The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-01-21
The Mystery
Of the Open
Window ).
A Clever Bit Of Detective Work
That Won q Reward.
BY KARL K. SHIMANSKY.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

The acquaintance began in this wise:
Lieutenant Philip Vandermuth was
walking toward the war department in
Washington when Miss Beverly Com
stocks horse started to run away.
The groom was thrown out, and the
reins dropped to the pavement. Van
dermuth was just in time to stop the
horse. Miss Comstock distrusting her
groom's driving abilities, vandermuth
drove her home. He was introduced
to her father and spent the evening at
her home.
When vandermuth arrived at his no.
tel he found that all that he could
think Of was Beverly Comstock.
The next morning he received a note
from Captain Comstock requesting him
to go to Comstock's private Office In
the Westing building, and he respond
ed forthwith.
II am glad you came" said Captain
| Comstock. II want to talk to you
about some plans I have in hand"
The captain went to q large safe
| which stood open before a wide win.
dow.
young man." he said to Philip, IF
you knew how valuable that roll of
plans is you would not wonder at our
watchfulness. They are the same
ones I told you about last night. The
man you saw at the door is a secret
service agent detailed for duty here"
While he was talking he had taken
q paper from the safe, and, leaving
the door open, he took 1t to the table
where Philip was sitting. Philip and
the captain discussed the plan for half
an hour or so, when Captain COmstock
went to the safe to get other draw
ings.
Philip was startled by a loud cry
and saw the captain fall with a thud
to the floor.
Vandermuth rushed at him, saw that
he had tainted, then opened the door
and called for help.
He looked into the safe and gasped.
The plans were gone.
The secret service man stationed out
side rushed in and exclaimed: whats
the matter? What's this disturbance
aboutY"
The plans are stolen!" cried Philip.
Several other men came running in
to see what had happened. One Of
them, a doctor, examined the captain
and announced that his condition was
serious; but not dangerous.
In the meantime the man whom Phil
ip had met at the door called. up the
secret service Office, and in a few
minutes the chief himself hurried in,
and straightway Vandermuth was put
on the grill.
The secret service men examined the
room from end to end. The d%0orkeep-
er said no one had passed him.
The captain had recovered by this
time and was sitting on the couch,
pale and weak.
"Well," said the service man, "the
secretary Of war orders us to find
those papers If we have to use the
whole force"
As Vandermuth went to his hotel he
heard the newsboys yelling:
extra, extra! All about the big
robbery! Government plans stolen"
Philip bought a paper and saw that
all the facts were correctly stated.
Halfway down the column he read in
subhead type:
THE SECRET SERVICE ACCUSES NO
ONE. BUT A FRIEND OF CAPTAIN
COMSTOCK Is THOUGHT TO BE
UNDER SUSPICION.
vandermuth gasped.
The same night Captain Comstock
was discussing the absorbing subject
with his daughter.
Beverly" he said, there is only
one way l can think it was DONE"
"How?" she asked, with interest.
II hope it Is not true, but when /
was closing the door Lieutenant Van
dermuth might have thrown the plans
out Of the window to q friend"
"Oh. father, you don't think that, do
you? 2" cried Beverly In despair.
The next morning Vandermuth went
over to the Comstocks', where he was
met by Beverly, who led him to her
fathers study. There Philip found the
captain.
"Ah," he said s%cornfully and tact
lessly, "a clever rogue! Sir. neither
my daughter nor myself a associate
with a man under suspicion. Betty.
show him the door,"
Philip was staggered by this and
was about to make q hot retort, but
be turned and marched to the door.
followed by Beverly.
When out Of hearing Of the irate
captain the daughter looked the lieu
tenant full in the eyes and tremulous.
~ inquired:
did you take those plansr'
mo, Miss Comstock; I did not touch
them"
A. week later he was sitting in the
window Of. the captains Office, as he
had done a dozen times since the plans
were lost. He had volunteered his
services to the officials, and, more wi.i
the idea Of keeping him under surveil-
lance than expecting any help from
him. they had permitted vandermuth
free access to the offices. "
vandermuth "a looking dreamily
at the big building across the street
y..ca Lee ssw q RAGS face at q VIZ
dow several floors up. V
3U ere %s,s< rr1.,sc Nrm wovo lnnr onnu0h