The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1909-04-08

1t was rectangular in shape and
smaller than the ordinary business en-.
velope. The paper was linen of
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 / am we'll
and safe and having a good time I had
the nose bleed that is why l spotted the
carpet Tell Auntie to please pay for
it out of my next weeks allowance Be
sure and don't worry
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
colonel's keen, aquiline profile as he
spoke, now you notice there's no
heading or mark on the paper; and the
water-mark is only o. X. E., Mass,
1904 And that amounts to nothing;
those folks sell all over the country.
But you notice that it Is not the or
binary business paper; it looks rather
lady-like than commercial, doesn't it?"
The colonel admitted that it did
look so.
NOW, assuming that this letter was
sent with the connivance of the kid
napers, it looks as if our young gen.
tleman wasn't in any particular dam
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
lady's maid?"
ant for 20 years, middle-aged, seri-
ous-minded, decent woman. Out of the
question"
This Miss Smith, your aunt's COM
panion, who is she? Do you know"
"a South Carolinian; good family:
she has lived with my aunt as secre-
tary and companion for a year; my
aunt Is very fond of her."
THAT all you know? Well, l have
found out little more: she used to
live with Mrs. Jones S. Hastings,
rich Washington woman. The lady's
only son fell in love with her; some
how the marriage was broken off,"
What was his nance"
Lawrence. They called him Larry.
He went to Manila. Maybe you've
met him there"
Eyes, knew him; don't believe he
ever was accepted by her"
Il don't know. | have only had two
days on her biography. Later, she
went to Johns Hopkins hospital. One
of the doctors was very attentive to
her-but it did not come to anything.
She didn't graduate. Don't know why.
Then she went to live with Miss An
gela Nelson, who died and left her
money, away from her own family.
There was talk of breaking the will;
but it wasn't done. Then she came to
Mrs. Winter"
The colonel was silent: there was
nothing discreditable in these details.
He had known before that Janet Smith
was poor; that she had been thrown
on the world early; that she must earn
her own livelihood; yet somehow. az
Birdsall marshaled the facts, there
was an insidious, malarious hint OF
the adventures, banded from place to
place, hawking her attractions about,
wheedling, charming for hire, entrap
ping imbecile young cubs-LArry
Hastings wasn't more than 2a-some-
H. A~It 90 h4 IN
ture and against the nan submitting
it-and, confound Millicent!
The detective changed the manner
OF his questions n little. II suppose
your aunt is pretty advanced in years.
though she is as we'll preserved an old
lady as / have ever met, and as
shrewd Say. wouldn't she be likely
to leave the boy \ lot OF money!"
II dare say" The colonel was con.
seious OF an incorporate impulse TO
| kick Birdsall, who had been such q
useful fellow in the Philippines.
IF anything was to happen to him.
who would get the money!"
well, Mrs. Melville and | are next
OF kim" returned the colonel, dryly.
DO you suspect us
Il did look up Mrs. Melville" an
swered the unabashed detective, but
| guess she's straight goods all right.
But say, how about Miss SMITH"
The colonel stared, then he laughed.
"Birdsall," said he. there's somewhat
too much mention OF ladies' names TO
suit my Virginian taste. But II you
mean to imply that Miss Smith is go
ing to kill Archie to get my aunts
money. | can tell you you are way
off Your imagination is too active
for your profession. You ought TO
hire out to the yellow journals"
(TO BE CONTINUED)
RIre CrOD.