The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-05-08
CHAPTER XXI.

Il M lleu ululSell Will Il lOuS
black cigar in the smoking
! car and began to churn his brains for
answers to many perplexing questions.
| That his enemies were trying to euchre
! him was as clear as day. His son
| might have sent one wire of warning.
but why a dozen? That was Jacobs
| fine Italian hand. If Richard was at
liberty. why had he not written? why
had he left his baggage at the st. Re-
gis without returning? How dared he
go to Irvington? Where had he gone
I thereafter? Where was he now? The
old gentleman gave it up and chewed
the end of his cigar in savage impa-
tience. OF one thing only was he GER
tain-he would get on Richards trail
and follow it to the end.
On reaching Irvington he hurried to
the telegraph office and sent the fol-
lowing dispatch to his representative
at Austin. Tex:
Watch harbor bill. Skin game on. Learn
when legislature will adjourn and answer.
BILL WILLIAMS.
Irvington, N. Y.
There was some considerable delay
In sending his wire. which he further
heightened by telephoning to his New
York representatives, making an APP
pointment with them for later during
the day. AS he had plunged straight
for the telegraph Office. he neither saw
nor was seen by Mr.. Jacob Renwyck
when that gentleman. accompanied by
two plain clothes men, got off the rear
car of the same train, rushed across
the platform. jumped into q waiting
surrey, the only carriage that happened
to meet that train. and drove rapidly
away. Nor did he hear several people
inquire of the station agent for walk
ing directions to Mr.. Renwyck's place.
First there was awell groomed. some
what pompous, official looking English
man, with q red face and white side
whiskers, evidently q man of author
lty and Importance. Next there was
tall, blond young woman. with
tripping" figure, who expressed sur
prise that no vehicle was there to meet
her. And finally there were an excited
old farmer. hard featured man in
plain clothes-also with an official look
land fussy little representative Of
motor company, IL one could judge
by his cap and general automobile rig.
In despair Of carriage all of these
walked slowly mp the hill in the direc-
tion OF Restmore. although in the fact
that, save the farmer and the plain
clothes official, each pursued his way
alone holding no communication with
the others, was conclusive proof that
their simultaneous arrival and their
common destination were merely coin
cidences. Mr.. Renwyck and his COM
panions arrived long before the others.
With the two detectives he went i'm
mediately into the library. where he
met his wife and Nj. Corrigan. The
safe was wide open, showing the tum-
-bed contents just us they had been
found when the door was unlocked
two hours earlier by Uncle Michael.
In utter silence the two sleuths made
mn examination. but beyond one tiny
scratch near the keyhole of the inner
door the safe showed no evidence of
having been tampered with. Besides
Mr.. Renwyck. there was no one else
who knew the combination except the
old butler. who was confined to his
bed with rheumatism 70 small vii
lage several miles away and who was
quite above suspicion anyway. Clear
ly. then, the thief had in some way
learned the combination or else he was
an experienced craftsman.