Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-04-21
CHAPTER I.


~Jast this minute, sir" replied the
saEoe boy. Hes in the back room get
ting his mail"
&c. Lampkin entered the office and
aat down in one of the soft lea ther-cov-
sred chairs.
A. moment later the detective entered,
4 package Of unopened letters in his
hand.
Obi" he calculated. Hello. glad to
ace you"
1--WE been wondering what had be-
esac2e of you," said the doctor, as he rose
SAD shook the disengaged hand Of his
frieod. Every time dropped in your
sGce boy told me he was expecting you
Oh she very next traln.''
"Delayed from hour to hour for near
w ewo weeks" frowned Hendricks.
Then he laughed. The joke is on me,
Odd man. | had really plumed myself
OF tine reputation was going to make
ever there to get even with the Boston
papers for sneering at New York's big
zetective,' as they called me, but 10
Dnd behold! just as was Q bout to stir
up the phIcgmatic old village by show
ing my hand, my man made a clean
breast and gave himself up to the po-
Lice Did you ever hear Of such luck %
Lan1lkin laughed as he took cigar
< 4a, the detectives box.
~-sDythiny on hand here?"
Not blessed thing. l might forget
XII awful humiliation if could plunge
Sas& work heels over head
Us the doctor smoked, Hendricks be-
81, 20 open his letters. lie had cast
a@s>l.- Ghrce and was beginning on the
essslvfh when his visitor saw him start,
gra*' his beard and pull on it exctedly.
:s>y love!" he cried, and his big gray
eyes seemed to expand as they stared
at ti,e sheet before them.
~What's up now?' questioned the
.x7es:lur, leaning forward.
S>he detective seemed not to hear. He
fohed the letter, leaned back in his re-
sciving chair, and made clumsy at
eemp1 to prop his feet up on the edge
81 his willow waste basket, but the
Trail thing turned over and his heavy
heels struck the floor with a hollow
sound.
l-ampkin studied the strong features
of &1is companion with pleasurable
curiosity. He was almost sure that he
had detected just the faintest sugges-
zion of horror in his friends express
sion, which was indeed a rare thing.
Then Hendricks shrugged his shoulders,
gave half defiant logged laugh and
proceeded to open another letter.
He had scarcely drawn it from its en-
~elope, however, when he dropped it
and .1nusingly took up the other again.
There was silence while he perused it,
Chen he asked:
~Lampl>n, have you ever heard the
:aane of Weldon Caruthers?"
~Haven't your" returned the doctor,
Il note OF surprise in his voice.
Is seems familiar to me, and yet
SAINT exactly place it,
He is one of the ultra swell set," re-
piled lampi1in. II met him once; he is
very weIl-todo, thorough society man
member Of the Van Derwenter club
ana ali that sort of thing: know lot
@of interesting gossip about him."
Hendricks fixed the. speaker with his
sharp eyes.
II presume you heard of his being
numbered in cold blood?" said the de-
tective, tentatively.
Murdered? Surely you don't mean
it,
Eyes, let me see." Hendricks DELHI
ssrately consulted the date of the letter
IN his hand and even more slowly ex-
amined the postmark on the envelope.
Yes, this writer informs me that the
Crime was committed in Caruthers'
apartments in the Palace hotel just
week ago tonight"
T. The doctor took deep breath.
'"Oh, it's a hoax-a mistake" he
said, in relief. 81 noticed in this morn,
fmg's paper that Caruthers was in his
Es~oz at the Horse Show last night. 1
was running over the list of men who
had the :most~oonspicuous places and re-
n1ember seeing his name"
~|What paper did you see it in?''
Iampkin thought he noticed the pc
c7;1ia.r twitching about the corners of
"'rv. detectives mouth which usually
60: icated suppressed excitement.
The World, | think, yes, I'm positive.
twas looking over it at breakfast"
llendricl:s' features seemed to settle
into rig:dity.
ARE you quite sure?" he said, me-
chemically, and he leaned forward and
tapped the bell on his desk. Lampkin
Jaw that his thoughts were thousand
miles away, nevertheless be answered:
LAS sure as could be of anything;
besides, you don't suppose man Of
Caruthers' prominence could have been
murdered in the SWEETEST hotel in New
Xork without its being known for a
week" -~~-"'-,- ~"
1T does look that way" acquiesced
nne detective, but there WIS still q re-
.serme in his manner and tone that puz-
xled his friend.
The office boy came in and stood at
:she end of the desk.
cBriag me this mornings World
the detective ordered.
mot satisfied?'' smiled the doctor.
Hendricks made no reply. He left hi
1>4 h. l.. 49,