Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-19
CHAPTER VII.
Tho Haunted House.

Tho Haunted House. st
A mud-splashed automobile runaboui
containing two men was turning on
Van Ness avenue down narrower
and shadier side street in the after
noon of the Sunday following the dis
appearance OF Archie Winter. One Of
the occupants seemed to be an invalid
whom the brilliant March sunshine
had not tempted out of his heavy
wrappings and cap; the other was a
short, thick-set. corduroy -jacketed
chauffeur. Ono marked the runabOut
ut a glance az a hardly used livery
motor car; but . moments Inspection
might have shown that 1t was running
With admirable smoothness and quiet
The chauffeur wore goggles, hence his
eyes were shielded, but he turned q
broad smile upon the pallid cheeks
and sharpened profile beside him.
Colonel. as health.seeker who
can't keep warm enough. you're
great" he cried. lord, but you look
the part!"
III can't shed some Of these con.
founded mufiiers soon." growled the
pale sufferer addressed. 'I'll get 80
red with heat it will come through my
beautiful powder hope those fellows
won't see US. for they will be on to US.
all right"
Our own mothers wouldn't be on 10
us in these rigs" the chauffeur re-
piled, cheerily; he seemed to be In a
hopeful mood; and let us once get
into tho house, and surprise EN-, and
there'll be something drop. But !
haven't really had chance to tell you
the latest-having to pick you up at a
drug store this way. Now, let's sum
things up! You think the boy got out
through Kea1cham's apartment? Or
Mrs. Wigglesworth's?"
How else?" said the colonel: "he
can't fly, and II he could, he couldn't
fly out and then lock the windows
from the inside"
II see"--the chauffeur appeared
thoughtful-"an the Wigglesworth
door was locked. You think that
Keatcham is in 1t, someway?"
Not Keatcham," said the colonel.
There was another man In the car
Atkins they called him. though he has
disappeared. But Mercer remains. His
secretary and that valet Of his; think
the secretary is Cary Mercer. The boy
might have slipped out In those few
moments we were hunting for him In
side. Afterward, either Mrs. Melville
Winter or was on guard until your
man came. He might 90 to the Fire
less Stove man. slip out of his rooms,
and round the corner to the elevator
in q couple Of seconds. Then, OF
course, I might see their rooms"
Provided. that Is. the Fireless Stove
drummer Is in the plot, too"
1.-THE Fireless Stove drummer who
smokes villar y yillar cigars? He is
in 1t, I think, Birdsall."
well, I'll assume that. Next thing:
You get the telephone call. And you
say the voice sounded clipper: didn't
look like he was being hurt or both
cred anyway, did it?'
mot at all. Besides. you know the
letter Miss Smith got this morning? 2"
Il think I'd like another peek at
that; will you drive her minute.
while look at the letter again?" The
instant his hands were free Birdsall
pulled out the envelope from his leath-
er-rimmed pocket.
It was rectangular in shape and
smaller than the ordinary business en-
velope. The paper was linen Of a
common diamond pattern, having no
engraved heading. The detective ran
his eyes down the few lines written in
an uniformed boyish hand. There was
neither date nor place; only these
words:
Dear Miss Janet: Don't you or auntie
be worried about me because I am we'll
and safe and having good time. I had
Rhe nose bleed that Is why I spotted the
carpet. Tell Auntie to please pay for
1t out Of my next weeks allowance. Be
sure and don't IVORY.
Your aft. friend.
ARCHIBALD PAGE WINTER.
you're sure this is the boys writ
ing?' was the detectives comment.
"Sure. And his spelling, too"
"Now," said Birdsall, watching the
coloneTs keen, aquiline profile as he
spoke, now you notice there's nc
heading or ma1k on the paper; and the
water-mark is only O. K. E., Mass,
1904. And that amounts to nothing;
those folks sell all over the country.
But you notice that 1t is not the or
binary business paper; 1t looks rather
lady-like than commercial, doesn't It,"
The colonel admitted that 1t did
look so.
"Now, assuming that this letter was
sent with the connivance Of the kid
napers, it looks as il our young gen.
tleman wasn't in any particular dan
ger Of having hard time. To me, it
looks pretty certain he must have
skipped himself; tolled along some
way, maybe, but not making any re-
sistance. Now, is there anybody that
you know who has enough influence
over him for that? How about the
1ady's maid?"
Randall has been faithful serv-
+;o,, moro than that the said states