Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-01-22

[ der.
"Our mans in town for sure" he
, whispered There's no mistake this
time He amt Scotch Davy, though.
/ don't know him"
sent a man running after Donald,
who had been with me few minutes
before The boy came back ahead OF
the messenger, however, and he looked
very much excited.
"Ive seen him." said he. You know
whom | mean. He's down by the sta
ton"
What shall we do?" said l.
Reedy expressed a general conviction
! that everything was all right. 1t was
somewhat long winded opinion, and
while he was in the midst Of it the
door was pushed open, and a pale,
| hard featured, smooth shaven man en-
tered the room. He was clothed in u
reddish brown suit, with an invisible
check" He produced upon us very
j much the effect of n ghost For my
! own part | found myself with my
shoulders planted squarely against the
| farthest wall.
"Good morning, Mr.. Harrington"
said the intruder. "What seems to be
the matter"
"You?" l cried. "You? Why, what's
! happened? Where - where's your
| beard?'
| Mr.. William Hackett grinned in Il
melancholy fashion and passed his
hand over his chin and then stroked
the hair which had grown gray over
| his ears in the few months since had
| seen him.
| "Ive been very SICK" said he. 81
wrote you about it."
"But you didn't say you'd shaved"
"Wel." he cried, flushing angrily,
"what if have shaved? Whose whisk-
ers were they, I'd like to know? DO
have to ask you every time use a
razor?'
Il beg you pardon, William" said l.
1--WE have had an extraordinary expe-
rience which l will describe to you
presently"
He heard the story with interest and
wonder, and as told 1t began to see
the full value of the psychic phenOme-
non involved. Every item Of Donald's
information had been absolutely cor
rect. 1t was only through error in the
! Interpretation that any difficulty had
arisen. No additional explanation
could be extorted from Donald. Al
most his only contribution to the con-
versation was the gloomy and oft re-
peated prayer:
please don't say anything about it,
Mr.. Hackett."
Finally we veered around to the sub,
ject of business, and Hackett produced
the documents necessary to the trans
fer. Donaldson and Archer were sum-
moned, and | opened the safe, produc-
ing the two packages and my check
book. Then came the real surprise Of
this most strange affair. The pack
ages when opened proved to contain
sheets of thin brown paper cut to the
size OF bank notes. The $4,000 had
vanished.
will confess that this was the black
est mystery that had ever darkened my
understanding. No one but Donald
son (than whom no man could be more
trustworthy had known the combina-
ton of the safe, and he had had no
key of the inner doors nor Of the draw.
er. Yet the locks upon these had not
been tampered with. After an exam
( ination of them Reedy declared that
"the trick hadn't been turned in the
safe" and we all at last agreed In the
conclusion that the theft had been
committed days ago, during the time
when the packages had lain upon my
desk. They had been there only a few
hours, but unfortunately my memory
was very weak as to the circumstances.
l seemed to recall having locked them
up in the desk while | went across to
the factory, but under Reedy's ques-
tioning | admitted that | might have
left the keys in the desks lock.
This puts it on to everybody" said
the detective. we don't know moth
ing about who might have come into
this room. We've got to make a gen
eral hunt"
Mr. Reedy was Immediately directed
to assume charge of the case, and for
the next two or three weeks he worked
with exemplary diligence, but without
results. An attempt was made to keep
the story from circulating, but some
how ii got about, even that portion
which related to Donald's foreknowl-
edge of the robbery.
1t came to Kelvin's ears, and he took
pleasure in referring to my boy as "the
! mind reader" lie had conceived a
violent dislike Of Donald and the boy
seemed to be deeply afflicted in conse-
quence thereof, no doubt for pretty
Amy kelvinS sake. From certain
..ingS which | observed | formed
firm judgment that the daughter or
my amiable ncighbor did not agree
with her father in regard to Donald,
and considering the youth Of the par
ties this parental opposition could not
be taken too seriously. However, as
! Donald suffered and | loved him, my
heart was warmly on his side, and l
began to hate Kelvin cordially and
with fervor that may have been
prophetic
CHAPTER VII.
THE MYSTERY OF THE COLLAR OF DIA-
MoNDs.
~ HERE are those who detect a
sense of humor in the fates
I'LL The old Greeks called them
the eumenides (well wishers)
which was an obvious attempt to make
them smile | do not wish to decide
whether such q view of the matter is
justified by the facts, but l will ven
ture to assert upon my own observa-
ton that If the fates care at all for a
Jest they prefer a man like old Sam
Kelvin for the subject Of it. Already
he had figured once in this role, and it
was not enough.
Kelvin is a pawn in the game who
fancies himself the player. He is such
man as is fond of saying: IF | were
poor tomorrow, should be rich again
in n year. You cannot keep good
man down." Or this, IF you ask me
Z IN, 1,A