The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-05-28

tiers through a process Of selection
and rejection. From the lot he
chooses the few which strike him the
most favorably, and makes appoint
ments with the writer's. The house
across yOnder was secured as a base
Of operations"
1T was not rented from the agent"
Van Vechten suddenly interposed. re-
Numbering a feature of the Powhatan
committees call on that individual.
Mr.. Flint raised his brows. "So?"
said he. We'll come back to that
letter. was going to say, the mere
fact of the advertiser having selected
so respectable a neighborhood to OPP
crate from was no less than a stroke
Of genius. Nobody to pry into his af-
fairs; nobody to suspect hint was
only by accident that suspicion was at
tracted to him at all" Mr.. Flint's Wis
age assumed a satisfied expression, as
he remarked:
His ingenuity commands my admi-
ration; | apprehend that the case will
prove interesting-most interesting,
indeed"
Don't tell me-" protested Van Vech.
ten, that you a find any satisfaction
in the difficulties you are expecting TO
encounter. II will be bad enough If
we have to deal with common crooks,
but a criminal prodigy? Lord defend
u.s."
I'm afraid, Mr.. Van Vechten, that
you have NJ very keen relish for an
intricate problem"
Relish" the young man barked.
With my cousin at the mercy of a
gang Of u~nprincipled knaves? l guess
mott"
"Oh, WELL" the detective conceded,
Il can't. Of course, expect you to view
the affair from a professional stand
point; but | assure you, this cas- is
exceedingly promising, and my enthu-
siasm and determination mount as it
grows more battling"
That's something, at any rate"
Van Vechten admitted with a show
Of reluctance. Your zeal will lose
you nothing, | promise you. But where
did you find the purse?"
The sharp gray eyes swept Van
Vechten's earnest face. Mr.. Flint re-
piled soberly:
Nov you have hit upon the circum-
stance that Miss Carew with
the affair. | found 1t hanging from a
nail. in a dark corner of an upstairs
closet, across the street-in your pre-
cious house of mystery"
The young mans blank immobility
alone betrayed his st%upefaction. After
a pause:
Easy, easy, Flint" said he, un,
steadily. Kindly repeat that; this in,
fernal snarl is dulling my faculties"
The other did so, adding: "Of
course 1t was left there-overlooked-
by somebody; whether by Miss Ca.
rev or somebody else. | am not pre-
pared to say.
Van Vechten sat a long time deep in
thought. The occasional glance he di.
rected at the detective was eloquent
in contrast with his impassive fea,
tures-of the doubts and fears and
anxieties that were assailing his
mind, and of a conflicting hope that
things were not so black as they were
being painted. At last. with a slight
gesture that signified his helpless
ness to cope with the situation, he
leaned back and sighed.
81 pass" he said resignedly. THE
things utterly beyond me-; It's up tc
you, Flint. Go on"
aXxrzIl .o. I,,a al tho Jaxogl. A..
suggest a possible KIDNAPPING con
~spiracy-first, the uncertainty as tc
the young lady's whereabouts; second
the advertisement; third, the secrecy
and extreme caution observed through
out by the unknown conspirators
fourth. the callers at Number 1913;
fifth, the purse"
Van vechten breathed another sigh
one of relief.
"Mystifying 1t all is, to be sure" hi
said; but that array might SOUND
more formidable II 1t were more Ger
tain and positive. At the same time
my anxiety about my cousin has by nc
means abated."
"On reflection" Mr.. Flint medita
lively continued, 81 was scarcely jus
titled in asserting that the facts sug
gest the possibility of Miss Carew hav
ing been kidnapped; II would be NOR
accurate to say: II It turns out tina
she has been, why, then the facts W
10Y have would dove-tail with TIT
crime"
81 was thinking of Mrs. Devereaux.
cut In the other-"you know who sh'
is?"
The detective nodded. Van vechtel
asked:
Gould she have been kidnape'
alsoT"
/ Dismiss Mrs. Devereaux for tn
present" returned MIR. Flint: "she 1
! an Item against the possibility. wan
first to mention the most serious as
: pect of the whole affair. for there
one circumstance that makes its Grim
: inality almost self-evident-
Assuming that the man who wa
killed went to the house In answer 4
the advertisement-and there u n