Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-29
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J THE STURGIS WAGER I
A DETECTIVE STORY. !;
BY EDGAR MoRETTE.
Copyright. 1899 by Frederick A. stokes 90.
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BY EDGAR MoRETTE. 6
Copyright. 1899 by Frederick A. stokes %. y
Observation-Disclosures
"Well, you are in luck; better than
you deserve. Almost any other man
would have been laid up for week by
the experience you have been through.
And here you have the face to recover
without the assistance of the medical
profession, and in spite of your insolent
disregard of my express orders to leave
work alone for the present. Now, there
is Sprague-"
"Ah, what of sprague?" asked the
reporter, anxiously.
"Sprague has had close call. But
he is safe now. If tender and intelli-
gent nursing count for anything, he
will probably be up in day or two"
Miss Murdoch"
Yes. She has professional nurse
to help her; but she has insisted on
taking charge Of the case herself. And
an excellent nurse she is, too, and u
charming girl into the bargain-and
what Ia more, a noble woman"
Does she know of her fathers
deathp"
II broke 4be news no oon+1r :,
possible. She took it much more calm
~ than supposed she would. There
tween her and her fntbern W
con her side Mt any ,.a+en
eyes. Her f,rst act On Ienrn;nr ha.
fathers crimes was to send for n law
yer. She refuses to touch n cent Of bis
money, and has instruct cd her attorn ~
I to make such resolutions ma NAV hs
possible and to turn the rest to char.
liable institutions. This leaves her oil.
most penniless: for the nronertv she
held in her own RIGHT from her moth.
er's estate amounts to ycry title For.
tunately, sprague ia rich enough for
both. What are You doing there. ifI
may ask?"
DR.. Thurston pointed to "a bundle
which lay upon the tnble.
"That is Murdock's nntob,ogranby
alcgacy to me. The nacl,,ya ma q ~,
near his yalise in the death ohano,.an
he had addressed 1t to me at the a.
minute
ibid 1t help YOU In yonr acconnt 90
the Knickerbocker bank case for ,hs
Tempest?"
"a little; but naturally, Murdock,,
account of that crime was not com.
plete. The entire journal bowevar
is OF absorbing interest Il il a nitv
that 1t cannot be published"
"Why cannot II he nnhl;sbad2.
"It would be dangerous to tho ,vo,.
fare Of society. Mnrdoclr VINO nm ~.
traordinary genius In his line. tba-.
lis marvellous originality and ,ngenu.
ity in his work. His cr;mas nm
bered by the hundred vera nil ~
capital Importance In their results.
ali deep-laid and sliljfnllv exaomtad
II Is hardly likely that ,nch anotbe,
consummate artist In crime will Nv.
list once century To nub,isb tho
details of his schemes would be "a
put formidable weapon In the hands
Of the vulgar herd Of ordinary Grim.
inals, who lack the imagination %
this brilliant villain.
II tell YOU. Thurston.n cont,n,od
Sturgis, with what seemed yerv like
enthusiastic conviction. "this man
was the originator Of almost everr
unsolyed mystery which has non.
plussed the police during the last ~
years. He had his agents in every I'm.
portant center throughout the conn.
try; agents wording under notent In.
centives, and yet working in the dark.
for few of them have ever known who
held the mysterious power which di.
rooted their every move. Murder has
been done wholesale: and so quietly
and mysteriously has the work been
accomplished that, in all but this last
caae, the detectives have found no
clue whatever which might lead to
IN explanation of The sudden and un-
accountable disappearance of wealthy
men, whose bodies. shipped to the
Manhattan Chemical company by
Murdock's agents, were quietly and
systematically made away with in the
CHEMISTS laboratory"
He was the fiend incarnate!n ex-
claimed the physician.
WELL" said sturgis. after n mo.
mont Of thoughtful silence. eat anv
rate, he was not wantonly cruel. Te
was heartless; he was pitiless. h,t
his cruelty was ALWAYS q means to an
end, however selfish and illeu;t;mat.
e. e. : +; 4 = s; n;