The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-05-28
persons character. from q study q
that persons features?"

| persons character. from q study q
that persons features?"
You should be, Mr.. Van Vechten.'
was the reply. Your habits Of life,
your daily associations. naturally
would develop a certain skill in that
direction. / would attach considerable
weight to your opinion in such a case"
Then" with much positiveness,
nothing In the world could be more
absurd than to imagine the girl |
saw being engaged in anything crimi-
nal, or even entertaining a suspicion
that she is surrounded by a criminal
atmosphere. She is you-.g, she Is
beautiful. she is refined and gentle:
the stamp of purity and adherence to
right ideals is unmistakable in her
face. Whatever comes of your investf
cations, you will find to be unqualE
fiedly true all that | now assert re-
specting her"
II do not question your judgment,
for it is more than probable that your
estimate Is correct. But the fact is
of less Importance thar the circum-
stance that the young lady seems to en-
terrain a very cordial dislike for you
But" expostulated the other, "she
doesn't know me, Flint. l never saw
her in my life before yesterday. Why
should she dislike me? God knows l
never Intentionally harmed anybody In
my life"
She unquestionably thinks she
knows you-which. as far as her con-
duct is concerned, amounts to the
same thing"
Il have racked my brain over it"
Van Vechten announced, until | am
utterly befogged. | have heretofore
accredited myself with some slight de-
gree of perspicacity, but her unmistak-
able animus completely mystities me.
| am positive, Flint-absolutely posi-
tive-that our destinies have never
crossed before in any way"
Queer enough" was the others
comment. But the yelled lady; are
you certain she could not have been
Miss Carew?"
"Oh, no, she was o Paige. There
was no detail of resemblance. I have
and the girl at the window are the
same"
But of whom did she remind your"
The detective fastened him with a
shrewd regard.
That" returned Van Vechten, "is
tho ono poiDt coDcarDiDp which feel
that | ought to know something def
mite. but which persistently eludes
me. In fact. the conviction never
crystallized."
Mr.. Flint fell into a brown study,
from which the other had NJ inclina-
ton to disturb him. During their con-
v~ersation the afternoon had passed,
and now the detective sat motionless
and silent while the dusk gathered and
deepened.
Presently he reused himself with a
little shake. No one had intruded up
on their privacy; save for themselves
the lounging-room was now empty.
He rose and went over to n Of the
windows, taking his hat with him,
Van Vechten followed.
In the shadowy twilight the silent
house across the way doomed somber
and forbidding; it's ~lifeless d~arkening
front might have been Mystery and
Secrecy personifed. The Two stood
~abstractedly contemplating it. each
immersed in his own reflections, while
the pail Of night lowered, blurring and
distorting the shabby outlines.
Mr.. Flint broke the silence.
Il am glad we had this talk" said
dear me, what Is 1t leading us to?
trust we are not going to stir up any
mud" He abruptly changed the sub,
ject, asking:
May | inquire whether you intend
making any move to locate Miss Ca
rew?"
1T was my intention to call upor
my uncle Immediately. lay the cas
before him, and then set the cables
to working"
That's right. I was going to sug
gest something Of the kind"
After Mr.. Flint had gone, Van Vecn
ten did not pause to dine. He ascer
tanned by telephone that his uncle
would be at home, then summoned 6
cab and sped through the stilins
night-a night that augured storm
to Theodore Van Vechten's huge
dreary Fifth Avenue palace.
. CTo BE CoNTINUED)