The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-03-09

monogram was the factor that caught
and held the detectives eye-the in.
itials ID. F.
The dead mans pockets had been
rifed." Cowles explained; IAN old,
worn wallet had been turned inside
out-reefed'-but the clipping, which
had stuck to the side of one of the
compartments. was overlooked or dis.
regarded by the thief and assassin.
The name Villiers. of course, made me
think OF the inquiry you people are
making"
i can't help you now" Hazard re.
turned; Il really haven't taken up the
matter yet; but" he paused and
again regarded the stiletto-'I NAV
run on to something that may enable
you to trace that. No other clues?"
Cowles shook his head. "Just what
you see," said he.
With this tragic angle opening up In
a case In which he was interested, he
was not long IN acquainting himself
with the contents of the bundle of pa
pers. Much to his disappointment,
however, they contained nothing point
ing to the dead mans identity or the
possible ownership of the dagger.
In a brief, businesslike manner they
asserted: That Gerard Cecil yilliers
only son OF John Stephen villiers, had
left the ancestral home, "The Yews."
Widibald, Surrey, in June of the year
1890. ostensibly to carve out his own
fortune in the United States; that he
was twenty-one at the time, and that
while there had been no open rupture
between father and son, bitterness ex-
listed on both sides owing to the young
mans determination to leave home for
any reason whatever. He had been
granted a liberal allowance by his ia
Their, but this had been stopped at
Gerard's request as soon as he gained
confidence that he was capable of
earning his own living.
After sojourning In several specified
Eastern and middle Western cities,
with the sudden expansion of the auto
mobile industry he had interested him.
self in that growing business in which
he had enjoyed more than average sue
cess as a salesman. He finally went to
the Pacific coast, and was last heard
from as agent OF the Regis Automobile
company, In June, 1910, at which time
he resigned his position at Los An
geles, and departed from the city.
Then was when every trace of him
was lost-that is, lost to his friends
and relatives.
Followed a description, which was,
OF course, of a STRIPPING Of twenty-one,
whereas Felix Hazard was given the
problem of finding a mar in his forty
second year. Also q photograph of the
boy was contained in the packet, which
was OF far more value as q means of
Identification than anything else. Haz-
ard studied 1t carefully, particularly
directing his attention to those fea-
lures which change little If any with
the passage Of time: Eyes, nose, con
tour Of head and facial bones.
The first question that presented It.
self to Hazards mind, after perusing
these papers, IA why should a
young man reared in the lap of luxury
voluntarily give up a rich inheritance
for a self-imposed exile?" Then:
What had been the cause of the bit
terness on both sides?"
The detective had a definite feeling
that the true reason for the separa-
ton had been concealed; that the rea-
son given was inadequate to account
for SO momentous a step in any young
mans life, however foolhardy or reck-
less he might be.
During the ensuing weeks Felix Haz-
ard and Police Lieutenant Cowles kept
In close touch. The printed descrip-
ton Of villiers and the reward offered
brought no important returns. The
mystery of Bill Hughes death, and the
ownership Of the Italian stiletto, re-
manned unsolved.
But during the period of activity
Hazard accomplished a good deal,
though as yet he did not know It; the
widely separate factors had not taken
concrete shape in his mind.
The results Of his investigations
were, In short: When villiers came
to America In 1890 he had been ac-
companied by a friend Of about his
own age who went by the name of
Haddon FELTON,: the two had remained
together until March, 1899. when VIII
liers obtained work with an Indiana
concern and separated
from FELTON, at Buffalo, N. Y; the two
friends maintained a correspondence
which gradually grew more desultory
until It ceased altogether about the
year 1909; that this correspondence
had been renewed in May. 1910. when
FELTON, wrote to his friend that he was
sick and destitute In New York.
What followed was tinctured by
numerous conjectural elements. VII
liers probably sent FELTON, funds; for
the latter went to Los Angeles and re-
joined his friend. whence the two. aft
er villiers mad given up his position
OF the plea OF poor health, went to q
remote camp among the Sierras Of
CalAveras county.
Here. shortly. FELTON, died. and was
buried by his friend upon . lonely
mountain slope
Here also ended the trail OF Gerard
Cecil villiers Of THE Yews." Widi.
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