The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1899-02-15
CHAPTER 1.

HAS Mr.. Hendricks returned from
Boston?"
Just this minute, sir" replied the
office boy. Hes in the back room get
ting his mail"
DR.. LamplliI entered the office and
sat down in one of the soft leather-cov-
cred chairs.
A moment later the detective entered,
q package of unopened letters in his
hand.
"Oh!" he calculated. Hello, glad to
see you'll"
"I've been wondering what had be-
come of you," said the doctor, as he rose
and shook the disengaged hand of his
friend. Every time dropped in your
office boy told me he was expecting you
on the very next train"
Delayed from hour to hour for near
ly two weeks" frowned Hendricks.
Then he laughed. "The joke is on me,
old man. l had really plumed myself
on the reputation was going to make
over there to get even with the Boston
papers for sneering at New York's big
detective as they called me, but 10
and dabehold! just as was about to stir
up the phlegmatic old village by show
ing my hand, my man made clean
breast and gave himself up to the po-
lice.l Did you ever hear of such luck"
Lampkin laughed as he took a cigar
from the detectives box. l.4.
Anything on hand here?"
mot blessed thing. might forget
my awful humiliation if could plunge
into work heels over head"
AS the doctor smoked, Hendricks be-
gan; to open his letters. He had cast
aside three and was beginning on the
fourth when his visitor saw him start,
grasp his beard and pull on it eXc.tedly.
"By Jove!" he cried, and his big gray
eyes seemed to expand as they stared
at the sheet before them.
whats up now?" questioned the
doctor, leaning forward.
Thedetectivc seemed not to hear. He
folded the letter, leaned back in his re.
volving chair, and made clumsy at
tempt to prop his feet up on the edge
of his willow waste basket, but the
frail thing turned over and his heavy
heels struck the floor with hollow
sound.
Lampldn studied the strong features
of his companion with pleasurable
curiosity. He was almost sure that ht
had detected just the faintest sugges
tion of horror in his friends expires
sion, (which was indeed rare thing
Then Hendricks shrugged his shoulders
gave half defiant dogged laugh ant
proceeded to open another letter
He had scarcely drawn it from its en-
vclope, however, when he dropped il
and musingly took up the other again
There was silence while he perused it
Then he asked: &c.,. ....... Hr".t.
"Lampllin, have you ever heard the
name of Weldon Caruthers?" s .a
Haven't your returned the doctor
note of surprise in his voice.
at seems familiar to me, and yet
can't exactly place 1T"
''He is one of the ultra swell set" re
Piled I.ampkin. II met him once; he i!
very well-to-do, a thorough society maj
member of the Van Derwenter clul
and all that sort of thing. know lo
of interesting gossip about him."
Hendricks fixed the speaker with hi.
sharp eyes.
81 presume you heard of his being
murdered in cold blood?" said the de
tective, tentatively. -,. .
Murdered? Surely you don't meal
it," f...
"Yes, let me see" Hendricks delib
erately consulted the date of the lette,
in his hand and even more slowly eX
nmined the postmarls on the envelope
ayes, this writer informs me that tn
crime was committed in Caruthers
apartments in the Palace hotel just
week ago tonight"
The doctor toolea deep breath.
"0h, it's a hoaX-a mistake" h
said, in relief 81 noticed in this morn
ing's paper that Caruthers was in hi
box at the Horse Show last night.
was running over the list Of men VIII
had the most conspicuous places and re
member seeing his name"
'What paper did you see it IMP"
Lampkin thought he noticed the pt
culiar twitching about the corners c
the detectives mouth which usual
Indicated suppressed excitement.
"The World think, yes, I'm positiv,
] was looking over it at breakfast"
Hendricks features seemed to sett'
into rigidity.
"Are you quite ,sure?' he said, M
chanically, and he leaned forward an
tapped the bell on his desk. Lampki
saw that his thoughts were thousan
miles away, nevertheless he answered
"As sure as could be of anything
besides, you don't suppose man
Caruthers' prominence could have bee
murdered in the SWEETEST hotel in Ne
York without its being known for
week." t,j .slI .tS
"It does look that way" acquiescC
the detective, but there was still a r
serve in his manner and tone that pu
xled his friend. Fst.g tf
The Office boy came in and stood
the end of the desk.
"Bring me this mornings World
the detective ordered.
"Not satisfied" smiled the doctor.
Hendricks nude no reply. He left
chair and began to walk back al
forth across the room neryouslY stro