The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-03-09
One thing, though, did come to light,

the same time indicative of Felix Haz-
ards line Of reasoning. Felton's body
was exhumed and an autopsy held.
Haddon FELTON, had died Of poison!
Despairing after a while of ever
learning anything more. or of piecing
together to any definite end the few
more or less detached facts that he
had picked up, one morning Hazard
packed a small steamer trunk and a
handbag, and something over a week
later was ushered into the presence Of
Mr.. Morton of Bruxton & Morton, So
licitors. Z Lincoln's Inn Fields, London.
His reception vas al cordial as an
eminently respectable London solicitor
could unbend himself to extend. 1t was
made up mostly of vague apologies
which Hazard, with Characteristic d.
rectness, bluntly interrupted. Said he:
81 have come all the way to London,
Mr.. Morton, to learn precisely the rea-
son why Gerard Cecil Villiers ever
went to America at all. You must
yourself know that the information
supplied our agency was inadequate to
account for this important point; or,
to be more exact. no reason at all was
supplied"
The response to this request was, to
say the least, startling. Said the law
yer, In a dry. precise tone:
II vas trying to express my regrets,
Mr.-ah-" he squinted at his callers
card-"Mr. Hazard, that you should
have missed u cable; 1t would have
saved you an unnecessary journey. Mr..
Villiers has returned home"
For once in his life Felix Hazard
vas fabbergasted. He stared speech
lessly at the other for a moment, then
stammered.
Home! When-how-I-I-what
the devil do you mean?"
g" comprehend your establishment,
Mr.. Hazard; it is the last intelligence
for which you were prepared. Mr.. Viii
liers arrived at my office on the very
day you departed from Chicago. / re-
peat, we regret that our cable"
1t was now the detectives turn to
interrupt.
Wait a moment! Are you sure it
was Gerard?"
"Oh, yes; positively. He has not
changed SO much. Even his sister,
Miss Isabel, who was only four at the
time of his departure, recognized him
instantly"
During another pause Felix Hazard
did some Of the quickest thinking of
his career.
WELL" he finally offered, 81 suppose
u connection with the matter ends
right here-but, no. 1t doesn't either.
There is n more question you may
answer, If you will. Was there ever
an old servant or retainer Of the Viii
Tiers named William Hughes?"
MIR. Morton leaned back in his chair
and thoughtfully regarded the CELL
ing.
Hughes? Hughes?" he repeated.
"Ah, yes-I believe there was. Hughes
was the name of the faithful old fell
low who followed Gerard to the states;
felt that he was under an obligation
to look after the heir, you understand.
The surveillance was wholly without
Gerard's knowledge. though; he never
knew that Hughes followed him"
Felix Hazards eyes cleaned. He
bounded from his chair with the unex-
~pectedness of a Jack-in-the-box.
Thank you, Mr.. Morton" he said
with ELUSIVE haste. II must be of.
But first, as we say in my country, l
want to put you wise to something
something that you, as the Villiers
lawyer, should know. l have the best
OF reasons for believing that the Viii
Tiers properties are in grave danger;
II, within the mex week, say, l prom
Use to have definite and complete infor-
nation for you on the subject, will
you undertake to have both Mr.. Viii
Tiers and Miss Isabel here at q time |
shall designate by telegraph"
Mr.. Morton looked startled.
"Danger!" he gasped. What do you
meant"
"Just what / say. I can't afford to
expose my hand now. I may be wholly
wrong; If / am, nobody will be injured
by keeping the matter to myself. But
he concluded grimly, Il believe I'm
The lawyer demurred and protested
and tried to surprise an explanation
from the detective. but fruitlessly. In
the end he yielded a grudging assent
to the proposed arrangement.
During the next fortnight Felix Haz-
ards activities were amazing. In the
guise of an American tourist, he ex-
plored every nook and Granny of the
beautiful Surrey country; he made
friends with the Villiers servants, and
even found two ancients who had
the last FELTON,, an always OBJ
scure family, and now utterly extinct
in the county.
Then came the day when Hazard
sent of a number of kilograms, n of
them to MI. Morton. The next morn
ing he returned to London.
When Felix Hazard, in company with
two quiet, soberly dressed men who
have been linen-drapers, en-
tered the Lincoln's Inn Fields cham
beers of Bruxton & Morton. solicitors,
he found a curious audience awaiting
his arrival. The detectives shrewd
glance focused Immediately upon Ger
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