Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-10

trees all right. Seems to me as i
he said something about alligators
Then he closed up and said moth
ing"
Chalmers examined the other state
ments. They were bills of various
knds-for stocks of canned goods
smoked meats, condensed milk an6
the multitudinous articles which
would be used by a well equipped
camping party. They were dated
between the 25th and Goth of April
ana were rendered on the first of the
month. 1t was late in the afternoon
when he was through with this work
About IL o'clock that night ChaI.
mers received a telegram from Mr.
Bernard Seymour dated from Chi.
cago. Mr.. Seymour had been detailed
by Jack Stevens to hunt up the Chi
cago record of L. Sylvester Vincent.
Seymour was first heard of in tbe
following bulletin. filed in CHICAGO
at eight o'clock that night.
M Chicago, May s.
| 10 William Chalmers, Managing Editor
| the New York Record:
| l.. sylvester Vincent is the kidnapper.
he formed plan in Chicago two months
ago. Has been seen in conference with
ooseph Reiterman and other big stock
| operators. Was probably backed by
them to abduct Rockwell, Carmody,
| Kent, Pence, Haven and Morton Vim
! cent is a plausible but desperate charac-
ter. Have big story. Can send 10000
words. How much do You want?
BERNARD SEYMOUR
Chalmers wired the impetuous
Seymour to send nothing except a
brief statement of the facts he had
learned: not for publication, but for
the private information of Mr.. Ste
vens and himself. Chalmers then
wired Stevens to put his men at work
at Provincetown, and return to New
YORK at once. He received a tele-
phone message from Miss Carmody
asking him to call at her residence
if convenient, and in Is minutes an
automobile landed him at the Car
mody mansion.
He found Miss Carmody with Miss
Edith lie Roy, Miss De Melville and
Mrs. Isabel White. the latter being
the widowed aunt of Miss Carmody.
and most charming chaperone to
that young lady. Mr.. Chalmers was
acquainted with all the ladies ex-
cept Mrs. White. All were eager
for the latest news. Mr.. Chalmers
repeated Mr.. Van Horne's instruc-
lions about the reward, and dis
played copy of the headlines and
the leading article for the following
day He told what had been done in
the way of forming detective staff. |
'We now have 40 men detailed ex-
cluslvely to this work. he said. |
Ten are with Mr.. Stevens at Prov.
1ncetown and others are at various
points selected by Mr.. Stevens and
myself. / know you ladies will ex-
cuse me il l ask for a few minutes
private conversation with Miss Car
mody. We must all do what we can
to advance her interests. and this is
matter in which she is especially
concerned, and no precautions can
be omitted'
Certainly we will excuse YOU" said .
Mrs. White. t
why, of COURSE" said Miss LIE Row
and Miss DE Melville. But these
young ladies were devoured of curl
osity and would have given ANYTHING
quietly to have stepped into the adj
joining room and overheard the sub
dued conversation between Miss Car.
mody and the managing editor.
Chalmers briefly recited the story
of L. Sylvester Vincent and told Of
the telegram he had received from
Seymour at Chicago.
This is clew well worth follow
ing" said Mr.. Chalmers. II do not sun
pose you have ever heard your faith
# speak about a man named Vim
,ent?"
Miss Carmody was sure that her
.ather had never mentioned the
lame. 1t was an odd one and she
would have remembered it.
Did Mr.. Vincent ever call here?
-FOUR butler or footman might know"
Miss Carmody rang bell. A SER I
ant appeared.
Tell Smith 1 wish to see him."
aid Miss Carmody.
DO you keep the cards of all who
all en- Mr.. Carmody?" asked Miss
'arHody as the butler stood in the
Doorway.
yes, Miss Ellen"
'BIing me the cards which have
cen received in the past three or ,
our weeks" s
The butler bowed, disappeared, and {
Don returned with formidable as {
ortment of cards. These were /
pread out on the table, and Miss
armody and Mr.. Chalmers began an 7
of them. i
"Iills is a new game of cards, Miss S
armody," said Chalmers, CHANGING r
his lovely companion. "The one 4
no finds the right name wins.' v
Il win!" said Miss Helen, her eyes {
asfting with excitement. Here it A
!" r
She passed neatly engraved card c
Mr. Chalmers. That gentleman G
,oF: it and read: n