Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1914-03-05
BOOK n.
CHAPTER Iv.-continued.

CHAPTER IV.-Continued
DO not become unnecessarily
alarmed. Mr. Van vechten. but 1t Is
possible-barely possible, understand
that we have run upon kidnapping
plot"
Van Yechten groaned and sank
Imply back, staring horror he could
not voice
Flint! Do you really know what
you are sayingf"
Tut, Mr.. Van Vechten. said
barely possible meant no more. II
you can't control yourself It will be
useless for me to talk further. / be-
neye your help would be valuable, and
i had hoped to enlist It; but l might
as we'll leave you II you cannot give
your attention to the chances OF Miss
Carew being involved"
You have as much feeling as q
jellyfsh, Flint" the other broke In.
Il am stunned. Give me a moment
60 grasp this hideous suggestion"
And he did succeed. gradually, In
pulling himself together. The very
idea was so shocking. 90 far beyond
the pale OF any possible experience
that he might within reason expect,
that his admirable imperturbabIlity
was for the moment shaken. He fnai.
ly said:
What have you to support your
peIieff"
Not much. And I have no positive
belief simply want to present a
theory tor your consideration, sug.
8ested By such few unsatisfactory
facts as we have. In the hope that,
together. We may arrive at one more
plausible"
But Paige-kidnapedl" exclaimed
Van Vechten. eghast.
Mr.. Flint ceased trying to dlsabuss
bis mind OF Its fears. by unsupported
assurances.
Let US go back TO yesterday" he
resumed. "The episode OF the four
amen you saw enter the house over
yonder was not mystifying to me.
even while you were relating 1t l
was pretty certain that they were re-
spending to an advertisement OF some
description. The only popularity lay
In the fact that they arrived precise
ty an hour apart
But that circumstance also is easily
explained: The advertiser had need
for more than one man. and he wanted
to interview them one at a time with.
out meeting one another. Upon ruu-
ming through the files OF the daily pa.
pers for a fortnight back, / found a
confirmation Of my conclusions. Here
81 is" And he handed Van Vechten a
newspaper clipping. which the latter
studied long and intently before re.
Nurning:
"WANTED-A young man who will
exchange unreserVedly one week q,
his time for $1,000 cash. Must he
muscular and willing TO risk an ad
venture involving an element OF dan
ger. II imposed conditions are i'm
plicitiy obeyed. payment will be made
Immediately upon successful outcome
III you are confident you are the young
man. Address X720, Tribune"
Now" Mr.. Flint went on. certain
obvious conclusions may be drawn
from this advertisement, and certain
things concerning 1t may be pretty
confidently inferred.
Whatever the enterprise. It IN
wolves come danger: It requires yodnl
men OF physical strength and daring
and II lie Of sufficient Importance t
the advertiser for him to. expend I
considerable sum OF money In puttinj
u through--say four or Ave Thousand
dollars. There is an army of youni
men answering the description. EN-
pioyed as we'll as unemployed. To-
whom the little Rd. would hold an ir
irresistible appeal; undoubtedly MT
S'72O Tes deluged with applications.
Then what Is his next obyiou