Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-08-07
Miss Schuyler New York. Have post
ed reward Eve hundred pounds.
"FOTHERINGILL"
CHAPTER VII.

Deeper Waters.
This message, SO condensed that for
a moment Van Vechten believed It to
be in code, contained more than one
1 ncomprehensible but none the less
pregnant item. The line of perplexity
between his brows deepened, as he
continued to stare at 1t, while Tom
looked on and fidgeted with curiosity.
whirlpool" Van Vechten voiced
his mystification-"seem to me I've
heard that name before-I'm sure
have-but hanged If can associate 1t
with anything definite. And who the
deuce is Fotheringill?"
He handed the slip Of paper over to
Tom. The items began to appear
slowly by degrees.
"Withypool-Withy he repeat
ed in an effort to spur his memory
where and when did ever hear that
name? It's not one that Paige men
toned. Must be some town in Somer-
set"
And two ladies'" supplemented
Tom in mock admiration. answering
to the description of your cousin and
Mrs. Devereaux were there some time
| al Juiy. mat a ilppih6 ohOAAoSn
Holmes you are!"
Van Vechten surveyed him with un-
seeing eyes. After moment
Say" he began with considerable
energy. Tom, II they were Paige
and 10, why should 1t be 30 difficult to
determine their identities positively!
Were they trying to hide? And If 30.
from whom?"
You can search me-" Tom offered
dispiritedly.
Van Vechten tool. the message and
pored over It again.
Five hundred pounds reward" he
groaned after minute. Great
Scott. Tom! How luridly the papers
will blossom now. for the blessed
puzzle is fair game at last for them.
Who has authorized anyone to offer a
reward. I'd like to know? And what
two weeks in July were these two mys-
terious ladies at whirlpool? Am to
infer that they and Mrs. and Miss
Schuyler are the same?-that Paige
and Joe sailed home incog the eighth
of last month";"
That's what 1t says" replied Tom.
"In a way. yes. But this sheet of de-
formed intelligence is more remark
able for what 1t does not say than for
what it says. Schuyler. you know.
was Mrs. Devereaux's maiden name"
Toms eyes opened. by George!"
he exclaimed wonderingly. so It
was!"
Well" tartly. does the circum-
stance suggest anything to your"
But Tom merely stood silent sec
ond wagging his head. NO. It's only a
little more muddling, is all l can make
of it."
Here it is the fifth of September"
Van Vechten's summarizing went on;
where, in heavens name, have they
been all this time? Where are they
now?"
Moses and green spectacles. Rud-
dy!" burst forth Tom In desperation.
You'll give yourself a headache II you
keep on asking questions that nobody
can answer! Here-let's sit down at
this table and have something to
drink: maybe thatll help. You can
think things over, anyhow"
Van Vechten all of a sudden expert
enced a let-down from the high ten
sion under which he had been labor
ing ever since the cablegram's arrival,
and Immediately the drawn lines about
his mouth, and the restless shifting of
his eyes, disclosed his growing bur-
den of anxiety; even to Toms unob-
servant regard 1t was laid bare how
deeply the battling mystery-the un-
certainty OF his cousins fate-had af
fected his whole being.
STEADY, old man." Tom muir
INJURED sympathetically. TRY little
nerve tonic. Brace up
They sat down.
81 don't want anything to drink"
Van Vechten declined the offer. but
will gladly smoke big black cigar.
Perhaps 1t will clear away some OF
the cobwebs."
Tom, ever a model of abstemious-
ness, contented himself with a mild
and ladylike thimble OF curacao.
Then they took up the subject of the
, cablegram again. Van Vechten fiat
tened the paper upon the table,
propped his elbows at either end and
grasped his hair firmly with both
hands, the cigar smoke forming a blue
halo about his head. He gave himself
up to the serious business of inter
preting and assimilating the disquiet-
ing. unfathomable information from
! overseas.
cTo BE coNTINUED)