Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-03-15


clare himself, II am going back to
Stowmarket. No. Hume, you are not
coming with me. When does Fer
gusson arrive here"
The question drove from David's
face the disappointed look with
which he received his friends an.
nouncement
Tomorrow evening" he replied
my father thinks the old man
should not risk an all-night journey.
He has also sent me every detail he
can get together. either from docu
meuts or recollection, bearing upon
our family history"
He produced n formidable roll Of
manuscript. The old gentleman had
evidently devoted many hours and
some literary skill to the compila
ton.
II will read that in the train" said
Brett You must start at once for
Portsmouth. have here list OF all
the officers serving with your cousin
Robert on the Northumberland i'm
mediateiy prior to his quitting the
Navy. Portsmouth. Davenport, South
sea. and the neighborhood will al
most certainly contain some Of them
II not, people there will know where
they are to be found. You must
make yourself known to them, and
endeavor to gain any sort of news
concerning the ex-lieutenant. Naval
men roam ell over the world. Some
Of them may have met him in the
Argentine. or IN any OF the South
American ports where British war
ships are constantly calling. He was
a sailor. He left the Navy under no
cloud. Hence, the presence OF a Brit
ish man-o'-war would draw him like
q magnet. Do not come back here
until you bring news OF him"
why is IT so Important Yon
cannot imagine"
NO; I endeevor to restrain my
ina gination. want facts. You are
the best person to obtain them One
relative inquiring for another is a
natura, proceeding. twill not arouse
suspicious that you are debt-collec-
tor
Suppose / obtain news OF his
whereabouts?"
Telegraph to me and will give
You fresh instructions.
Hume walked to the door.
Give my kind regards to Miss
Layton" he said grimly.
Il will be delighted. Work hard.
You will see her all the sooner"
There goes man in love-" con
Of Winters skull, though looking
him straight in the face. His career.
his reputation, everything he values
most in this world is at stake He Is
a sensible, level-headed fellow, who
! has become embittered by unjust
suspicion; yet would unwillingly let
a material item Hike his cousins pro
ceedings sink into Oblivion just for
the sake Of telling girl that she looks
more charming to-day than she did
yesterday. or some equally original
remark peculiar to love- making How
do you account for II, Winter?'
II give 1t up. sighed the detec-
tive. I'VE are all fools whore women
are concerned"
r1ster sternly. Such a personal con-
fession of weakness is unexpected-l
may say distressing"
Winter shook his head.
You're not married. Mr. Brett, or
you wouldn't talk like that"
We'll, let It pass. ! want YOU TO
make tho acquaintance Of that low
Ing couple. Mr.. and Mrs. Numagawa
Uro. You must disguise yourself.
| Jiro Is to be Swallowed constantly
Get any help you require. but do It.
Be Off, Winter. on tho wings OF the
wind. Fasten on to Jirc. Batten on
him. Become his Invisible vampire
Above all else. discover his asso.
ciates. Run now to the bank and
cash this check. II repays the sum
you advanced last night. and pro.
vides money for expenses"
II must frst see Capella or"
gasped The detective.
"All the more reason that you
should fly"
Left to himself. the bsrrister com.
piled memoranda for an hour O,
more. He read through what he had
written.
The web Is spreading quickly" he
murmured. "Iwonder what sort OF fy
We shall catch. Is he buzzing about
under our very noses, or will he be
an unknown variety As they say
in the Argenttne-Quien sabe?"
During the journey to Stowmarke.
he mastered the contents Of the
bulky document sent from Glen
Tochan. n contained a great many
irrelevant details. but he made the
following notes:
After the duel in 1853. David
Hume. the man who avenged with
his sword tho supposed injury inf1ict.
ed upon his father by the first Sir
Alan Hume Frazer, escaped to the
Netherlands, and was never heard OF
again.
There was local tradition on the
Scotch estate that Ave Hume Frazers
would meet with violent deaths IL
England. The reason for this singu.
lar belief was found In the recorded
utterances of an old nurse. popular,
ly credited with the gift OF second
sight. who prophesied, after the out
| lawry Of the Humes in 1745. that
there would be Ave long-generations
OF both families, and that Ave Fra
| GERS would die In their boots