Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-05-05


would have any motive for doing such
a thing?"
THAT is what we have to find out.
What time did your son go to his room
the night of his disappearance?
Earlier than usual, as l remember.
A little before nine o'clock. He want
! ed to experiment with a new fishing
outfit just given him for his birthday"
Il see. Will you take me to his
room?"
They mounted to the boys quarters,
which overlooked the roof of the side
porch from a window facing north.
The charred ruins of barn about half
mile away were plainly visible
through this window.
THE barn which the meteor de-
stroyed," said Rev. Mr. Prentice, point.
ing it out.
One glance was all that Average
Jones bestowed upon spot which,
for few days, lad been of national
interest. His concern was inside the
room. A stand against the wall was
Uttered with bits of shining mechan-
ism. An unjointed fishing rod lay on
the bed Near at hand were a small
serew-driver and knife with broken
blade.
Were things in this condition when
you came to call Bailey in the morn
ing and found him gomez" asked Aver
age Jones.
Nothing has been touched" said
the clergyman in low voice.
Average Jones Strengthened up and
stretched himself languidly. Ills voice
when he spoke again took on the slow
drawl of boredom One might have
thought that he had lost all interest in
the case-but for the thoughtful puck
er of the broad forehead which belied
his hating accents.
'Then-er-when Bailey left here
he hadn't any -of-er-running
away"
Il don't follow you. Mr. Jones"
Psychology" said Average Jones.
Elementary psychology Here's your
sons new reel. A normal boy doesn't
abandon brand.new fad when he runs
away. 1t isn't in boy nature. No, he
was taking this reel apart to study it
when some unexpected occurrence
checked him and drew him outside"
The meteor"
Il made some inquiries in the viii
iage on my way up. None of the hun
dreds of people who turned out for
the fire, remembers seeing Bailey
about"
That is true"
THE meteor fell at ten-ffteen.
Bailey, it's probable. was out of the
house before the meteor fell"
Il should have heard him go out of
the front door,
That is, perhaps, why he went out
of the window" observed Average
Jones, indicating certain marks on
the SILL Swinging his feet over, he
stepped upon the roof of the porch,
and peered at the ground below.
"And down the lightning rod" he
added.
For moment he stood meditating.
"The ground is now frozen hard" he
said presently. "Bailey's footprints
where he landed are deeply marked.
Therefore the soil must have been
pretty soft at the time"
Very" agreed the clergyman.
There had been a three-day down.
pour, up to the evening of Bailey's dis
appearance. About nine o'clock the
wind shifted to the northeast, and
everything froze hard. There has been
no thaw since"
you seem very clear on these
points. Mr. Prentice"
Il noted them specially, having in
mind to write a paper on the me-
teorite for the Congregationalist."
All! Perhaps you could tell me,
then, how soon after the meteor's fall.
the barn yonder was discovered to be
afire."
Almost instantly. 1t was in full
blaze within very short time after"
How short? Five minutes or SOP
Not so much. Certainly not more
than two
HIM! Peculiar! Ra-a-a-ather
peculiar drawled Average Jones.
Particularly in view of the weather"
I'm what respect?"
I'm respect to a barn, water-soaked
by three-day rain bursting into flame
like finder"
1T had not occurred to me. But the
friction and heat of the meteorite
must have been extremely great"
And extremely momentary except
as to the lower floor, and the fire
should have taken some time to
spread, from that. However, to turn
to ether matters" He swung him
self over the edge of the roof and went
briskly down the lightning rod
Back in the study, Average Jones
sat meditating few moments. Pres
emily ha aekod.