Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-12-20

II can't follow you, and 1 won't try.
Your mind darts out after things r
never would dream of. Do you think
you may find a trace of the missing man
here?"
"If my thinker would operate smooth
"" This with forced grin. my
trip to Boston has tagged me out. 1
am not normal. BUTT will not surprise
me to find out that the same man wrote
to the valet that wrote to me-"
If SO you have deep villain to deal
with"
"As deep as the orucible of hell can
turn out"
The detective sat down in chair near
the bed and, taking from his pocket
the anonymous letter, he studied it In
silence. After minute he said, re-
flectively;
You will observe he does not say
shall find the body of Caruthers here,
but the remains, and he has under
scored the word heavily. Further
more, he boasts of the skill with which
the crime has been accomplished; that,
old man, means something"
But 1t seems to me that you have
looked into every possible nook and
granny" said the doctor.
AS II under a sudden inspiration
Hendricks sprang up, and going to the
bed he pushed aside the silken curtains
OF the canopy, turned down the sheets
and doubled up the mattress. Then he
drew himself up and began to examine
the bric-a-brac about the room. He
thumped with his knuckles marble
statue of Venus de Milo in corner, and
then stood still in the center of the
room and stared at the articles of orna-
ment on the mantel-piece. He walked
slowly backward to the doctor and laid
hand on his shoulder, and pointed to
large covered japanese vase, shaped
Like an ancient urn.
Doctor" he said, "the man who Sc
lected all the bric-a-bmo in this room
did not select that vase"
ut does seem q little out Of har.
mony," admitted Lampkin. Rather
cheaper than the rest, don't you think ?"
"It is disgrace to such collection, :"
returned the detective, "besides it has
been crowded in between those beauti-
full bronze pieces. Old man, have an
idea"
Lampkin said nothing as he watched
his friend place chair near the man
tel-piece and mount it. The chair raised
the detective so high that the cover OF
the vase was on a level with his chin.
Hendricks removed the cover and
looked into the vessel.
Lampkin saw him pick up something
inside the vase, examine it and lay it
back. For moment the detective,
stood, his back to the doctor, hand on
either side Of the vessel. Then he lift
ed 1t, cautiously stepped down to the
floor, and placed it on the table.
prepare to be Mortified, old man."
he said, grimly. "It is here"
Lampkin started. You don't mean"
"You needn't look unless you want
to-" frowned the detective. "But our
arch fiend has actually cremated the
body of Caruthers, leaving only the
jeweled hand of his victim to prevent
there being any doubt as to the identity
OF the ashes. It was cremation, know
bone ashes when see them"
Lampkin got up and peered into the
jar, turning the CHASTITY object over on
the bed Of ashes beneath.
"There is no odor," he said, trying to
speak in matter-of-faot tone. That
Is strange"
"Embalmed," said Hendricks. 81
saw indications Of 1t in the punctures
of the flesh"
"You are right" agreed the doctor.
"Let me see moment" with these
words the detective sprang to the vase.
and, picking up the grewsome object,
examined it infinitely.
II have only one isolated clew," he
said, putting the severed hand back on
the ashes.
what is that?"
"In his effort to cut and wrench this
hand from the joint at the wrist, the