Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-02-17

Mr.. Chalmers as he took his place at
his desk, and brushed aside the OBJ
trusive butt Of a half-smoked cigar.
He went on some important bust
ness and no announcement was made
of his departure. Mr.. Van Horne
left for Europe two weeks ago. He
is now somewhere in Russia
THAT is very unfortunate" said
Miss Carmody. The tears glistened
in her eyes, and she held them back
only by a too-evident exercise of
will power.
Miss Carmody," said Chalmers in
his rapid but cordial manner, eff
your desire to see Mr.. Van Horne
arises from any mission in which
the Record is concerned. 1 am fully
authorized to take his place. In his
absence there is practically no limit
to my authority"
| The eyes of the young lady bright
ened. She looked at the handsome
| face of the young managing editor
with a mingled expression of hope
and doubt.
II am afraid you cannot do that
which l had intended to ask" Miss
Carmody said.
i 81 can do anything except suspend
the publication of the paper" replied
Chalmers with prompt fervor. 81
should be tempted to even do that, if
imagined it could possibly relieve
the distress which you are suffer
ing"
The pale face of the young lady
| flushed at this declaration, which
was uttered with a sincerity which
left no doubt as to the honesty of
Mr.. Van Horne's representative.
THAT is the last request in the
world I should make" she replied,
color left her cheeks. "Mr. Chal-
mers," she continued, in a voice
| tremulous in it's decision, 81 am GO
ing to submit something to you as
if you were Mr.. Van Horne. I have
known Mr.. Van Horne for many
years. He has been a visitor at my
| fathers house, and when father dis
appeared I thought of asking him
to aid me. My mother is dead, and
the whole responsibility falls on me
as his only child. The house is fire.
quented by vulgar detectives. and
they have driven me nearly frantic.
One would think. from the questions
they ask, and the things they do,
that 1 was suspected of being a
party to my fathers disappearance.
And our well-meaning friends are
almost as bad. They smother me
with their sympathy. am not look
ing for sympathy. 1 wish to fino my
dear father, and I have not the
slightest confidence in the detectives,
or in the methods which they have
adopted.''
She paused for a moment as if to
consider how she should frame the
request she had TO make. Mr.. Char
mers was deeply attentive.
81 am a great believer in the pos
sibilities of such newspaper as the
New York Record" she said. 81 think
that one good newspaper man is
worth a dozen detectives. I do not
, believe the detectives will ever To-
cate the men who have abducted my
. fatber-for it certainly is case OF
abduction. 1 wish to place sum OF
money in the keeping of the New
, York Record, part of it to be Of
fered by it as public reward for
the return of the men who have been
kidnapped, and the other portion to
be used under your personal direc-
ton for the same purpose"
Mr.. Chalmers smiled; and reach
ing into his desk produced the proof
of the copy of headline which was
yet wet with the printers ink.
Gin small way I had anticipated
your plan," he said, as he handed
her the proof. It read as follows:
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOL
LARS, REWARDH
! The New York Record offers this Sun