Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-04-21

xA0 CACClluISSt 1AaA \ An0W - DIV
Emmons, head Of the detective agency
which bears his name. He is q fat lit
tie fellow who hasn't grown q day old
er in 20 years, as all his fiiends de-
clare. His voice Is as soft and his
as gentle as your family ply
sician's. and his conversation is char
acberized by a guileless garrulity which
would lead you to suppose that he
hadn't a secret in the world.
/ had known him a long time and
had never seen him otherwise than
careless and almost chiIdishly happy.
1t was therefore with surprise that 1
beheld him ~unevenly pacing the floor
and running his fingers distractediy
through his thin sandy hair when |
called at his Office or a matter OF bust
ness a few days ago..
~ got YOU message over the
phone" he said, "but l didn't under
stand it. That's why / asked you to
come over here. Probably l shant
understand it any better when you tell
me about it. I'm unfit for business to-
day-nervous prostration-partly 0
ry, party the weather. / never could
stand -drizzling rain. What is your
friend?"
The person referred to In this abrupt
and unconventional way was a young
man who had accompanied me because
he knew certain facts about the matter
in hand.
This is my clerk, Mr.. Young" said
/; 1.-The man / mentioned over the
phone"
Il didn't know you mentioned any
body" rejoined Emmons. but that's
not wonderful. I'm a perfect jackass
to-day. However, I car give you the
addresses of several others in my line
of business If you don't think l am fit
to take the case. If you do, sit down
and tell me your troubles"
He himself pumped down in the
chair behind his large, fiat topped
desk, upon which were a great number
of playing cards that seemed to have
been laid down according to some sort
of system.
Solitaire" said he, catching the
glance of my eye. "Tts my medicine
for the mind. You never saw this
kind before. It's very complicated. l
invented it myself. I'll go right on
playing If you don't object. 1t will
steady me up. Now, what's the diff
culty?"
Its pretty serious business, En-
MONS" said I.
He balanced a three spot reflectively
in his hand and fianally laid it on the
deuce of spades.
"Yes?" said he in a PARKWAY tone.
Young, the clerk, cast a look of sur
prise at me out of the corner Of his
eye.
Il had a contract with the Barbour
Iron company on the work for our new
building" said /, "and they're trying
to get out of it. The thing rests on
the document, Emmons, and If we
can't produce it we can't hold those
iron people. It's a matter OF $25, 900 or
100000 to our firm"
'And as you're pretty nearly the
whole thing yourself"-said Emmons
dreamily as he studied the intelligent
c~ountenance of the king of diamonds.
Its the same as taking that sun
out OF my pocket" / continued after a
brief pause for him to complete his
sentence. 1.-THE contract is missing. 1t
was in my safe and it's gone. l missed
it yesterday afternoon, and of course /
supposed that the Barbour people had
morning / got this letter in the mail"
/ took the missive out of the envel-
Que and laid 1t to one side until he had
found a place for the king Of dia-
monds; then he ~readjusted his round,
gold trimmed spectaeles and read as
follows:
Mr.. Henry Minturn:
Dear Sir-You think that contract is
gone, but it is still in existence. I have
1t, and for a fair price L will give it back
to you. How would $4,000 suit you? All
you have got to do is to offer that reward
for its return and no questions asked.
I'll see that il gets into your hands. I
know what 1t is worth to you, and It IS
cheap at the figure named. Publish per
sonaT' offering reward addressed L.. NJ. n.
Il read 1t to you over the phone"
did you?" asked Emmons, pushing
the paper to one side. my phone IS
working badly. I didn't get the drift
Of it. This is rank blackmail."
He took up the cards again and be-
gan to deal some Of them slowly
around upon the facts OF others that
lay on the desk. One of his assistants
entered by a door behind Emmonsl He
had documents in his hands, and he
stood waiting beside Emmons' chair.
Presently he eoughed, but Emmons did
mn Lob M IJa u-cr& m wifh thn oof-