The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-01-31

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THREE CHECkBOOKS WE'RE FOUND
IN THE DESK.
we're found on the glass-covered sur
face of the desk. On dates from
April rs to May 1, inclusive, Hestor
had drawn checks payable to him
self aggregating $4,64s,O00.
GLOW could he have amassed that
amount of cash?" asked Stevens, as
he footed up the aggregate.
Here is a memorandum which ex-
plains that" said Chalmers. He
pointed to the inside cover of one of
the check books on which was tabu-
lated sales of bonds and stocks
amounting to $4,627,000.
'The Hestor estate was largely in
securities" said Chalmers. 81 re-
member IIestor told me at one time
that he owned between $4,000, 900
and $lG,00o,ooO worth of gilt-edged
stuff"
"What did he do with the cash? ?"
asked Stevens, with an air which in
dictated lilat lie cOulu auSWcT Ills
own question.
"Strect & Rogers might answer if
they would" said Chalmers. ga man
of Hestor's standing could margin
100000 shares of stock with that
amount of money. He was too wise
to draw checks payable to anyone
but himself. He must have lugged
IL IL
would not make much of package
in 81 900 bills. lIcstor must be $780,
100000 ahead in this deal. His in
sanity takes II canny form. l would
like to be crazy awhile like that my
self"
"But how does he propose to get
out of it?"
"Givc it up said Chalmers. "It
is too deep for me. Ilcstor is not
the kind to think OF details like that.
He goes ahead and let's consequences
take care of themselves. lie did not
even take the precaution to destroy
these check books. We can trace
him like Il rabbit in IL new fall of
SNOW
to such cities as Baltimore, Washing
ton and number of western cities,
in the faint hope that some
clcw might be found. Instructions
| were cabled to London, Paris,
and other European cities, and a
search made in these art centers,
but nothing was learned.
Chalmers was Il daily visitor at the
Carmody residence. He inspired Miss
Helen with hope, and would not lis
ten to her fears of failure. She
was anxious to fit out the Carmody
yacht, the ''1Ielen Carmody," and be-
gin at once a search for her father
and his companions.
'''rhat is Il good idea," said Mr.
| Chalmers. ''Go ahead and put the
yacht in commission, and supply hel
with provisions for months
cruise, but do not start until my
men have had a chance to complete
their search. 1t is now the 18th
of the month. Give me until Tues
day, the 10th, and if we have
no news by that time we will senC
the Helen AS you know, there are
Il score of boats securing the ocea1
now. 1t is a good-sized globe, this
old world of ours. and there are mil
lions of places, any one of which Hes
tor may have selected. For oil WI
know. he may be cruising in tn
boundless waters Of the Pacific. o.
the 10th we will make public al
the facts in our possession, in cas-
we do not in the meantime find
definite clew. I do not feel justified
in doing so, except as last resort
Hcstor may not be guilty. His &C
tons, so far as we know. can all b
explained. Our evidence against hin
is purely circumstantial. We will Civ
lIestor time to reach some port i
Europe. We have wired instruction
to every foreign harbor, and will u
once hear from him if he be limo
cent. This is an awful charge t
make against an honest man, an
we must give Hcstor the benefit c
every doubt"
e "You are right, Mr.. Chalmers,
said Miss Helen. 81 will have tn
" yacht prepared for long cruise.
does not seem possible that Mr.. He
W. tor could do such thing. He
. so kind and generous. 1t would t
> awful to falsely accuse him."
1t need not be supposed that thes
', daily interviews between the journa
u list and the charming heiress wei
- entirely devoted to the solving Of tt
d mystery which was the cause of the
3 acquaintance. Mr.. Chalmers esteeme
'e it his duty to direct her though
IS to more pleasant topics. and he Il
the conversation into literature al
IS to the discussion of current event
s. Chalmers was an entertaining talke
with an aptitude to perceive tt
e. grotesque side Of things, and he pc
c. sessed the rare art of the good stol
lX teller. A few odd facts were su
r ficicnt to form the theme of q mirt
re full tale, and Chalmers was by natu
I'd and training an adept in the art
narrative. He had an appreciate
I'd listener in Miss Carmody, and unco
e. sciously she found herself waiti,
r. for the hour when the self-possess
lg and animated Chalmers would 6
OF rive, and with news or fancy light
o. the monotony Of the hours.
nj RIO Re Continued1