Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-17

| again.
! ALLOW me to pay my respects to the
| only female detective in America who
| is worth her bread and butter" he said.
| How are your"
"Is 1t because Pm so good or the rest
are SO poor, Mr.. Lamm?" she returned.
"Or because there isn't much money
in your case, and you want me to work
cheap? Or what?"
mo, Miss Dallison, don't want you
to work cheap" replied Lamm, becom-
ing serious and drawing up chair
near to her. eff you can do what l
want shall willingly let you put your
own price on it."
well, what is it?"
II can't say yet just what it will be.
I have taken the liberty to make an
appointment at your house with q
party unknown at seven this evening.
Il the party puts in an appearance, you
will have the simple task of finding
out all he or she knows, while pre-
tending to give him or her some in
formation which you do not possess
Really" said Miss Dallison, ssS-
castically, sit is very simple indeed"
Unfortunately" said Lamm, there
is no other way that can see to get
the information necessary will tell
you how the case stands" And pro-
ducing the copy of the Globe. the de-
tective proceeded to explain his plans.
"You see," he said, in conclusion, Il
merely desire to have you personate
the writer of the letter l wrote this
morning, and to draw out as much as
possible about the purpose of publish
ing that advertisement from the person
who turns up in answer to my note.
There are two things I wish to find
out-the first is, who inserted the 'ad.,'
and the second is, what is wanted of
Marie Moissot. And, incidentally, If
/ can find out who this Marie Moissot
is, why so much the BETTER
Miss Dallison was exceedingly du-
bious about the result but as she was
willing to try, after arranging the mat
ter more in detail, Lamm made an ap-
pointment at her house for seven
o'clock, and babe her good morning"
Good heavens!" muttered Lamm to
himself, when he was alone, this is
the first time l ever was employed in
case where was obliged to go to
such trouble to find out few facts
| which the man who employed me
could give me in five minutes, if he
only would Is it because he doesn't
care to, or because he doesn't dare to-?
I'll find out, or my name isn't Lamm.
l always like to know what sort of a
man I'm working for. It's convenient
sometimes"
With these reflections Mr.. Lamm be-
took himself to other matters connect
ed with his puzzling and thus far un-
satisfactory quest, for he really hadn't
got far enough along to be able to
form theory that positively seemed
reasonable to him.
His assistant returned during the
afternoon.
"The white rag was out when l got
there he said. $50 l went to the
house at once and returned by the
next train.''
He handed Mr.. Lamm message
sealed in an envelope, which (relieved
of the peculiarities of it's photography
contained information as follows:
stella North has run away. Her bed
| was not slept in last night. Miss Harwood
| had to force open the door. When she saw
| the way the room was she tainted dead
| away Mrs. Stackhouse attended her. She
| was very pale, but did not say anything.
| Moffett said she had a distracted look
! about the eyes, but couldn't see her differ
! ent than usual AS soon as Miss Harwood
| came to. Miss Marion (she has forbid any
Of us to call her Mrs. y sent Moffett to
| Mr.. Fetridge's house. He came over right
away. They had long talk, which did
not hear. Then Mr.. Fetridge took Moffett
| away with him to look for Stella. Since
| then Miss Marion has been in her room
! walking up and down. I don't believe she
has sat down once. Just keeps walking all
| the time. She must have walked six miles
| Moffett says that Mr.. Fetridge sent him to
the police office, but he didn't go himself
| Nobody knew when Miss Stella went out
| She went up to bed very early, and we
| thought she was locked in her room to cry.
1 hope this will be of service to find her
| as nobody could wish her any harm"
"P. S.-She is very different from her sis.
| ter.
"Ah! that woman is rough dia
mond," murmured Mr.. Lamm, as hi
conveyed the letter to his capacious
pocketbook. "A professional couldn
have done much better!''
But in the name of wonders" hi:
thought continued, what does it al
mean? If it had been Marion Nigh
have understood it-but this 17-year
old baby! There is some salient fea
ture in this case that l haven't ye
come across. Now, what is it? Where
shall look for the missing link"
Profoundly distracted and reserved
John Lamm continued to be through
out the remainder of the day. All thu
way to the house on Shawmut avenue
whittier he betook himself rather in ad
vance Of the appointed time. he wal
not in a condition to recognize &C
quaintances or know Of what sort tn,
weather was. His mind was wholly
absorbed with the knotty problem tina
the North case now presented. Tht