Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-01-04

say, at least
"A quarter of an. hour" roared the
indignant Irishtnan, making a bolt
the door. That's what III or CIV
ing information to the police And,
without further parley, he fed to the
nearest telegraph office.
Clever old party, your Irish friend,
remarked Trail, laughing; land l fan
cy he'll be Of use 10 us yet, before we
get at the bottom of this queer case.
But it was rather confiding Of him to
expect me to let him use the wires be-
fore / had my irons in the fire. BY the
way. / suppose that, having ascer-
tanned the fate of the missing heir,
your interest in the affair practically
ends, ehT'
why, yes" I %assented, somewhat re-
%luctantly. practically, / suppose it
does, so far as Hawkins & Co. are con-
ceIned; but, personally, / am as keen
as ever to solve the mystery Of poor
Tom Wehb's disappearance, and that
would seem to be bound up In the run
ming to earth Of the man who strangled
Luke Arnewood."
THAT is So" said Trail, "unless APP
pearances lie even worse than usual.
But, in the name Of common sense, my
dear fellow, don't buoy yourself up
with any hope of ever seeing Webb
alive. 1t is simply impossible that he
should evade capture all this time,
were he still above ground"
I'm afraid you're right" / replied,
despondently. But it's some comfort
to know that the case is still in your
haEds, and that you seem more hope
full Of worrying through nJw than /
have ever seen you before"
Eyes, thanks to the happy thought
which prompted you to bring Mr..
O'Flynn here" he rejoined, briskly.
And now. to drop tee business for a
moment. may I ask you a very person
al question:" sra
Certainly, any uestion You choose"
"Have you any special reason apart,
of course, from ordinary friendship
for your evident anxiety to ascertain
Wehb's fate?"
"Yes," 7 replied, 81 have. I vas pre-
tically engaged to his sister before this
wretched affair-"
II understand" he sail, i~nterrupting
me, gently. "WomaE-like she blames
you for not saving him against himself,
as the phrase goes. Well, between our
selves, 1t is pretty well recognized here
that this Is one OF the most awkward
cases we have had to deal with for
some years past: The idea in the
Yard Is that it was a 'one-man job
and I needn't tell you, who are almost
one OF us, that it's long odds against
our mailing a clever scoundrel who
works alone, or who-if he has a con-
federate-puts the latter out of the
way before he has time to round OIL
him."
II won't have it even suggested that
poor Tom Webb was a confederate in
this affair!!' I rejoined, holly.
We'll. call him a dupe, If you like"
said Trail. 1T is clear that he was
mixed up in the business, somehow or
other. and / have not the faintest doubt
that his knowledge OF the crime cost
him his life. However, let that pass
for the present. The full truth can
only come out when we have the actu
al murderer by the heels. Thanks to
you, / have now a real clue to work
upon. and-I think | see my way"
These last words were sItien in n
~singularly calm, convincing way. l
hllIN NIltI lOJa 1EdIils dItIlbtGH IL lUdH
well under thirty, and but recently pro-
NOTED as inspector, was regarded as
one OF the smartest men in the depart
ment; and his quiet confidence carried
conviction with 1t that / would yet
stand justified in the eyes of Madge
Webb. True, / would rather have
stood indebted to my own personal eff
forts than to his; but l was not my
own master, and / could not well ask
for leave on private affairs at a time
when Mr.. Hawkins, as yet barely con-
valescent, could so i'll spare me. And
this l explained to sympathiZing In
| spector Trail.
"I understand perfectly" was his
comment; ''and l think it very hard
lines that, having found the scent, you
should be debarred from joining in
the hunt: but, at all events, You can
have a look-in, now and then. For in
stance, what's the earliest you can get
away from the office this afternoon?''
give, or a quarter to-" l answered,
Frightening up.
''That will do. oil right" he reioined.
i"I1l call for You at five sharp. Dress a
bit roughly. aE;i don't bring any valu.
ables or mrch money"
May l ask where you are going tot
Sohog'
NO" he replied. "Try again"
aboard the Wairoa, then?' then, !
suggested.
quite right" he assented, approx
ingly. THE Wairoa it is. She's now
berthed in the Southwest India docks;
and n Of my men, who is used to
s~eafaring folk, has her under observa.
ton, But, confound it all! That Irish,
man has bolted with the photographer
mo, he hasn't" / put in, quietly
They're in my pocket"
'Thank goodness" he remarked
with a sigh of relief. Eve shall prob
ably want them. So bring them along
Five o'clock, mind, sharp"
/ hurried back to Exeter street. to in
sure that my work for the day woulG
be finished by the time specified, dis
patched a messenger to my rooms fol
n rough boating suit, and awaited tn,
inspectors arrival with some impa
thence.
CHAPTER VII.
Il III .LEl#E.H0 49, nn-n. .-