Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-04-02

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Illinois Central Train No. A, En- Route
South. To William chalmers. Managing
Editor New York Record VIII explain
later. Am hot on trail Send $3.50 to St.
Charles hotel, New orleans.
BERNARD SEYMOUR
81 am glad he is headed for New
Orleans" said Chalmers. 1--WE can
use him there. Now. tell you what
we will do: Your Wall street men
have found out nothing. You notice
! was right about the books of
Street d Rogers. An examination
WAS made to-day. and it panncd out
just as predicted. The account is
in the name of the firm. ] am going
to break into Hcstor'S desk tonight
and see if / can learn anything. II
his check books are there they may
prove something. II is hardly likely
that they are. What | was about to
say is this: "You find ont if any lum-
Der went aboard the shark. In the
meantime have your men intervicw
every contractor. builder and archi-
tcct in New York. and sec if any
work has been done for llcstor in the
last two years
"That is great scheme said
stevens.
send men TO Boston and philadci.
phin on Il like mission. | will wire
Seymour at New Orleans and have
him do the same thing there. Send
four or five men to New Orleans and
Galveston Tonight Instruct them
TO interview every mqn who may have
had anything to do with building a
residence of any kind for Walter =.
Hcstor. Swear them to absolute So
rrccy. ] am going TO have an in
tcrvicw with Miss Olive Hammond
tonight. at the Carmodv residence"
"Whcrc does Sidney Hammond
come in in this casc?" asked Ste
vens. "IIe is supposed to have sailed
with llcstor."
81 do not know. am going TO Try
and find out" said Chalmers. ut
books as if he was mixed up in it,
zoo. | hope not. Sidney is too good
a fellow"
Later in the evening Mr.. Chalmers
was at the Carmody mansion. Dur
ing the day he had arranged with
Miss Carmody TO invite Miss Olive
Hammond to spend the evening at
her house.
Miss Carmody." said Chalmers,
after the formal greetings We're
made, - know yor will excuse my
apparent freedom, but ! have some
news of great importance. which |
am going TO tell You and Miss Ham
mond. We should have a room where
we cannot be interrupted or over
heard
Miss Carmody rang for Smith,
"Unlock Mr.. Carmody's private Of
fee" she said. put it in order and
bring Mr.. Chalmers some cigars. I
know he smokes"
Mr.. Chalmers bowed his thanks.
They were soon seated in Mr.. Car
mody's library and private office.
Nothing which taste could dictate or
money furnish was lacking in this
room. Chalmers took the big easy
office chair. while the young ladies
formed charming picture on Il
near by divan.
Miss Hammond. the news I have
obtained indirectly concerns your
brother Sidney" said Chalmers.
Miss Olive Hammond grew pale, and
uttered half-cNclanation. "Nou
need not be in the least alarmed.
| have no reason to believe he is in
any degree to blame in this affair.
| am going to relate the whole
story, as far as know if, and you
may be able to throw new light on
the mystery"
For half an hour. Chalmers ev-
planned the circum> tance+ which had
led him to suspect Hcstor. AS he
talked the two girls claSped hands,
Tears glistcncd in Miss Hammond's
eyes when Chalmers told of the in
structons Hcstor had left that a no
ticc should be inserted in the Record,
stating that Sidney Hammond would
accompany him on a "Trip to the Med
iterrancan.
As he said this Miss Carmody re-
leased Olive Hammonds hand and
instinctively drew away from her.
Olive burst into fears.
"Sidn.y never could do such a
thing, Oh. there is a cruel mistake
somewhere" She sobbed. "Sidney is
the soul of honor. oh, my brother,
my noble, honest brother; why are
you not here to defend yourself?'
Miss Helen threw her arms around
the weeping girl. Chalmers did not
know what To say. His story had
been cut off at it's sensational point.
He stammercd an apology.
He is not guilty. | am sure he
is not guilty." exclaimed Miss Car
mody. Her eyes flashed as She
looked at Chalmers.
81 have said that 7 did not believe
him guilty" said that gentleman,
recovering himself. You young la
dies Jump at a conclusion too quick
ly. 1t is probable that Mr. Hammond
was the victim of "A plot like the 9th
crs."
"Whv. Sidney did not know he was
going until "A few hours before the
yacht sailed for Europe" said Miss
Olive. She had rcFaincd her self
possession. "lle sent me telegram
just before he went away, saying
that he was obliged to take sud
den trip to Europe with Mr.. HoNtor.
When he left home in the morning
he did not know thing about it,.
We had planned TO go to the theatcr