Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-05
TAh DISAPPEARANCE OF DAMON
RvJAMEs RAYMOND PERRY.
Copyright, 1899, by the Author.
CHAPTER w.

CHAPTER Nv.
At the dinner table that night the
professor was quite talkative, but his
conversation was about matters foreign
to the work that had engaged him in
the afternoon.
However, the students were natural
" curious to know what his observa-
tions thus far had led him to think, and
at last Ben Rice asked:
"Well, Professor Gilman, have you
formed any opinion yet as to who killed
Damon and why it was done?'
Professor Gilman was very deliberate
about replying-so deliberate, in fact,
that the students began to think he was
not going to make any reply, and Joseph
inc Maxwell. looking at him, thought
he could not have heard the question.
She was about to call his attention to it
when the professor opened his lips.
"My observations thus far, said he,
"as YOU know, have not been very ex-
tensiye. have learned, in the course OF
q somewhat protracted career, that it IS
well not to form judgments hastily. A
circumstance or even two or three cir
cumstances in conjunction may seem to
point strongly to a certain conclusion
and that conclusion afterward prove to
be wholly erroneous Hence it is best
not to reach conclusion until one has
made thorough study in all its various
aspects of a question under considera'
tion.
"I may say that in this matter OF
Mr.. Damons disappearance l have
noted circumstances that to my mind
seem to point to certain conclusion.
In the light of all that have learned
thus far this conclusion seems right and
reasonable. But, as I said moment
ago, my observations have been limit
ed, the circumstances that I have noted
are comparatively few, and it were PEI
haps unwise to base final conclusion
upon them. Further study of the case,
bringing to it new light and additional
circumstances, might give it a wholly
different aspect. In view of such pos
sibility I prefer not to express an opin-
ion at this time, nor indeed until l
have looked carefully into certain mat
ters that thus far have lacked time to
, give my attention to.
Not word more could they get from
the professor that night. Even Joseph
inc Maxwell. who could have elected
information from him if any one could,
when she privately asked him what he
thought about the case was put aside
with: "Wait, my dear; wait. In a
few days-a day or two perhaps
shall be ready to tell you, but not yet. y
But the curiosity of all was piqued
by what the professor had said.
The next morning Josephine and her
mother invited the professor to attend
church with them.
"Thank you. 1 believe I'll not 60 to-
day. Next Sunday perhaps, if you are
good enough to renew the invitation, l
may be glad to accept" " The professor
was not very regular in church attend
ance, and today he was thinking of 9TH
er things.
About 10 o'clock he boarded a car
and went down to the public library.
The reading room of the institution
was open on Sundays, and for an hour
or more Professor Gilman busted him.
self in looking through the files of local
papers published during the previous
week. Patiently he ran his eye up and
down column after column of the two
leading dali es, but it was clear from
the way he passed from one page to an
other that the thing he was looking for
did not meet his eye.
Turning to the files of third daily
one of less circulation than either of
the others-he began his search in that
He had not been looking many minutes
when his eyes rested on an item OF a
half dozen lines down in one corner of
the page devoted to local news.
Taking out his notebook, the profess
or made a memorandum therein and
rose to 90. 1t was not yet IL clock,
and instead of returning at once to the
house in Somerset street he got upon a
car that took him out to Mercy hospi-
tal He remained there about 10 min
utes and then returned to his boarding
place.
At the dinner table nothing was said
about the Damon mystery. The matter
had been pretty thoroughly talked over
in all its phases before this, and after
what Professor Gilman had said the
night before no one felt like asking him
for his opinion. If he had reached a
definite conclusion, he would tell them,
they thought. Meanwhile they would
not bother him with questions.
When dinner was about over, some
what to the surprise of the boarders
the professor said: "Mr. Rice, if you
and such of your friends as are special
" interested in this Damon business
tomorrow night think l shall have a
theory to offer. will not say the theory
will be correct though I believe you
will be interested in listening to what
I have to say"
For the rest of the day the professor
made himself agreeable to Mrs. Max
we'll and her daughter, and, SO far as
was apparent, had entirely dismissed
from his mind all thought of the case
that he had recently been at work on.
Professor Loomis returned to the city
that evening, and all through the day
following he and Professor Gilman were
busy together over their abstruse as
Economical problems.
Professor Gilman did not mention