The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1902-10-30
BY GUY BOOTHBN,


copyrighted, lnl, ~ "arl' l'-'" '".l
'In what way can hr Of service
10 you. Mr.. FairfaN"' be- inquired,
after | had seated myself
II am afraid there has been m's-
take" answered. looking about me
for Mr.. Daylcy. II told th' clerk
that ! desired to see the managing
director
"You are seeing him" b" returned
with a smile, FOR { ana he
"In that case must have m,sun.
derstood the Reutlrmu who called
upon me two dag ago. replied.
with some surprise.
"Do | understand you to say that
q gentleman from thls Office called
upon your"
"ies. a Mr.. Rayiey, a tall good.
looking man, ~ between 5s aud 20
years Of age"
The old gentleman stared. a. well
be might
"But there Is no Mr.. laylry here"
he said We have no uuc Of thnt
name in our employ, fear the man,
whoever h~ was. must have been
playing n trick upon you. I sincere
IS trust he has done no damage.
Might | ask what hc called upon you
shnut""
lie called on me on behalf Of your
COMPANY" answered. lie informed
me that for some time past you have
hScertainrd the gray"st suspicious
concerning the manager ~ your
mines in the Argentine. lie said that
information had reached your ears
TO the effect that the man iu qu"s.
ton was IN league with q notorious
swindlrr In New York, and, though
you could not bring uuy proved
charge against him. you were equal
" certain that hr was rphh.ug you
In order 10 fll hin own pockets. He
appeared To- be- aost anNiuu, Co rrT
suade me to go To the republic at
once In order that might inquire
into matters and report 20 yuu.
was 90 br away three months, ami
was to be- paid 4 1000 and my vK'
Pcnscs for my trouble"
My good sir, this Be- really pre-
poateroua." the old gentleman rr-
turned. II can positively assure sou
that there Is not "a word OF truth 10
his assertion. Our manager ln th'
Argentine IL an old and Valued
friend. and / would stake mN late ou
his fidelity. Nothing wuu.l induce
us to think even Of sending dr'rc,
tive out 10 spy upon him
II am beginning 10 believe lha,
should like to meet Mr.. layIry
again" remarked lie has a fine
imagination. and, from what yuW tel
me. IL seems that | should have
looked fool had gone uut "a
South America on such an rrsaud.'
II, would have been exceedingly
announcement not only for YOU, but
also for Us. snid the manager. Il
shall report this matter ~ the board
meeting to-day. We must cudsas ui
to discover who this man Is. Hud alSC
hts reasons for acting as he has done
Should we hear anything further
upon the subject. wr wili at once
communicate with YOU"
Il should be- glad II you viii ia
So" replied. p should like to get
this matter cleared up ~ soon q,
possible. There may be- something
behind IL that We do not under
stand"
thanked him for the interview
aud then took my departure. more
puzzled by IL than had been by any
thing for long time. When
reached my Office | took the card
from q drawer. which MIR. Edward
Bayley had sent To me, and dis
patched T. by special messenger 10
the office of che fgmces ;s!a!np com
pany. That afternoon another sur
prise WAS In store for me. Shortly
after lunch, and when ! was in the
middle Of letter TO Kiiwatcr, a
message was received through the
telephone To the effect that the man.
aging director of the Santa Cruz Min.
ing company, whom had seen that
morning, was on his way to call upon
me.
Something has evidently come To
light" l reflected. Perhaps the
mystery surrounding Mr.. Edward
Bayley IL about To he cleared up. for
must confess | do not like the look
Of It,"
A quarter Of an hour later the
manager was uaherrd into my pres
ence.
Good afternoon, Mr.. Fairfax" he
said. II have come to ask you, II
you will permit me. u few questions.
and also to tell you that think we
have discovered who Il IL that il mas
quersding rs the occupant Of my
position. You gave me this morning
a rough description of the individual
who called upon you, Can you recall
anything particular about his APP
peRranee7 Any strange mark, for In
stance. Anything by which we
ahouId he able to swear to his iden-
tity7"
81 would swear 20 his identity any
where, without . mark" replied.
"But since you do mention IL. | re-
member that he had n small tri-
angular scar upon his left cheek"
"Then II Is the same man after all"
said the manager. THAT IL certain.
tR exfrnordInarv When our secrs.