Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-01-14

representatives of the families Of
Rockwell, Kent, Haven, Pence and
Morton, and each agreed to pledge
$4,000 to the Records reward fund.
Chalmers was Supremacy happy. He
sent for the foreman of the compo.-
ing room and designed new cap
ton, the first line of which read:
THE RECORD OFFERS ONE MIL
LION DOLLARS REWARD!!" He
then called Miss Carmody by tele-
phone. and informed her what had
been done. That young lady was de-
lighted, but assured Mr.. Chalmers that
she would take it upon herself to see
that the missing men paid every dol
lar of the reward. This was n mere
detail to Chalmers, and when he had
finished his talk with Miss Carmodv.
the foreman returned with the new
headline. Chalmers pinned il to the
wall and stood off and admired il
with the rapt expression of an art
devotec lost in contemplation of
newly-discovcred Raphael
Print it in red" he said to the
| foreman. Run it clear across the
page. Below we will string IA solid
row of six half-tone portraits of the
missing miIlionaircs"
| Chalmers was busy man during
the two days following the interview
with Miss Carmody. He detailed ten
of his men to exclusive work on the
mystery and at considerable expense
secured Is others from rival New
York papers. Chicago was drawn
on for five reporters. and he induced
ten from other cities to Join his
newspaper detective force. This gave
him staff of 10 men.
John l.. Stevens, of Chica go. was
the most famous police and detective
| reporter of the country, and, after an
interview with Mr.. Chalmers, was APP
/ pointed chief-ofstalf under the di-
rect supervision of the managing
| editor
Il have no theory about-t4,is. mys-
terry, Jack" said Chalmers, after they
had discussed the case in all it's de-
tails. Il have certain vague suspi-
cions, but they are not founded on
facts, and they may be dismissed
from considerations
by the way, has that man L. Syl-
vester Vincent been heard of?"
who is hep" asked Chalmers.
You had paragraph about him
yesterday" said Stevens. .IIe Is
missing from the Broadway Central
hotel. Has not been seen since Mon
day night He may have something
to do with it. 1 have sent a man to
Chicago for his record"
Stevens went away and left CbaI-
mers TO his reflections The man.
aging editor leaned back in his chair
and gazed for long time at the
ceiling Then he lit cigar and blew
rings of smoke at the wall above,
as II to lombard it into surrender
or the secret. He placed his feet
on the desk and allowed his mind TO
wander at will over the dark fields
of the mystery. There was no thor
oughfare. Chalmers leaned back I'M
III the Office chair threatened to fall
lie then stood up, kicked it savageIy.
and paced up and down the room.
It's queer; mighty queer" Me-
chanicaIly he picked up Mr.. Van
horne's cablegram and again read it.
TUT Hestor to work on the
case he unused. Il will do right
wei putting Iestor to work on the
case wish ! knew where / could
find him"
hestor came in here on Satur-
day, muttered Chalmers as he hurried
| pile of unoffending EXCHANGES in tho
direction of the waste basket. "ue
Sa'd he was compelled to make
hurried trip to Europe, and expected
!" san on Monday or Tuesday in his
yacht the shark Queer chap, that
HtStor. or course it's only a coin
cldence; but | cannot help thinking
about it,"
Chalmers paced up and down the
room with his head thrown back and
ms eyes half closed i'm thought He
attempted TO recall every word and
action Of HestOr's during the DAYS
immediately preceding his departure.
ITS too Geep for me" he said. "a.
he returned to his desk and me-
chanicaily picked up the Van Horne
! cablegram. What does Hestor want
in the Mediterranean? How i'm thun-
der am ] going TO reach him?"
lie turned the knob on the door 10
hest"rs private Office. II was locked.
and Chalmers knew il was locked.
He sent for the jaritor.
Have you key TO that door,"
No. sir. Mr.. IlestOr has the only
key the ianitor replied.
Take off the lock ana put in now
one" he said. I'VE must have n room
for Mr.. stevens and some Of his men.
Hestor may be mad bat can't help
it,"
The door was soon opened and
Chalmers entered. The heavy oak
desk was closed. At the base Of the
door, opening into the hall, were
number of letters which had been
dropped through a slit by the post
man. When Hestor returned from
his long expeditions he frequently
found a busheI basket full of nc-
cumulated letters.
There were perhaps dozen LET