The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-07
CHAPTER VII.
Tony's Discovery.

| Mr.. Bruce was nearly convinced of
the truth of his theory when he re-
ceived Mr.. Hastings letter. Some
thing more than a coincidence he
muttered, on reading that Mr.. Hamil-
ton left Grovedale on the 9th In
slant.
Accordingly he racked his inventive
genius for some scheme, not too tenu-
Gus, by which he might discover. the
hiding-place of Ashley. Tempting ad-
yertisements We're put into the news
papers, letters were sent to various
parts of Canada with proposals of an
unscrupulous nature, some addressed
to Hamilton, others to Ashley But
not word was received in reply to
these, not even when "a plausible
scheme to start a bank in a growing
| town in the new state of Washington
Indeed. it was evident by this time
that he was too shrewd to be caught
| by such means.
Bruce, as last resort, again went to
| Canada himself, got detectives there to
! aid him, and as thoro a search thru
the province was made as could be eff
ifected in the time he gave himself for
it. Several times he fancied himself
to be on the right trail, but subse-
quent Investigations proved the fallacy
of first suggestions. Still he could
never quite rid himself of the belief
/ that he saw Hamilton, or Ashley, on
I one of the streets in Montreal a dav or
two after he reached the city. But the
man vanished so. quickly that Bruce
was amazed. In full view, on a, not
too crowded street, then gone! It was
like magic. The man could not have
entered a, store nor vanished in a cell
lar. There was no reason why he
need think himself under suryeil-
lance. Bruce spent the day in the i'm
mediate neighborhood of the mysteri-
GUS disappearance, but to no plirnose
and at last he reluctantly owned to
himself that he might have been mis-
taken.
Anxious as he was, to succeed in his
undertaking and earn the reward Of
Tered for finding Hamilton, or rather
belng the means of returning him
/ TO Grovedale, Bruce was at last com
PEELED to desist from his task. Much
time and money had already beer
spent, and other business was press.
ing. Even when Mrs. Hamilton wrote
70 hlm WITH her own hand, promis.
Ing the same reward, and all expenses
PAID IT he would find her husband @,
produce certain evidence of his where.
abouts, Bruce, in Justice to himself and
hef, felt compelled to reply that he
could not find the least trace of him
Wnlch promised satisfactory ending
AL present the matter seemed yelled II
mystery. Her husband seemed to he
etfectually hidden; but, he added Il
any clue was discovered, either thrr
his own office or any ones else. he
would resume the search as sneedii1
as possible.
And with this Mrs Hamilton was
constrained to be satisfied.
Satisfied! What a word to exnress
the tortured, uncertain strain ths1
rent her heart and soul night and dav
put thefe seemed nothing more to he
done at present.
Constance still continued to live II
lsr own nome with her uncle and two
children. The latter went to schooI
and their mother put on their hat.
and Kissed them good-by. Sometime,
with smile on her face, to snare thai,
young hearts too much knoWIedge q,
sorrow. Mr.. Carter, who was really
q a, man OF excellent business qualities
tho somewhat obscured by middle o.
inertia attended we'll to the husinas,
a. a. the mill with the helm O.
Mr. Henderson and ,1a,,
recently added to the office A. III 81
pank an excellent cashier filled Ham
ilton pace for the present; but !
was uncertain how long he could b
80 s.aiii ie.a as ms health was delicat
ana MS means such as p1aced 30,
above the necessity of doing anv h,,si
ness. tiis pusi
Iony was still there. but his positfo,
seemed at times most irksome. Th
strain on his nerves and temper dir
ing the Investigations left an nnn,eas
ant impression, for he was sensibl
looked upon with suspicion. This fac
placed him in sympathy with Hamil
ton, and he had more than once bee,
heard to say that he believed the miss
lang cash!er to be an innocent man.
He had been informed by Presiden
! Hastings of Bruce's discoveries in tn
r-ENest, ana was particularly impresse
s with the fact of Ashley's HAVING hyn
: Noticed the jailer and SO effected hi
ESCAPE from prison, aIarnilfnr,. IA fal