The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-11-17

and he entered without so much as a
rap on the panel. Grant, who was pac-
Ing the floor, came to standstill ana
faced his visitor.
"Close the door. please" came in
steady tones from Ripley Mr.. Grant
dropped into chair. and Brewster
mechanically slammed the door.
"Is 1t true" he demanded hoarscly.
his hand still OH the knob.
"Slt down. Brewster. and control
YOURSELF" said Ripley.
Good God, man. can't YOU see I am
calm?' cried Monty. eco on: tell me
all about 1t. What do you know? What
have you hcard?"
He cannot be found, that's ALL" an.
nounced Ripley, with deadly intent
ness. II don't know what 1t means
There is no explanation. The whole
thing is inconceivablc. Sit down. and I
will tell you everything as quickly as
possible"
There isn't much to tell" said Grant
mechanically.
II can take 1t better standing" de-
clared Brewster, shutting his jaws
tightly.
Jones was last seen in Butte OH the
ID Of this month";" said Ripley 1--WE
sent several kilograms to him after
that day, asking when he expected to
leave for New York. They never were
claimed, and the telegraph company
reported that he could not be found.
We thought he might have gone off to
look after some Of his property and
yunr rNFNft
wonder why he had not wired us ON
leaving for the east tclegraphed
again and got no answer. 1t dnwned
upon us that this was something un-
usual. We wired his secretary and re-
ceived n response from the chief of
police. He asked In turn if we could
tell him anything about the where
abouts Of Jones. This naturally alarm
ed US. and yesterday we kept the wires
hot. The result of our inquiries Is ter
rible, Mr.. Brewster"
"Why didn't you tell me:" asked
Brewster.
"There can he no DOUBT that Jones
has fed, accompanied by his secretary.
The belief In Butte is that the secretary
has murdered him."
5slpteS ipoisteheo MS i,pa ana went
I'VE have dispatches here from the
police. the banks, the trust companies
and from a half dozen mine managers.
You may read them If you like, but
can tell you what they say. About the
LIST Of this month Jones began to turn
various securities into money. 1t Is
now known that they were once the
property Of James Il. Sedgwick, held
in trust for you. The safety deposit
vaults We're afterward visited, and in
spection shows that he removed every
scrap Of stock, every bond, everything
Of value that he could lay his hands
upon. His own papers and effects
were not disturbed. Yours alone have
disappeared. 1t Is this fact that con-
vinces the authorities that the secreta-
~ has made away with the old man
and has fed with the property. The
| bank people say that Jones drew out
every dollar of the Sedgwick money,
and the police say that he realized tre-
mendous sums on the convertible Sc
curities. The strange part Of 1T Is that
he sold your mines and your real es-
tate, the purchaser being man named
| Golden. Brewster, tit looks very
much as IL he had disappeared with
everything"
Brewster did not take his eyes from
Ripley's face throughout the terrible
speech. He did not move fraction OF
IN inch from the rigid position as.
sumed Mt the beginning.
els anything being done?" be asked
mechanically.
"The police are investigating. He Is
known to have started off into the
mountains with this secretary on the
Sd Of September. Neither has beer
seen since that day so far as any one
knows. The earth seems to have swal
lowed them. The authorities are
searching the mountains dnd are max
ing every effort to find Jones or hi:
body. He Is known to be eccentric, ant
. mt first not much Importance was at
| tached to his actions. That Is all W.
can tell you Mt present. There may b
, Developments tomorrow. 1t looks ba'
terribly bad. We've had the utmos
confidence In Jones. I wish / coul
! help you, my boy"
.'I don't blame you, gentlemen" sal
Brewster bravely. It's just my lucl
that's all. Something told me all alon
that-that 1t wouldn't turn out right.
: wasn't looking for this kind Of enc
though. My only fear was that-Jone
wouldn't consider me worthy to receiy
the fortune. 1t never occurred to m
a that he might prove to be the-the III
worthy one"
: II will take you little farther ini
8 our confidence, Brewster" said GraI
n slowly. "Nlr. Jones notified us in tf
It beginning that he would be governe
II largely In his decision by our opinio
d Of your conduct. That Is why we fe
2 no hesitation i'll advising you to col