Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-01-17

up something bright before my eyes
and kept shifting it about until all at
once ! fell asleep, or something hap
pened;, for l never knew q thing till
found myself lying in the corner and
the count was telling me to wake up
"Hypnotism!" Involuntary escaped
the lips of the detective.
That is it, sir; I was trying to think
what they called it."
Hendricks stood up quickly.
DO you know of his ever having tried
it on your master?"
Not to my knowledge, sir"
Hendricks went to a table, and tear
ing a leaf from a notebook he wrote
something hurriedly. When he had
finished it he folded it and gave it to
Henri.
take this to the Herald advertising
Office" he said. ut is very important.
See that 1t is inserted in the Personals
in the morning paper. Be sure to have
it DONE"
Il shall not fail, sir"
Henri reached for his hat and over
coat.
Just a minute" said Hendricks,
thoughtfully. There is one other
minor point. Your master seemed to be
rather sensible about his dress. 1 pre-
sumo he wasn't one of those fellows
who let their fingernails grow long and
have them m%anicured to points,"
Not him." answered Henri. "Iheard
him making sport of the count for that
very thing"
Hendricks glanced indifferently out
of the window.
"Was the count-did he wear his
nails that way?"
His fingers was almostrepulsive, sir.
You may have noticed that he is almost
as dark as a mulatto and with them
long, hooked nails he was anything but
a pleasant sight. i have never under
stood, as I said, how master could"
IF you cannot leave the studio" in
terrupted the detective IT will take
that to the Office myself" indicating
the scrap of paper.
"Oh, i can go, sir. We often leave
the studio open, and if it is the same to
you I'd like to feel that I had my hand
IN the Investigations"
"As you like, Henri"
Hendricks turned into the reception
room where Lampkin and the heiress
sat exchanging desultory remarks. The
doctor noticed a strange fixity in the de-
tective's eyes and wondered what was
coming as Hendricks advanced slowly
and stood before Miss Huntington.
"lou are a very courageous young
woman" he said. II have been de-
liberating whether I could reveal some
thing to you of rather an unpleasant
nature"
Miss Huntington stared steadily and
folded her gloved hands tightly in her
lap.
i think, no matter what it is, that
you had better tell me-" she said. 81
shall try to bear It,"
Hendricks drew up q chair and sat
down. He glanced towards the doctor
as if for help, but evidently gave up any
idea of relief from that dignifed quar-
ter.
MATTERS have reached a very grave
stage" he said, hopping his perspiring
brow. "Perhaps l ought to begin by
saying that Mr.. Gielow is innocent of
even the slightest participation in the
murder, for that must be a comforting
thought"
Miss Huntington leaned towards him
like some stiff inanimate object,
"Ae-he is dead?" she said, under her
breath.
mo, not quite so bad as that" Hen
bricks raised his hand as if his gesture
would correct her surmise. "But Ihave
reasons for believing that he is in a
very, very critical position. The fact
is, that he succeeded in getting a writ
ten message to the police to the effect
that he is confined in some place I'M
known to himself by Count Bantinni,
and that he is starving to death. It is
clear to me now that Bantinni is the
murderer; that, through hypnotic
power, he has made Mr.. Gielow confess
to the murder both to Henri, in person,
and in letters to the. police and your
self"
For a moment the heiress stared,
speechless.
ut is indeed serious" went on the
detective, turning his uncomfortable
gaze on the doctor. "Bantinni is un-
doubleday the guilty party, and Gle
low is the only witness against him. In
order to carry his point-of making #
appear that Gielow was guilty, and of
his own accord q fugitive-he would
not hesitate to"
"Oh, my God!" cried Miss Hunting
ton, covering her face.
els there no course open?" asked
Lampkin, wrought to a painful height
of sympathy by Miss Huntington's emo
ton.
ut all depends on our capturing Ban
tinni and forcing him to reveal Gielow's
place of imprisonment" replied the de-
~tective, "out that is more easily talked
about than accomplished. Already
have turned every stone to trace him,
but without a particle Of success. He is
the deepest villain on earth. II his
own flight were questioned, he would
claim that he disappeared to keep from
bearing testimony against his friend,
Gielow."
just then Henri passed through the
room, the advertisement in his hand.
Hendricks nodded after him as he dis
appeared.
81 have sent him with a Personal for
the morning Herald. In it I offer a sub
~stantial reward for information regard
ing the finding of Mr.. Gielow's message.
I have worded it in such a way that 1t
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