The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-04-05

u&4A ES6t made the remark with a
N&kM half sneer on his heavy
yctHSx face and as near sniff
10 doH as his huge bulbous nose
10 @H could express. Also an
evil smouldering anger
showed in the eyes that had long
surveyed the finances of the world
from the center of the web of Wall
Street and known that they held the
mastery of most of them and If they
could maintain their power long
enough and their mighty owner keep
life within his body sufficient length
of time the contest would be complete
and nearly absolute.
Purdon was speaking to Lawrence
Rand and myself, but his half contemp-
tuous fling was directed at the great
professional investigator. saw
flicker of resentment in Rand's we'll
governed face, but he said very quiet
ly:
What is this question, Mr.. Pur-
DOM"
You see this room"
We surveyed his spacious private
Office with its rows of rare books and
special reports, its priceless tapestries.
You note that it has but the one
door and that is set in forged steel
easement and leads to outer Offices,
from which four or more guards are
never absent. Also that door is locked,
save when l am in this office, by a
double Belgian trick lock. have the
two keys always with me and even If
either of you or anyone else had them
you would not know how to use them.
You notice that there is only this one
broad, steel-casemented window, open
ing. on a court sixty feet wide. 1t is
fifty feet down and fifty feet up and
tnero are no windows above or below
that are not grated and barred. Yet,
gentlemen, yesterday afternoon l left
paper of a value to me of more
than forty million dollars lying on this
desk. | went out. locked my door
and returned in an hour. The weight
! had placed on the paper had been
moved to one side and the paper was
gone.
The question l ask you is, how was
that paper taken from my desk, and
where is it?"
What was that paper?" Rand asked.
Il don't intend to tell you," he thun-
dered. "You are employed to answer
my questions, not l yours. If you
can't, why here's your check and get
out"
when was this room swept last?"
1T was cleaned with a pneumatic
suction cleaner yesterday morning."
who has been in it since"
Purdon thought a minute.
General Thomas Bickle-"
who has an artificial leg?" inter-
posed Rand.
"Yes. Mrs. Reddington van Petries,
Mr.. Jenkins Of my firm. my secretary
and my wife,
''Will you send for Mr.. Jenkins and
your secretary, please?"
Purdon opened his dictograph and
asked for them and they appeared at
the door in the fraction of a minute.
This gentleman wanted to see you,"
said Purdon, curtly.
Step three PAGES inside the door,
please, gentlemen, one of you to the
.IlBuL anu Out W tue lSll.
They did so, their astonishment
thinly concealed.
That is all, thank you," said Rand,
his eyes fastened on their feet. AS
the door closed behind them he rose
and bent over the tracks they had left
in the deep, rich silk nap of the car
pet. Under his magnifying glass their
every characteristic was made clear.
Slowly he circled the desk, going
round and round. coming nearer and
nearer the walls each circuit
Rand completed his survey and then
said:
There was no one in this office TO
take tina: paper"
Rand now carefully inspected the
desk. the paper-weight, the chains and
the sill of the open window, He scanned
the court above and below and then
standing on the ledge looked carefully
over the outer face of the wall about
the window.
Also, Mr.. Purdon, you can be sure
that no one came down from above
by rope or other device or came up
by a ladder. Now you are certain you
placed the paper under the weight?''
Il am"
Then, Mr.. Purdon, cannot answer
your question unless you tell me the
story of the paper and let me work
toward the thief through the motive OF
the theft"
Purdon's brow grew very black. He
reached for his check book and drew
one quickly.
That | will not do, Here is your