Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-17

of money necessary 10 carry on the work
should be promptly forthcoming He re-
duired. however. scmi-weekly report of
my progress. and an itemized account of
my expenditures in the interest OF the
case. "as a matter OF curiosity" he
added In consideration of these Offices
on my part he would pay me a salary
What are you making now he asked,
abruptly
l told him.
Il will increase il by ten a week and
when YOU succeed in bringing the crimi-
nal 10 justice twenty thousand dollars
shall be yours.
Twenty Thousand" | sasped. for half
that amount would have been an induce
ment.
Twenty thousand Mr. Summerfield
repeated, with evident satisfaction. "And
there is one point that | would suggest.
! should be glad to have YOU make the
acquaintance OF young Milbrath and be
actuated by as much frienouness and
sympathy for him as, consistently, YOU
can feel. Do not fancy that | have any
personal interest in the young man. he
continued in an altered tone. as IL an
swering the question that sprang to my
lips and was suppressed. I'VE have no
acquaintance. nor does he know that I
exist. Indeed. i will retract that request.
Pay no attention to Milbrath so far as |
him.? and Mr.. Summerfield's eyes gleam-
ed. angrily. Did he not get the deserts
of a headstrong. willful lad? No, lie
may yet hang for all met
Then may | ask why You are trying
to clear his name?''
Clear his name? | clear his name ?
Oh, no. young man. You are not so
sharp witted as I judged you to he.
help Harrison Milbrath? You mistake my
purpose. ! seek the truth-for truth S
serve that You doubt that statement TO
satisfy a curiosity-to settle a theory of
my own. perhaps" He paused and eyed
me shrewdy.
Il am-peculiar.' he continued. pres
entity, with flicker of a smile; "'eccen-
trio. some express Ii. / have SUFFICIENT
means to enjoy that privilege. I am in
terested in this case solely from motives
that could not. probably, actuate YOU.
and / am prevented from engaging I'm a
personal investigation of it for good and
sufficient reasons Now what do you
think of my offer?''
1T is a most liberal one" I said. and
paused as the strangeness OF the situa-
ton flashed over me. What did I know
of this man? Only the little that he had
chosen to tell me. And what proof had
l Of the truth Of that?
We'll. WELL" Mr.. Summerfield cried, i'm
patiently. and as IL he read my thoughts.
''Of course you do not know me. How
worse-a madman--the murderer himself?
All. ha, That is not a bad joke, Is ii ?
To put you on my own track, as ii were"
and he doubled over with mirthless laugh
ter. and then pulled himself to soberness
as suddenly as he had interrupted HIM
self. Yes. / assure you that i am-ah-
eccentric But. my young man, you
need not hesitate on that account. I am
prepared to deposit in trust twenty thou
sand dollars TO be made payable to you
as soon as you have met the conditions
of this simple contract. AS for references
as to my reliability. call up the First
National Bank Of Boston and ask wheth-
er Philander Summerfeld is good for
twenty thousand dollars. That is as
much as you need to know about me-"
/ acted upon Mr.. Summerfield's sugges-
ton. The result was satisfactory to me.
yet / could not bring myself to sign the
contract which Mr.. Summerfield pro-
duced, though Il set forth nothing that
With a quickness that seemed to be
characteristic Mr.. Summerfield read my
indecision.
We'll" he said. irritabIy. 'you reach
81 should like day I'm which to con-
slider your extraordinary Offer" l an
swered.
"A day? Not an hour, Have l not
told You that / am in haste to be on
Now is your opportunity to make the
foundation of fortune if you are clever.
but your decision must be at once-at
once, sir"
To the winds went my native caution.
When again would an opportunity to
make twenty thousand dollars in con-
genial work be flung at my feet? And
il failed? Well. the Sphere would still,
no doubt, be issued.
Half an hour later MIR. Philander Sum-
merfield and l parted company-forever.
as it proved. l carried i'm my pocket a
concisely worded contract which bound
me to his interests. therein specified. for
one year. if that length of time were re-
quired to work out my case, and my
thoughts were full of the peculiarities of
my new acquaintance and of the curious
change that circumstance had made in
my life: for up to an hour earlier crimi-
nal investigation was the last profession
to which my fancy would have turned.