The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-02-26
cHAPTeR xvll. fcontInued.l


caryl affair" Immediately said Lout
Il did not know but that might fin
some item Of information here
Lauriats face changed in look Q
the deepest concern.
HAS nothing been discovered?" h
asked
1T is not pleasant 10 my profession
al pride 10 own 1t, but nothing ha
beer discovered want 10 learn hi,
character and habits. II is very din
cult to get any clue TO him. He's verl
BkiIlful."
II was evident that Loud bad faller
Into the belief that Rothesay was
guilty.
lis character was above suspicion
and his habits those Of gentleman
not OF fast man in any sense" was
the emphatic reply.
Don't you think your daughter
might have heard from bim?" asked
Loud, expressing an idea that had
been in bis mind some time
He had been wavering in his convlc-
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 1t II either did hear.
He had never seen Rothesay. but
from what he bad to Judge by he had
decided that the young man was an
adventurer destitute Of moral princi-
ples-one who covered his real char.
acter with the utmost skill and sue.
cess.
Loud was almost sure that Kate Pur.
sell loved Rothesay, and well indeed
must he have concealed his real self
70 De beloved by such a woman as she.
Probably Miss Lauriat loved him
also; yes, he was very successful
among women, and 1t was undoubtedly
q woman that had been the cause Of
he quarrel with Ralph Caryl.
I = The detective pursued his inquiries
with the strictest rigor in Philadel.
phia. He found nothing but what was
TO Rothssay's credit.
Vance was a lawyer, possessed OF
very small private fortune, and had
been admitted TO the bar two years
before. He had been on his summer
vacation previous to his contemplated
marriage when he had taken Ill at the
little town on the Massachusetts coast.
Verify, Loud found the character of
the young man spotless; one OF two
people with whom the detective con.
yersed seemed disposed to speak In a
hsparaging manner OF Rothesay, but
Loud thought nothing of that-he
knew II was impossible to find any one
Of whom everybody spoke well.
He went pack to Boston very much
irritated with himself at his want OF
success. 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 fleeting
suspicious OF this man. But he had
satisfied himself without a 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
Jet the detective fancied that CaryI |
might have interfered 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
endeavoring 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-
tective before when investigating a
different case.
Loud saluted Burt with apparent
cordially. and entered Immediately
into conversation.
you are just the man wanted TO
see," said the detective, walking along
the road with Dick. 81 must be in
luck to find you so soon, for I wanted
to go back to town by this afternoons
train"
II don't see how can be of service
10 you," said Burt, somewhat sullenly.
but unable to refuse to accompany the
,fscer.
do you not often carry the mail
down to the Purcelis?" abruptly asked
Loud, who had discovered that he did
10.
Almost always, II there's anything
or thcm." was the reply. with look
4 amaxement
81 thought SO. Will you do me
avorf"
Burt stared.
what do you mean?" he asked.
"First let me ask II you have ever
cen Vance Rothesay's handwri.ing?"
-accidentally--a note about his
Iorse when he was getting we'll"
"You would know 1t II you should
se II again?"
"Oh, yes"
~ am asking these questions on the
that he win write to Kate
'urceil.n
"Hel That'man write to Kate Pur-
ell! What do you mean by THAR"
Burt turned upon the detective !
ercely, an evil blaze In his eyes and
quick rush of blood sweeping over .
IL tanned face.
II mean only that have suspicion,
nd II 1t should prove to be anything /
want to know 1t. am anxious to |
now where Vance Rothesay is. and
mean to take every method to find :
- f ,