The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-02-25

1t concerns CIuett Peters
papa
Cluetts papa left the Second Me
chenicaI that afternoon and went
straight home, forgetting all about
his machine, which traiIed slowly be-
him, and walking the distance with
head bowed.
Two strong forces were doing bat
tie within the elder Peters
The one was sheer anxiety-biting.
snawing anxiety as 10 the welfare OF
the youngster TO whom he had devoted
ell that WAS best and Softest and most
loving in his hard being: educated and
taught and cOunseled into what seemed
p thorough man; the boy, moreover,
lrpon whose integrity Hiram Peters
would have staked every last penny he
owned on earth.
The other force-the sinister. insin-
Mating force-was a puzzIing doubt
whose existence he declined TO admit;
but a doubt nevertheless which prod
ded and poked and pricked at him until
he was well-ntgh mad, Therefore the
doubt did exist-or no, It wouldn't ex-
EST!
All other considerations aside. sheer,
unimpassioned reason rendered 1t alb
xolutely idiotic that Cluett should
steal What II that fool Of a Bovine
had collected MS evidence? What If
every circumstance pointed 10 the fact
that Cluett had simply evanesced with
half a million dollars worth Of paper?
What did that prove aside from the
palpable fact that Bovine and Hunger
ford and all the rest Of them were
crazy?
And stilI-and. home in his library be
hind locked doors. the devilish doubt
cropped up again-where was Cluett?
why hadn't he given some sign Of life
since leaving the house last night?
Mr.. Peters ate an entire cigar until,
coming Unexpectedly to the lighted
end. he spat it forth and called for po-
lice headquarters without giving his
name or any other information
Had a young man answering such
and such description been reported as
snjured and unidentified from any OF
the hospitals A long wait and ne was
Informed that nothing OF the sort was
on record. He was asked whether ne
wished 70 send in a general alarm for
missing person-and ne replied that
ne did not.
Evening dragged along. with an anX-
ious mother urging all sorts OF schemes
for finding her son. The father har-
dened Cluett wasn't hurt: had he been
ne always carried papers enough for his
identification Cluett was not on record
anywhere as having fallen dead or hav-
ing been arrested. Therefore. Cluett
vas somewhere, somehow, engaged upon
pursuits Of his own
Eleven O'Clock and police headquar-
sers had nothing new 20 relate. Mr..
Peters called up their sole relative in
Boston. In the course OF half an hour
he knew that no sign OF Cluett had APP
peared there.
Mr.. Peters went 20 bed silently, leaV-
Ing behind instructions that ne was not
10 be awakened in the morning. and
while g mother sat az the other end Of
The house and tried to read herself into
che sIumber that would not come. Nh
Peters sat fully dressed and stared out
OF the window. while he smoked cigai
after cigar.
At something before 2 he was a. the
bank once more
Hungerford was there ahead OF him
and the greeting between the two meI
Was the chIiest they had ever known
Good morning" said AIr. Peters
sSsehy.
"Good morning" responded Mr.. Hun
eerord.
The former sat down. The latter wen
IN with the papers on his desk. unit
ca last the tension became acute an,
Peters cried.
well, have you had any word"
40"
Not Of any sort2'
No
Mr.. Peters arose
Say. You haven't put This into In.
hands Of tie PinkertOns2"
Nj Hurgerford looked up coldly.
In the present corditiOu Of this bank
Birauf, I'm not botherine the bauklu,
assoc ation." lie said, very softly. 70
know AS much abou, IL as I do. Yo
know perfectly well what uewspape
publicity would mean 10 us Just nov.
Mr. Peters drew a long breath.
Damn the bank ne reared "Ir
not thinking about the bank, ! want O.
fnd NV boy. jim, And I'm going Z
send rho Finkertons after him and tu
police o. every city in the country,
necessary, III spend
Hiram
what"
FOR Gods sake. sit down and SIN
,,D,'' said HUngs rford. natly Ever
blasted clerk mere knows something
1sronc-witlout knowing what t Is IT
In Chc air, tell you. II this gets out
Let il get out, Let it"
Mr. HunCerfOri arose and laid han
On hts shoulder.
Hiram. excitement Of this sort ism
I'm your line ne said, quietly. 1t
idiouc What's more, il means dea
loss, no matter in what sense YOU coz
slider H. Putting Cluett outside a
question altogethcr-oh. I'm not pf=riT
any opinion, good BAD. or indiferen
save that the kids all right, whercv,
lie may bc-putlng Cluett out Of n
question, the miSUte a man Of yOI
importance begins 70 stir mp dcteCtiN
forces and police forces cUriosif- f. e
inc 30 leak out, some OF them facts at
more lies Whatever they are, thcyl
going 20 get abroad. into the pape
and into financial circles. and they
going 10 be elaborated on
HunGertOrd returned 10 his seat wit
CTur'