Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-03-09

cient to insure that caution. Each
reporter was literally supplied with
mcney and they went to work with
energy.
That afternoon, the Sth of May,
Chalmers opened Hestor's desk, and
with Stevens, made a minute exam
nation OF its contents. Much to
their surprise. three check books
were found on the glass-covered sur
face of the desk. On dates from
April 25 to May /. inclusive, Hestor
had drawn checks payable to him
self aggregating $4,64s.0o0.
slow could he have amassed that
amount of cash?" asked Stevens, as
he footed up the aggregate.
"Here is 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, 900.
1.-THE Hestor estate was largely in
securities" said Chalmers. Il re-
| member Hestor told me at one time
that he owned between $15,000,o00
and s1s,ooO,ooo worth of gilt-edged
stuff"
what did he do with the cash 2"
asked Stevens, with an air which in
dictated that he could answer his
| own question.
Street & Rogers might answer if
| they would" said Chalmers. "a 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
that money down there in bills. 1t
would not make much of a package
in $1,000 bills. Hestor must be $780,
100000 ahead in this deal. His in
sanity takes canny form. would
| like to be crazy awhile like that my
SELF
"BNt how does he propose to get
out Of it?''
"Give it up" said Chalmers. at
is too deep for me. Hestor is not
the kind to think of details like that.
| He goes ahead and lets consequences
| take care of themselves. He did not
even take the precaution to destroy
these check books. We can trace
him like a rabbit in a new fall of
| snow"
| Stevens now turned his attention
to such cities as Baltimore, Washing
ton and a number OF western cities,
in the faint hope that some
| were cabled to London, Paris,
and other European cities, and a
search made in these art centers,
but nothing was learned.
| Chalmers was a 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 Helen Carmody," and be-
| gin at once a search for her father
and his companions.
That is a good idea,n said Mr..
Chalmers. go ahead and put the
yacht in commission, and supply her
with provisions for months
cruise, but do not start until my
men have had chance to complete
their search. It 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 send
the Helen AS you know, there are
a score of boats securing the ocean
now. It is 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 all we
know, he may be cruising in the
| boundless waters Of the Pacific. On
the 18th we will make public all
the facts in our possession, In case
we do not in the meantime find a
definite clew. I do not feel justified
in doing SO, except as a last resort.
Hestor may not be guilty. His ac-
tons, SO far as we know, can all be
explained. Our evidence against him
is purely circumstantial. We will give
Hestor time to reach some port in
Europe. We have wired instructions
to every foreign harbor, and will at
once hear from him II he be limo
cent. This is an awful charge te
make against an honest man, and
we must give Hestor the benefit OF
every doubt"
you are right, Mr.. Chalmers
said Miss Helen. 81 will have the
yacht prepared for a long cruise. II
does not seem possible that Mr.. Hes
tor could do such a thing. He is
so kind. and generous. 1t would be
awful to. falsely accuse him."
1t need not be supposed that these
daily interviews between the journal.
list and the charming heiress were
entirely devoted to the solving of the
mystery which was the cause Of their
acquaintance. Mr.. Chalmers esteemed