The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-06-14

iHe best ~ shape. The particulars OF the
case were given VITA great viyjdness VOL
cost had been found ~l'felcsa Oh TIA" ttoor
OF MS library. a ivtd mark was founG
around the neck of the dead mana mark
mat might have been made by II tightly
drawn towel or a rope. An of these signi-
heart details, said the reports. led to the
one fegrcttable conclusion-su.cide.
Before an hour had gone by Barnes con-
iided to Clancy his intention of making q
private investigation into the circurn-
stances attending the mysterious death oil
John Wolcott. In less than two hours he
mad found "A new factor IN the case in the
person of Rose Wolcott, the daughter oil
tlc dead man. Wolcott had led such ar
unobtrusive life and had avoided society So
persistcntly that only his closest acquain,-
ances We're aware Of the fact that he haG
"a daughter.
One of these was Austin Gates. as tho
young woman wcepingly con1ided to the
chief Inspector. She said that during tho
few months prior to his death her lather
had repeatedly urged upon her the dcsi.a-
bility of Il marriage with his young part
ner. Blu she had taken Il great aversion
to Gates and could not think of him as
her future husband without q shudder.
Ihis attitude annoyed her father very
much and he had not hes.tatcd TO express
his d~ispleasure, COUGHING his protests.
however, in the kindliest of terms. VOL
colt was proud of his business, which had
been built W with so much care by so
many generations of his family, and he
wished to transmit il unbroken and undi-
Nldcd to another generation. 1t had been a
sore trial That he had never been Blessed
with II SON and heir, and, although he was
fond of his daughter, he could not imagine
the possibility of her maintaining the pres
7 fNsa # t, 1,t- 80 ~ v..-- -
year before lie had taken Austin Gates
,nto his firm and treated him as if he were
Bis son. The only thing needed to COM
plete ms plans was q marriage between
MS daughter and Gates.
These We're the things that Barnes
learned, not IN Il few minutes, bur during
the course of the afternoons; not in con-
meet form, but in bits of conversation and
hints that had TO be carefully yieced to-
gethcr. one thing certain, Rose Wolcott
was overwhelmed with grief at her faith
ers death. She rejected the police YER
dict of suicide. and begged the inspector
OF customs TO clear her fathers memory.
Barnes now had the authority he needed
10 proceed with, but he could not help
feeling that appearances We're very much
against the old merchant.
Were you at home when your father
returned Hestcrday?" asked Barnes.
Yes" sobbcd the girl.
Did You notice anything unusual in
his nanner?."
Yes; he was very much agitated."
Did he say anything?"
He rub3o9 his forehead constantly and
said once or twice, oh. that after all these
Years the honor of cur house should be af-
fectcd!'"
Did be explain this?"
only to tell me that It referred to bust
ness. He was very a~tfectionatc; promised
that he would never again press me to
marry against my will, and said laughing
ly that if [ wished | could remain single
all my life and be his nurse and com
p%anion."
Another outburst of tears made it i'm
possible to prolons the conversation.
Barnes left the girl to go ahead with his
investigation. The first step was to visit
the library. where the body of the dead
man had been found. 1t was i'm perfect
order, in accordance with the habits of
John Nolcott. \ table had been found oy-
orturncd on the night of the death. but
otherwise everything was in place. Barnes
examined every square inch of the room
with extreme care. He noticed a half
smoked cigarette under the library able,
and quietly picked it up and placed il, in
his pocket. The next discovery was a red
~wallet-cmpty and apparently discarded.
1t was the identical pocketbook which the
merchant had pulled out when nc paid the
conscience money in the custom house. A
fe" minutes later he am upon something
that gave him great JOY. 1t was a mass
OF torn typewriter paper lying scattered
on the library floor. 1t was as if some
one had corn a letter into pieces and care
lessly thrown the fragments away.
Alter that Barnes presented himself to
MT, Austin Gates. The gentleman was
not glad 10 see him: on the contrary. he
greeted the customs chief with distinct
ch5llines; of manner. Gates was n dapper
little man with curly brown hair and mus
tache. He Wa; dressed in the height Of
fashion and everything i'll his attire, from
his nobby tic down to his neat fitting pat
ene leather SHOES. was strictly correct. He
pu~nctuated his sentences with nervous lit
tie laughs that Were entirely devoid of
m!rth. Once he pulled out his handker-
chef to wipe his brow, and the chief in
spector noticed with ~rapugnance thai it
was scented with lavender.
MIR. Barnes" he said, in his ;erlzy man
:lcr, Il don't know that We have any use
for YOU on this this very unpleasant oc-
caSion."
~''Perhaps.' said the chief pers,,asiveIy.
II might be able 10 help you in some
way
Not ss al. not at all," with a super
cilious wave OF the hand. AS an after
thought he added l~ansu.dly. u don't sup-
H'"S 49,. ''O4NoNs oNS' 14s llililS TO IlG
United States government"
Not now replied Brown, with heavy
emphasis Oh the last word.
Am 1 TO infer that he did owe some
thirg?" sneered the junior member of the
firm.
"Yoa may take any Inference YOU like"
retorted Barnes, as he walked out of the
room.
Gates remained IN ths little room which
John Wo!cott had used as a private Of
fec. on the ground floor of his residence
He was going feverishly through some ac-
count books and was SO intent on his work
that he scarcely noticed the departure of
the inspector. Barnes hurried to the H.
Drary and rang for q large sheet of paper
and Il bottle of mucilage. Receiving them.
he pulled the scraps of paper out of his
pocket. Laboriously and with infinite
pains he picced the torn letter together.
When he had finished he had a typewrit-
ten note. Without date or address or sigma
turo. whio! read as follows:
What you propose is altogether Qu.x-
cite. 1t is foolish and may cause trouble.
Above all, it is not necessary"
AftcrWard he leaned back in one of the
feather covered chairs and studied the
epistle unit. every dot and letter in it
must have been indeliby imprinted upon
his mind. Ten minutes elapsed. He
jumped up with a cry of triumph. For