The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-12-15
SYNOPSIS.

Book !.
! CHAPTER Rudolph Van vechten, {
young man Of leisure, 10 astonished Il
zee man enter No. 1913, house across
the street from the Powhatan club. The
house has long been unoccupied and Il
spoken Of as the House of Mystery.
CHAPTER II-several persons at regu.
lar intervals enter No. 1913.
CHAPTER 1II-van vechten expresses
concern to his friend, Tom Phinney, re-
gardlng the Whereabouts of his cousin
ana nancee. Paige Carew. A fashonably
attlied woman Is seen to enter the House
OF Mystery. man Is forcibly elected
from the house. Van Vechten and Tom
follow the man and find him dead in the
street.
CHAPTER VIVIAN Vechten Is attract
% by the face Of girl in the crowd OF
onlookers surrounding the body. Later
ne discovers the girl gazing at him with
look of scorn from the windows Of the
mysterious house.
CHAPTER V-Detective Flint calls on
Van Vechten to get his version Of the
tragedy.
CHAPTER VI-Tom Phinney goes alone
on yachting trip. He recognizes among
some persons In passing motor boat
Two men whom he had seen enter the
House Of Mystery. He sees one Of them,
2 Mr.. Calls, on shore later and follows
TO house. He hears girl named Jessie,
evidently the daughter of the man in
authority. question his captors. sweet
voiced girl later protests against tho
roughness Of his captors.
Hook H.
CHAPTER Ivan vechten calls on his
uncle Theodore Van Vechten, big man in
Wall street and known as the MAN Of
!ron.' in search Of information regarding
tho whereabouts Of Paige Carew
CHAPTER IT-Detective Flint shows
van vechten gold mesh purse found in
the House of Mystery. Van recognizes 1t
as belonging to Paige Carew.
CHAPTER TII-The sweet-voiced girl
nelps Tom Phinney escape. but refuses to
disclose her identity Tom declares he
will meet her again.
CHAPTER Iv--Detective Flint tells Van
Vechten he has a theory that Paige has
been KIDNAPPED Van goes to lay the case
before his uncle.
"Oh, WE'LL" the detective conceded,
Il can't. of course, expect you to view
the affair from a professional stand.
point; but I assure you, this case is
exceedingly promising, and my enthu-
siasm and determination mount as 1t
grows more battling"
That's something, at any rate"
Van Vechten admitted with show
of reluctance. Your zeal will lose
you nothing, I promise you. But where
did you find the purse?"
The sharp gray eyes swept Van
Vechten's earnest face. Mr.. Flint re-
piled soberly:
"Now you have hit upon the circum.
stance that connects Miss Carew with
the affair. l found it hanging from q
nail, in dark corner Of an upstairs
closet, across the street-in your pre-
cious house Of mystery"
The young mans blank immobility
alone betrayed his stupefaction. After
a pause:
Easy. easy. Flint" said he, un-
steadily. Kindly repeat that; this in
fernal snarl is dulling my faculties"
The other did SO, adding: "Of
course 1t was left there-overlooke
by somebody; whether by Miss Ca.
rev or somebody else, I am not pre-.
pared to say"
Van Vechten sat long time deep in
thought. The occasional glance he di-
rected at the detective was eloquent
In contrast with his impressive fea-
tures-of the doubts and fears aid
anxieties that were assailng b.;