Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-02-26
CHATTER XVII. tcontinued.,


81 am a detective come about that
CaryI affair" Immediately said Loud.
II did not know but that | might find
some item OF information here"
Lauriats face changed In look OF
the deepest concern.
Has nothing been discoyered?" he
asked
"It is not pleasant to my profession
ell pride to own IL, but nothing has
been discovered. want to learn his
character and habits. II is very dfdi-
cult to get any clue 10 him. He's very
skillfnl."
It was evident that Loud had fallen
into the belief that Rothesay was
guilty.
His character was above suspicion,
and his habits those OF a gentleman,
not OF fast man in any sense" was
the emphatic reply.
might have heard from him?" asked
Loud, expressing an idea that had
been in his mind some time.
he had been wayering In his convic-
ton as TO which one of the two girls
Rothesay loved, Laura Lauriat or Kate
Purcell. He was convinced that the
one whom Vance did love would soon
or or later hear from her lover, and he
meant to know II IL either did hear.
He had never seen Rothesay. but
from what he had to Judge by he had
decided that the young man was an
adventurer destitute Of moral princi-
ples-one who covered his real char
acteF with the utmost skill and sue
cess.
Loud was almost sure that Kate Pur-
cell loved Rothesay, and well indeed
must he have concealed his real self
20 be beloved by such woman as she.
Probably Miss LauTias loved him
also; yes, he was vcry successful
among women, and 1t was urdorbtedly
q woman that had been the cause OF
the quarrel with Ralph caryl
The detective pursued biz inrliries
with the strictest rigor in lAnlladel-
phia. He found nothing but what was
to Rothesay's credit.
Vance was lawyer, possessed of a
very small private fortune, and had
before. He had been on his summer
vacation previous to his contemplated
marriage when he had taken i'll at the
little town on the Massachusetts coast.
Verify, Loud found the character OF
the young man spotless; one or two
people with whom the detective con-
yersed seemed disposed to speak in a
dLsparaging manner of Rothesay, but
Loud thought nothing OF that--he
knew It was impossible to find any one
OF whom everybody spoke well.
He went back to Boston very much
irrftated with himself at his want of
Edccess. He went down to Cotton
again and met Dick Burt as he left the
railroad station.
Loud drew Dick to one side and en-.
tered into conversation. He did not
forget that he had at first had fieeting
suspicious Of this man. But he had
satisfied himself without doubt that
Dick had been away from the scene OF
the murder
In person he knew Burt could not
have participated in that crime. And
yet the detective fancied that CaryI
might have inteFfered in Burt's love
affair and given Burt reason to hate
him.
Loud's sharp eyes did not fail to see,
while appearing not to see that Burt
would rather not have met him, even
endeayoring to appear as though not
seeing him, for Dick had discovered in
what capacity Loud had come down to
the shore indeed, he had seen the de-
tectige before when investigating a
different case.
Loud saluted Burt with apparent
cordially. and entered Immediately
into conversation
You are just the man l wanted to
see" said the detective, walking along
the road with Dick. II must be in
luck to find you so soon, for wanted
TO go back to town by this afternoons
train"
Il don't see how can be of service
20 you," said Burt, somewhat sullenIy,
but unable to refuse to accompany the
oficer.
"Do you not often carry the mall
down TO the PurceIis?" abruptly asked
Loud, who had discovered that he did
20.
Almost always, Il there's anything
for Them" was the reply, with look
Of amazement.
T thought so. VIII you do me
favor7"
Burt stared.
what do you mean% he asked.
AFirst let me ask il you have ever
seen Vance Rothesay's handwriting?"
-accidentally--a note about his
horse when he was getting we'll"
'You would know 1t II you should
see 1t again7"
"oh, yes"
II am asking these questions on the
supposition that he win write to Kate
Purcell"
HE! That man write to Kate Pur-
cell! What do you mean by that?"
Burt turned upon the detective