Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-03-11
My Strangest Case
BY GUY BOOTHBY.
Autsior Of Or. NIKOLA' 1.-THE WHITE DEVIL"
"pHAROs, THE EGYPTIAN" Etc.
copyrighted. 1901, BY Ward, 1ock 4 Col
SYNOPSIS,


nave learned of existence of hidden treas
ure at Sengkor- Wat-old Burmese ruin
Gear Chinese border. Hayle only half be-
Ievess account. but nevertheless agrees to
Join in search.
PART II.-Reaching Sengkor-Wat, the
men make their way through the ancient
streets and toward the once splendid pail
ace. Toward dusk after most tedious
search they come upon secret entrance to
underground vaults. in which are discov-
cred great quantities of bar gold and uncut
hands with gems and the men make their
way outside again. On reaching camp they
m md ,, their two Burmese servants slain and
ing the night Hayle secures treasure and
steals away into the jungle.
PART 1II.-utterly exhausted and UNI
GERS near frontier station Of Nampoung.
AS soon as able he leaves for Rangoon
and thence to England.
PART IV.-Two months later another
olhcer at Nampoung. while out on q hunt
comes across Kitwater and Codd. Kitwa-
ter explains they were traders who had
iaiien into hands of Chinese who had put
out his own eyes and pulled out Colds
tongue. After recovering somewhat from
effects of exposure and fortunes they set
off in pursuit of Hayle.
CHAPTER I.-George Fairfax relates
how he became detective in Australia
and finally came to open up an office in
London. -
CHAPTER II.-Kitwater and Codd try
to secure Fairfax's services They repre-
sent themselves as missionaries returned
from China where rich native patron
turned over to them on his death a great
fortune fortune which was stolen by q guest
concludes not to- take case.
CHAPTER III.-Miss Kttwater calls on
Fairfax in behalf of her uncle and sue
coed, eeads in perspadipg him to take up the
calls himself Edward Bayley. of the Santa
Cruz Mining company, seeks to get Fair
fax to go to Argentina to shadow mine
manager who is suspected of embeZzle-
ment. Detective replies he now has case
on which will engage him for some time.
Fairfax at a leading jewelers. learns that
Just been received, and gets description of
man of whom they were bought.
CHAPTER Iy.-one evening Fairfax
finds himself followed by two rufflans, but
will repeat performance he goes forth the
next night. but with one of his most pow
erful men but little behind. Finding that
dark street and turns about and con-
fronts ruff1ans who confess they have been
hired to brain him. Finding. where they
He conceals himself and is much sur
prised to see Mr.. Bayley approach.
CHAPTER y.-From the managing d.
Fairfax learns there is no Bayley in their
employ. The director, however, remem-
bers former clerk who answers to the
name was Gideon Hayle That same day
by accident Fairfax almost comes upon
HE IA but, the latter escapes into cab.
q long chase the forward cab comes to a
stop. but 1t is empty.
CHAPTER yI.-:After many persistent
INQUIRIES Fairfax locates Hayle in Fox
only a few minutes. Subordinate de-
tectfves are located at the various sta
lions, and one of them, Dickson, manages
to trace Hayle to Paris.
'Mr. Fairfax she began, resting
her clasped hands upon the bar Of
the gate as she spoke, 81 want, if you
will allow me, to have serious talk
with you. could not have better
opportunity than the present, and,
such as it is, want to make the
best of it,"
81 am quite at your service, Miss
Kitwater," I replied, "and if can be
of any use to you hope you will tell
me. Pray let me know what I can
do for your"
SIT is about my uncle and Mr..
Codd that 1 want to speak to you,"
she said, sinking her voice little, as
if she were afraid they might hear.
'And what about them?"
81 want to be loyal to them, and
yet l want to know what you think
of the whole affair."" she said, look
ing intently at me as she spoke.
Believe me, l have good and sufh-
Gent reasons for my request"
81 am to tell exactly what l think
about their pursuit of this man
Hayle? And what chances of sue.
cess / think they possess?' 1 said:
Il am not thinking SO much Of
their success" she returned, "as of
the real nature of their case"
II believe / understand what Is
passing in your mind" 1 said. "In-
deed should not be surprised if the
suspicion you entertain is not the
same as have myself"
''You have been suspicious, then 2"
II could scarcely fail to be-" re-
piled.
Perhaps you will tell me what you
suspect?"
will you forgive me, in my turn,
if Lam abrupt, or if speak my mind
little too plainly?"
"You could not do that she an
swered with sigh. II want to know
your exact thoughts, and then I
shall be able to form MY own con-
clusions."
.'Well," 1 said, before l begin,
may put one or two questions. to
you? You will, of course, remember
that l had never seen or heard of
your uncle and Mr.. Codd until they
stopped me on Ludgate Hill. They
were and practically are strangers
to me. / have heard their story of
their treasure; but / have not heard
what anyone else has to say upon
the subject"
II think / understand. Now what
are, your questions?"
''In the first place, did your late
father ever speak to you Of his
brother as being missionary in
China ?'' n.
She shook her head, and from the
look upon her face 1 could see, that
I had TOUCHED upon something pal
full. This, at least, was one of the
things that had, struck her as sus-
picious. "a, III,
"If he We're a missionary. !, am
quite sure my father did not know
it, she, said. eth fact always I'M
:'derstood that he was someWhaf Of a
.scapegrace, and in consequently could
never settle down to anything, That