
eagerness was quickly allayed by this
reply. "Ne will let the matter rest
awhile" he decided, after a moment OF
abstraction; and then quietly withdrew.
A few days afterward Paine received
letter and a paper addressed in his
mothers handwriting. With pleasant
anticipation of home news, he opened the
letter, but ite first paragraph drew from
him a cry of surprise. His old home had
been entered by burglar. It was a
,s,.ttor of slight Importance, but in the
light of his own recent experience, it was
sufficiently disturbing.
Further details made it very clear that
both of these trivial robberies had been
committed by the same mysterious per
son. AS IN the former case, nothing CT
value had been stolen; but the contents
of an old trunk had been found scattered
over the attic floor.
II send you the Gazette, which has Just
arrived" Mrs. Paine wrote. in conclusion.
81 see tnat the Penniwell money has been
recovered, and that one of the burglars is
in custody. Possibly this is the man who
entered our house,
A sudden light broke in upon Paine's
mind. There was but one man who knew
of the papers in his trunk-one man who
had shown an lnsatiate curiosity about
John Navy. Snatching up the Gazette.
he quickly ran over its prOlix account OF
the arrest.
The last paragraph was especially in
teresting to Kepler Paine.
The prisoner registered at the Union
House af Perkins of Chicago. His con-
nection with the Navy gang has been
clearly established. and it appears tha'
he discovered the long hidden booty by
means OF a cipher message from his old
chief. Part of this cipher was contained
in certain obscure phrases OF story en-
titled, John Navy's Confession which
was .ecently published IN the Maxima."