The Press., 1911-08-23
By R. Forsythe Emery
Copyright by American Press Asso-
 citation, 1s1f.

\ am 6U 8LCOEUGys OuS DUnAuGl
 evening" was twenty-seven years olt
 at the time-while 1t was still daylight was sauntering on a thorOughfart
 lined with dwellings. Passing under {
 window situated but 8 few feet above
 my head heard a woman's voice pro nounce my name in a tone almost in
 audible. stopped and looked up
 From between the slats came the words:
 "I want lawyer"
 All being dark within, I could see nothing.
 "How do you know that am law yerY" asked. "How can serve you ? There was no reply. listened, but could hear nothing more. There was but one interpretation. Some one must have entered the room whose presence put an end to the conversation.
 waited few moments; then, thinking
 that my lurking there under the win.
 dow might compromise my invisible
 client, walked on.
 The next evening and the next for
 several days strolled by the house at the same hour and even loitered a few
 moments under the window, but not a
 whisper came from behind the blinds.
 formed many theories as to what had occurred. It was evident that some one-the voice seemed to belong to a young woman-was detained un-
 willingly. But why?. To this there
 
 was one that caused me to doubt the
 expediency of pursuing the matter any
 further. The person might be feeble
 minded-perhaps insane. If this were
 true l would make a mistake, doing
 great injury to my client as well as
 myself, by an Interference.
 lam a methodical man and determiD- ed to begin methodically at. the be- ginning. I must learn from the out side who occupied the house, then something about the occupants. I hired boy to watch the premises at that hour in the morning when trades men deliver provisions, note the names on the wagons calling and make a list of them. In this way easily secured several firm names, one of a grocer of whom I bought my own supplies, and he gave me the name of the person to whom he sent goods at the premises in question. It was Miss Elizabeth Markley, a rich lady about fifty years old.
 My next move was to obtain permis- sion of the grocer to go on bis wagon and deliver goods myself. Putting on old clothes, did so, took a basket of provisions into the kitchen and by chatting with the cook learned that the occupants were Miss Marhley and her niece, Miss Irene Benham, a girl between seventeen and eighteen. This was all the information I could secure. but 1t was enough for beginning. If Miss Markley was rich might be able to find something through records of her property-that is, if 1t were real estate. I went to the offices of the receiver of taxes, but the name Eliz- abeth Markley was not on his list. It occurred to me to look for the name of Benham. and I found ''the estate of Adoniram Benham, deceased" Here was a pointer. If Irene Benham was heir to this property 1t was possible that her aunt was holding her a pris- oner while she was attempting to get her estate into her own hands. At the court of chancery was shown the will of Adoniram Benham, and the case was plain. Irene Benham was helr to. property worth about half a million.
 If Miss Markley were wicked enough to fulfil the theory had formed of her 1t would be necessary 10 fight her with fire. I dare not make any open move whatever lest she should remove her niece to some hiding place where she could not be found. I must get into clandestine communication with Miss Benham.
 bought a book suitable for a pres ent to young lady, prettily illustrat ed. and sent 1t to her through the mail. I sent no note of explanation with 1t nor wrote anything on the Hyleaf, but the book itself contained communica- tion. By a delicate underscoring of words informed her who I was, my address, how she could reach me, what I had learned about her and my sus- piciOn. I was doubtful of the success of this maneuver, for if her aunt were her she would examine the book closely before allowing her niece to have it. For this reason I did not begin my message before the fifteenth page and made my interlineatiOns so faint that no one except one reading the book would notice them.
 I waited a week for a result to my expedient. When 1t came I was sure no ordinary message could leave the home without being carefully Inspected, The reply was an adver- Using card of secondhand bookstore. should not have thought of its being ! reply to my message had not the name of the firm been 'underscored in 1 pencil. went to the bookstore and ! asked if they had any communication Tor me. They said they had not. I went away disappointed, and while | walking along thinking of, a possible ! explanation of the problem it occurred l Q me that the book 1 had sent Miss might have been sold to the Hm in question, Returning to tha | tore, asked for the book and was lelighted to . offered the very copy
 had sent. I bought it and as I ! walked away looked for a cipher mes age in 1t. was not long in finding lots under certain words and without dficulty read the message.
 My theory was correct: The girls unt, her fathers sister, was holding Ter prisoner. The writer did not l now why. All she knew was that Ter aunt was watching her always. he was never permitted to go out lone and felt assured that any letter he received or sent was opened be- ore reaching or leaving her. She night possibly run away, but she new not where to 90. Suspecting that his surveillance had something to do nth property she had inherited from