The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-10-26
/. great trouble" he explained,

suspect me and they hound me. They
follow me here and watch me all the
time. know not what to do unless
you help me-"
What is 1t they suspect you OFF,
asked quietly. But, first. your name
and address"
"It is Sing Tung, and there il my
and respectable"
I took the proffered card with lit
tie involuntary start. Was 1t a coin-
cidence or a we'll defined oriental plan
for the man who was suspected Of
spiriting away Helen Griswold in his
sional assistance within half an hour
after the outraged father had called
upon me?
BE seated a moment" said, wish
ing time to study the situation.
With oriental calmness he related in
substance the story Of the mysterious
disappearance Of Helen Griswold as
told to me twenty minutes before BY
her father. The only difference WA In
the ending.
This was as follows: When the
noise outside attracted their attention
walked to the window, too, and
looked out Then I heard some one
ask, Where's Helen! l turned then
to look. The beautiful girl wa gone.
We all looked for her, but she was no.
where. They accused me of taking her
away, and the police threatened mo-
What can do? l know nothing about
it. l come to you for help"
felt that the man was lying, but l
refrained from saying SO. By taking
his case I might be able to get some
light on the subject.
Half an hour later Sing Tung guided
me to his home. The place was already
in the hands Of the police and the
house was practically guarded and
watched on every side.
It had been an ordinary dilapidated
brick building constructed in the days
when Dutchmen dwelt in the neighbor.
hood Of Mott street as the fashionable
OCNA1OA Va ANCW AOkA UuS GA 008% 0AsN
wondrous changes and transformation
had been made in the house during
successive ages Of occupation.
Sing Tung, with evident innocence
showed me all of the secret places o.
the house, explaining In elaborate de
tail the uses to which the different
rooms were put.
How many Cinnamon were in the
house the night Of the disappearance
I asked Sing Tung casually.
Zone besides myself-Wing Tuns, my
son-and he's held at police headquar
ters."
Where was he standing when Miss
Griswold disappeared?
He was upstairs in the back room
He came down when he heard tn,
noise. He was looking for his cloak"
did he nnd 1T"
This question was asked merely t.
| keep the Chinaman talking while
could study his face
mo; the cloak was gone 1t was no
| where in the house."
I was instantly alert. II the cloal
had disappeared Z had probably bee1
used to cover Miss Griswold in he
hurried and mysterious kidnapping.
| Describe the cloak" l COMMANDED
in rather peremptory tones.
1T was beautiful cloak Of blue silk
embroidered with peacocks in gold. I
was gift to me from a friend il
China. No such cloak was ever mad
In this country. My son valued i
highly"
"And he couldn't find it anywhere Il
the house, nor the police eitherT'
After a moment of silence I aske,
meaningly. Where do you suppose tn
cloak is now. Sing Tung?
For the frst time his eyes Shove,
change, and an expression Of wrath o
fear entered his immobile face. FL
was quiet for a moment and the
added:
1T was magic cloak, they say. NJ
son believed 1t, but I do not It wa
woven for one Of our idols In China
There 10 a story that 1t shielded pal
Of lovers from the vengeance Of the a,
thorities, and it was stripped from til
idol by profane hands. but its spell an
magic lasted. Once on the shoulders q
lover, no harm could befall the veal
err. It had the power Of shielding
And spiriting away" interrupts
sascastically.
The Chinaanan's face showed sudds
grief and sorrow.
You do not believe it." he adde
slowly, land you distrust me-"
NO." I interrupted. mot you, Sin
Tung, but your son. We must find Il
magic cloak. and then think we'll IN
Miss Griswold."
Eyes: II you ind the cloak Miss Chi
void will be found too"
It was quite evident to me by tn
time that the old Chinaman was n,
concerned In the spiritin,g away Of he
en- Griswold. but In his desire to sfie
his son I thought he " ould 60 to an
lengths to deceive me. The story Of Il
magic cloak was intended merely az
blind.
The following morning an advertis
ment in the morning papers Offering
reward for any one who could give
formation about q blue silk cloak wi
peacocks worked in gold on It broug
me several replica After an hour
study Of these I sifted them down
one. This seemed genuine and the OF
ers fakes"
Down BY the water front on We
street an old waterman assured q
that on the night Of the disappearan
Of Miss Grfswold he had rowed a CO
pie out to small schooner yacht a
chored in midstream and that one
them was partly concealed by . clio,
Of the description gave. It was We
dark. but the waterman saw the daxz
| ~ TIN 1old Atnhw,naA~nd s%nAAneAa