Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-12-09

how to disguise handwriting. Evil
IDENTIFY when be had written Il he
! thought. because IL didn't have the
general appearance. to his eve. OF his
own writing il was consequently sufa-
ciently blind TO deceive anybody. I
| don't believe the peculiarly OF the
formation of the letters ever occurred
TO the person"
who are these parties?"
Three OF them are business men
The fourth was formerly a clerk In the
firms employ. but was discharged. I
believe. for drunkenness"
'Pshaw," said Applebee. Il know
these three men. They're none OF
them in need OF money. and would
not have taken that means TO get il
IL they had been"
at remains, then. with this other
| Willard Smith-eh?" said TIE
| chief inspector. What do you know
Of this mans history"
| Nothing but the few words tsst
Jobson accidentally let fall" replied
| the expert. He said that the man
was young and industrious. That he
invested every cent in Nicaragua Mi
| land, lost his money and took 20 rum
as consolation"
That's our man" said the chief in
spector, positively. "Applebee. LET'S
/ get TO work on this at once"
! There was no time lost InsDecfor
Applebee and his assistants were soon
securing the city for information con
corning Mr. Willard Smith. late clerk
with North d Stackhouse. But rhe
quest presented some unexpected dffB-
cuities and when Tuesday morning
came 10 had rot yet achieved success
Applebee WAS scarcely awake on
Tuesday morning when the following
telegram was placed fin his haads.
Hartford Corn ga
az ii. '' '' ''''u'''e's
WHITE
Does he bring Stella North with
hime' was the grave question that ner-
sisted in App'ebee's mind during the
intervening time IF So. am con-
fdent that We are nearing the end OF
this per.eAlus case.
He communicated his anxiety to tho
chief Inspector. and both men waited
with Impotence tne coming of tue
man who had gone 10 quest OF tine
mysterious fugitive. Alas. Tor their
hopes. Inspector White was Quite
alone.
he three men were closeted togl D.
or as soCU as be arrived
Not trace OF herr exclaimed APP
plebee. impauently.
slipped through my fingers like a
fish. said White. Circumstances
very peculiar Whole thing mystic
rious; more than mysterious-suspi-
ciOus"
How do you mean?"
White placed has hand impressiveIy
on AppieDoe shoulder and though
the door was shut spoke in almost q
whisper.
81 tell you. man. it is one OF two
things. That girls either made away
with herself or she's had help TO IS
cape"
IT'S likely enough that she had help
TO escape" observed the chief But
] know OF no good reason why she
should go outside OF the state OF Mas
sachusetts for the purpose OF commit
ting suicide"
Wait till you have heard me. said
White. eagerly. observe the facts
carefully. l traced this girl TO the Al
oany depot, and through the hack
man. who bought her ticket TO Hart
ford, was able 20 90 direct 10 her stop
ping place. There / expected trouble.
Not bit OF IT, Everybody knew about
her. Why? Well III tell you why.
somebody had got ahead OF us: that's
all. A biack-haired young man about
30 years OF age. who wrote his name
William c. Waterston. had been up in
the morning making inquiries all over
the place, representing her as insane"
Evidently an assumed name"
muttered Applebee. apprehensively.
Couldn't you get a fun description o.
You may be sure I did. even TO the
cut OF his shoes. But wait a bit. 1
haven't got 10 the end This young
man hired a carriage at East Hart
ford and started out upon the road in
chase OF the girl. That he overto k
her 1 have positive evidence. That
she thereafter disappeared and that ne
went on alone I'm equally well in
formed"
What" CALCULATED Applebee.
Just as | tell you" said White. ct
traced this woman 20 certain place
on the road between Hartford and
auckland. Abruptly all trace OF ner
disappears. She is seen in conversa-
ton with this man. and not again bv
anybody in either direction. Mean
while the man kept on alone. He was
seen by several people by himself IN
the carriage. He drove clear to Yer
non. sent the carriage back to East
Hartford hv a messenger. and there
he disappears. too"
Great powers," exclaimed the chief.
We're outwitted"
For the time IL would seem so"
For the timei" echoed the chief
irascibly. Don't you see what this
means? The girl was a greenhorn.
The man was an expert I'll bet you
hundred dollars he had that girl all
the time in the bottom OF his carriage.
Why didn't he go back 10 Hartford?
Can't you sec his purpose? The New