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

OF mystery. A man - IOrclpiy eJeCtso
from the house. Van vechten and Tom
street
CHAPTER VIVIAN vechten II attract
Cd by tho face Of q girl in the crowd Of
q look Of scorn from the Windows Of the
mysterious house.
CHAPTER v-Detective Flint cabs on
Van vechten to get hts version Of the
tragedy.
CHAPTER VI-Tom Phinney goes alone
on yachting trip. He recognizes among
some persons In a passing motor boat
two men whom he had seen enter the
M cas on shore later 0 and oew:
him. Tom Is seized. blindfolded and taken
to a. house. He hears a girl named Jessie.
evidently the daughter Of the man IN
authority, question his captors sweet
voiced girl later protests against the
roughness of his captors.
Book II.
CHAPTER Ivan vechten calls on his
uncle. Theodore Van Vechten. big man In
Wall street and known as the Man Of
Iron." in search Of information regarding
tho whereabouts of Paige Carew.
MAY I have a few words with you,
Mr.. Van Vechten?" the stranger po-
litely inquired. extending his card.
Van Vechten accepted 1t and expert
enced twinge Of apprehension as he
read:
T. JENKINS
Representing
The New York Sphere
Nevertheless he presented . smil-
Ing visage to the reporter.
81 can't imagine what you should
want with me-" he returned pleasant
ly enough. III you think because you
saw me come from my uncle's Offices
that l can tip you of to anything,
why, know less about him and his
affairs than do those truck.horses yon.
der"
While speaking he had signaled a
cab, which now drew up at the curb.
1t offered means Of escape that he
was not loath to avail himself Of.
But the reporters next words
stayed him.
1T is not about your uncle or his
AFFAIRS" said Jenkins quickly. II
don't want to detain you, Mr.. Van
vechten, but would appreciate It
very much If you would give me some
information about Miss Carew."
Van Vechten could not restrain q
start Of surprise at the unexpected
ness Of this overture, which, he knew,
did not escape the others keen eyes;
but he promptly recovered himself
! and considered briefly. Then:
| will you tell me just why you
come to me for this information p
he asked, apparently unmoved, but
profoundly curious-"why you are
seeking 1t at all?"
why, it's this way" returned the
alert young man, but paused and
eyed Van Vechten doubtfully. 81 trust
you won't be offended, but of l. e
have heard considerable Speculation
over Miss Carew's present WI ere
abouts. 1t seems strange, you k ow
to people IL acquainted with the cir
cumstances, that she has not returned
to New York, or that some &nnou ~
ment of hcr movements las not btog
made public
With sudden decision, Van Vechtei
moved to the cab.
Get in" le invitel. I'll drop VI,
at Park Row, or anywhere you w.
on the way uptown He directed tx
chauffeur to his club. and after they
began threading their way up Broad
way, he turned again to the reporter
Look here, Mr.. jenkins, | don
see why people should be so curiou.
over my Cousins movements. She i.
merely taking a much needed res
before coming home and entering tn,
grinding round of social affairs. On,
needs all the energy and strength a
ones command for that sort of thing
you know"
Where, may / inquirer"
I'm England-with friends"
Mr.. jenkins smiled.
That's sufficiently vague" he com
mented. His sharp eyes studied tn
other second or two; then he said
"Mr. Van Vechten, l am going t
tell you something. Some time ago
shortly after Miss Carew's graduation
In fact-some such statement was civ
en- publicity and generally accepte
as the truth. Yesterday our Londo
correspondent notified US that tn
lady was not to be found; that, 1
short, she had not been in London q
all. Our paper sent him list G
families with whom she might be 81
tourning, but so far we have nc
heard from him. Honestly, doesn
that sound odd to anybody outsid
your family?"
This intelligence alarmed its reciI