Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-07-11

exact minute ut which This call was
sent, it was an easy matter to find
the young woman who had answered
it; but the chances were that she
would not remember the number
called for. She did, however. for it
had been fixed in her memory by some
unusual circumstances. 1t seems that
after giving Chatham the connection
he wanted, the operator rang him up.
While she was listening for reply,
she heard sharp report, followed
by a scream; then a sound of con-
fused voices, and presently another
sharp report. After that came COM
plete silence, and she was unable to
obtain any reply to her repeated
calls"
'You have here corroborative evil
dence of the scene between Chatham
and Arbogast." said Dunlap.
Eyes; but I did not need that.
What wished to know was the name
of the person with whom Chatham
wanted to converse"
did you discover it?'
"The number of the telephone he
gave is that of the Manhattan Chem
ical company"
".And what is the Manhattan Chem
ical company?'
"That is the question I asked peo-
pie connected with the commercial
agencies. They replied that they
knew very little concerning this firm;
because, although it has been in ex-
istence for couple of years, it ap-
parently never asks anyone for cred
it, preferring to pay cash for all the
goods delivered to it. I called at the
Office of the Manhattan Chemical
company to investigate on my own
account. The Office and store occupy
the basement of an old ramshackle
building, whose upper stories are
rented out as business offices. The
laboratory and manufacturing depart
meut are downstairs in the cellar.
The store contains only few chairs
and u long counter behind which rise
shelves containing rows OF bottles
with brilliantly colored labels. A few
painted signs upon the walls vaunt
the merits of DIR. Henderson's Cough
Cure and DIR. Henderson'c Liver Spe-
cific. did not expect to find anyone
in on New Years day. was, there
fore, surprised to see solitary clerk
sitting with his feet upon desk and
apparently absorbed in the reading of
newspaper-a pale young man of
the washed-out blond type, with wa
terry green-blue eyes and scant mus
tache which fails to conceal weak
mouth. He rose to greet me with an
air of surprise which does not speak
well for the briskness of trade in the
establishment. Indeed, if we are to
Judge by the aspect of things in the
Office of the Manhattan Chemical COM
pany, business in patent medicines
does not appear to be flourishing just
at present. By the way, did you ever
hear of DIR. Henderson's remedies?"
mo; cannot say tina. l have" an
swercd Dunlap.
THAT is the curious part of it,"
said Sturgis. 81 have been unable to
discover any advertisement published
by this firm; and it is only by profuse
advertising that such a concern can
live"
Eyes, of course" exclaimed Dunlap,
somewhat impatiently; 'but what
has nll this to do with Chatham?"
II don't know" replied Sturgis;
possibly nothing; perhaps great
deal
II asked to see DR.. Henderson," he
continued, "at which the sleepy clerk
stared at me in open-mouthed amaze
ment. DR.. Henderson was not in; it
was quite uncertain when he would
be in. Indeed, as far as was able
to Judge, DIR. Henderson appears to be
a rather mysterious personage. No
one knows much about him. Even his
clerk admits that he has seen him
only once or twice in the 10 months
during which he has had charge Of
the Office. The doctor attends to the
manufacturing part of the business
himself; his laboratory, which is
down in the cellar, is most jealousy
guarded place. No one is ever ad-
mitted to it under any pretext. He is
evidently afraid that some one may
discover the secret of his valuable
remedies"
"You say that as If your words were
meant to convey some unexpressed
meaning" said Dunlap, studying the
reporters face.
ITO be continued.l