The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-07-20

Everything worked successfully
Wealth and the rank Of the convict
achieved wonders. and an escape
which read more like a romance of
Dumas than Il chronicle OF Newgate
occupied public attention for the usual
nine days. Every one remembers the
stir created by Lylp'S disappearance.
The officials. mad with Id.-e and
shame, really exhausted the means at
their command TO find the criminal.
Finally the case was put into the able
hands of Detective Lord. one of the
smarteSt and most vigilant men in the
secret service.
His efforts came to naught within
year Lord held on for six months
longer, studying with infinite patience
clewS actual and thee ?etic. that prom
ised something. Lyle had vanished in.
to thin air. Had he dissolved into ele-
mentary gases at the prison gates, he
could not have left less trace of his
path into the world. Not one clew
ever led to any result. not even to q
decent 'heOry of his escape. Lord con.
timed the pursuit out of pure fascina-
tion for a mystery which overtaxed
his powers ana took the edge off his
natural shrewdnesS.
After reSi-ning his post, and Joining
an orchestra rs first vl)lin-for faith in
his abilities finally deserted him-this
fascination accompanied him, and
proved a great bore to his friends from.
the endless speculations it led him to
indulge.
On his mantelpiece he kept n photo
graph Of Winthrop Lyle and the slim.
hard figure the pale, thin high-bred
face, the severe expression and dark
eyes had a prominent place in his
sleeping and waking dreams. In the
end no one took any interest in his
cherished mystery, save the boy who
played the cello in the orchestra.
1t was always great relief to Lord
to turn from constant brooding on the
tints Of Lyle's picture to the society of
the young musician; for Josef Ganz
was a soft boned, easy young German,
slow in speech and movement, given
TO song and laughter, fond of his wife
and cello and baby; fonder of the Lyle
problem than Lord himself.
When the boarding house in which
he lived. the day dreams and the world
grew wearisome, the detective went
over to his friends house and spent
Sunday evening with CAM. He had
Il cosey home, and its owners its pic
fttrp
and comfort.
Josef was fair skinned, fat and jol-
ly, and loved to sit with his baby or
his cello at his right hand. His wife
and child were plump and rosy, and
even the gray professor father, with
his habits of study and solemn express
sion, had fat and contented air about
him.
Not having been long In the country,
they spoke English with a gentle ac.
cent. German pictures hung on the
wall, and German colors were every
where. Frau CAM could not abide
English cooking and at her table were
ever dressed the seasoned dishes of
the Fatherland. When they sang
songs or indulged in old memories, the
little village near Munich was the
theme. The one promise to baby to
induce him to be good was a visit TO
Munich when he had come to be
man. Among these simple people Lord
might talk his hobby to death and be
listened to with reverence.
Its so nice TO hear n clever detec-
tive speak by the hour of a great mur-
derer and villain" Frau Ganz said to
her nelghbors. The old professor did
not pay much attention, whsle his son
Josef was a tireless listener and had
many speculations on the plan of es-
cape used by Lyle.
Il have theory" began Josef slow.
ly.
What another?" The detective
laughed and the professor glanced ir.
rltably at his son.
"A new one" said Josef. placidly.
Some time, when l have fitted the
joints, | will tell you how that Lyle
escaped. He was no ordinary man,
and when he disappeared, it was for
ever. 1t is an art to disappear well,
and he must have been skilled in the
art. l know its rules. and the prlncl-
pies on which these rules are based.
1t Is curious and interesting. this art"
Lord felt curious about this matter,
knowing that GAM would make
clear, forcible statement Of his the.
ories. For he had studied logic and
rhetoric at Innsbruck, and could put a
case In which he was interested very
strongly.
There is such an art" Josef began.
and your man Lyle was skilled in II. IL
would be treat to heas him discourse
on It,"
Wouldn't 1t. now" said Lord. with
scorn. Especially II. while listening.
one had the reward OF capturing him
in his inside pocket. But that will
never be-
Probably not" said Josef. unless
he gets tired OF hiding. You know.
always took an interest in the poor
fellow. | seem to know him as well
as you. so often have you described
his words and ways. He was a thor
onsh Englishman by birth, training,
appearance. cleverness. Old family,
high spirit and all that; Cambridge
graduate, well dressed good figure.
athletic; brown hair. green eyes. pale.
severe face; quick In movement,
speech and thought. Then he was in
yeutlye. fond Of mathematics. also Of