Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-10
The Teu-Tale Glove
AN ADVENTURE OF PETER CREWE-"THE MAN
WITH THE CAMERA EYES"
By AROLD CARTER
W Chapman the Omitted States Great Britain

Moresby Blount was widely chronicled /
In the newspapers. Sir Moresby was .
q self-made Englishman, who, starting I
In life in the humble capacity of an .
ltinerant vegetable vendor. had be /.
come, first a merchant prince. then a .
company promoter. finally a million /
aire, having a mansion in Park Lane
and interests in a dozen ventures all
over the globe. Thousands OF poor In
vestors blessed him when his compa-
nies declared their annual dividends OF
twelve and fifteen per cent. In his
coronation year the late king had
knighted him. And now. immensely
prosperous. pompous and self-suficient
Sir Moresby had come to America Ito
hinterest meself in the development OF
your magnificent but unprogressive
west" as he phrased it TO the reporters
who met him when the ship docked
In New York harbor.
Mining ventures were the cause of
Sir Moresby's visit 70 America. He
Durposed TO develop all the mineral
resources OF Harizona including bis
muth, copper. and hantimony." If Sir
Moresby's his were a trife superfuous,
his pocketbook was evidently in the
right place He was condescendingly
affable 10 his visitors, and, after regis
tering at the New Hague hotel. an
bounced his intention OF doing" the
town alone. in order to rediscover
America.
His little, rat-like English secretary,
who had accompanied him, afterward
conducted the reporters 20 the magnifi-
cent Offices in Fifth avenue building,
which had just been opened TO accom-
modate the American branch of Sir
Moresby's business, and where two
dozen recently employed clerks were
busily opening letters and filing appli-
cations for shares along the sides OF
the new mahogany table.
1t was with establishment, therefore,
that, on opening my morning paper on
the day after the milllonaires arrival.
saw, IN great, black headlines, the
announcement Of his death.
He had gone out alone, to "redis-
cover America" on the preceding even
ing, and. when he did not return short
" before midnight, his secretary be-
came alarmed and telephoned the po-
ice Within two hours his body was
brought into the morgue, dripping wet
from the cold waters of the East
river. The skull was fractured and the
face beaten almost out OF all recogni-
ton; but the clothes identified the
ynan beyond all doubt. Sir Moresby
had evidently been struck down from
behind while proving in the unsavory
purlieus OF the East side, robbed OF
money. watch and chain and jewelry,
and flung into the stream, which
washed him ashore opportunely in the
vicinity OF the police patrol station.
Hardly had laid down the paper
when there came a ring at my tele-
phone. / took the receiver of the
hook and heard the agitated voice OF
the general manager OF the Salaman,
der Life Insurance company, for which
acted as lawyer
'Langton." he called, have you seen
the account OF the murder of Sir
Moresby Blount?"
YES" / called back What OF it?"
What Of IL? Ny God, Langton. he
Insured last month with our English
branch for two hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars"
Ten minutes later the manager was
In my Office and urging me TO look into
the matter There might be some mis-
take. he said. II might be suicide. IN
which case the policy would be invali
dated There might be some flaw ir
the policy. or the premiums might
hav, lapsed They had Cabled TO theii
English branch: meanwhile would
proceed To the New Hague hotel an
see the dead mans secretary?
! summoned Peter Crewe over tn,
telephone. n there We're any mystery
Crewe could clear il up. With hi.
wonderful optical powers. which hat
already helped me In solving many
mystery / knew that could hav,
chosen no better coufdaut.
! met him by appointment at tn,
door Of mis- hotel. Crews. however. wa
not disposed TO see any prospect o
helping he company.
10 looks like a clear case OF murder
IauEton," he said. and between yoi
aud me I do not want TO help then
eyade their responsibilities"
"But youu come with me?" urged
Gladly" said Crewe. And II Their
Is any legitimate way in which ca
serve your interests you may count o.
mo"
At the entrance to the New Hagu
hotel We ran into the little secretary
Randall, whom / recognized from hi
photograph. which had been publishe
in the newspapers. had expected tina
he would not be over-zealous in assis
ing me- but TO my surprise he place
himself az my service in the most col
dial manner.
i have to 60 back to the morgue
he said and you had better com
along with me. There is. am sorry {
say, no doubt but that the body is this
OF SIR Moresby. Even II ! could nj
swear 70 the features-which / am pr,
pared to-the clothes would prove III
identity beyond all possibility {
doubt"
Il was no pleasant sight to see III
millionaire. lately so self-sufticient, no
compressed into that narrow measur
OF man. Cr5we. standing beside M
-----~-----~----~-