Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-07-24
BOOK II.
CHAPTER Iv-continued.

S'NT ! En- bv0~ouktIOeu.
DO not become unnecessarily
alarmed, Mr.. Van vechten, but 1t is
possible-barely possible, understand
that we have run upon a kidnapping
plot"
Van Vechten groaned and sank
Imply back. staring a horror he could
not voice.
Flint! Do you really know what
you are saying7"
Tut, Mr.. Van vechten. said
barely possible l meant no more. II
you can't control yourself 1t will be
useless for me to talk further. l be-
lieve your help would be valuable, and
had hoped to enlist 1t: but 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
5ellyflsh. Flint" the other broke in.
Il am stunned. Give me moment
to grasp this hideous suggestion"
And he did succeed, gradually, in
pulling himself together. The very
idea was SO shocking. 30 far beyond
the pale of any possible experience
that he might within reason expect,
that his admirable imperturbability
was for the moment shaken. He final
ly said:
What have you to support your
belief"
Not much. And l have no positive
belief. l simply want to present a
theory for your consideration, sug-
gested by such few unsatisfactory
facts as we have, in the hope that,
together. we may arrive at one more
plausible"
But Paige-kidnaped!" exclaimed
Van Vechten. aghast.
Mr.. Flint ceased trying to disabuse
his mind of its fears. by unsupported
assurances.
Let US go back to yesterday" he
resumed. THE episode of the four
men you saw enter the house over
yonder was not mystifying to me.
Even while you were relating It
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
ly 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 run
ming through the files of the daily pa
pers for a fortnight back. l found
confirmation of my conclusions. Here
It is" And he handed Van vechten a
newspaper clipping. which the latter
studied long and intently before re-
turning:
"WANTED-A young man who will
exchange unreservedly one week of
his time for $1,000 cash. Must be
muscular and willing to risk an ad-
venture involving an element OF dan
ger. II imposed conditions are i'm
plicitly obeyed. payment will be made
Immediately upon successful outcome.
II 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 some danger: It requires young
men OF physical strength and daring;
and 1t is of sufficient importance to
the advertiser for him to expend
considerable sum OF money in putting
II through--say four or five thousand
dollars. There is an army OF young
men answering the description. en-
ployed as well as unemployed. for
whom the little ad. would hold an ir-
resistible appeal; undoubtedly Mr..
X.720 was deluged with applications,
Then what In his next obvious