The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-07-20

tired or spending his dead uncleS mil
lions In New York and doing nothing
more and craved to take part In the
dynamic activities OF life. At the sug-
gestion OF Waldemar, owner of an Inn
portant and decent newspaper, he
opened offices In Aston court and went
tn for following up queer advertise
ments and tracing down fraudulent ad-
vertisers. Business doomed.
"Not good enough" said Average
Jones.
"The ad. says different, sir" Simp-
son raised the paper and read:
FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS - THE
aforesaid sum will be paid without ques-
ticn to anyone furnishing Information
which leads to the discovery of Roderick
Hoa. twenty-four years old. who left his
home In Toledo. o., on April IL. Commu-
Surely Doctor Hoff is good for the
amount"
"Oh, he's good for millions. The
point Is, from what / a discover, Mr..
Roderick Hoff isn't worth retrieving at
any price above one, dime"
"Was the information about him that
you wished In the telegram" asked
the confidential clerk.
Eyes; all l wanted. Have the ToIe-
do reporter forward his bill"
Left to himself. Average Jones again
q over the information as to the lost
Toledo youth. At twenty-four, 1t APP
peared, Roderick Hon had achieved a
career. Emerging from college. he
had taken a postgraduate course in
the cigarette ward of q polite retreat
for nervous wrecks, endured two
breach-of-promise suits, broken the
record for speed violation arrests, had
been buncoed and short-carded out OF
varying sums. and now was the horror
Of the pulpit and the delight of the
city press. Bets were even in the
Toledo clubs as to whether delirium
tremens or paresfs would win the
event around young Mr.. Hof's kite
shaped race track OF a brain.
With his tastes the income OF twen-
ty-ive thousand dollars pei annum
which his father allowed him proved
sadly insufficient to his needs. He
mentioned this fact to his father early
In April, only to be refused with some
acerbity.
"Oh. very WELL" said he, "ITl go and
make It myself"
To all intents and appearances. Rod
erick Hoff had dropped off the earth
on OF about April twelfth. BY April
fifteenth the elder Hoff's five-thousand-
dollar anxiety became known through
the advertisement.
Simpsons lace appeared at the door.
His blond forehead was wrinkled with
excitement.
Doctor Hoff is here. Mr.. Jones.
told him you"
Following the word, there burst into
Average Jones' private sanctum a
gross old man. silk-hatted and bedia.
monded, whose side-whiskers bristled
whitley with perturbed self-impor-
lance. In his hand was q patchy bun
die.
''They tried to stop mel" he sput.
tered. me! I'm worth ten million dol
lars. an a ten-dollar-a-week Office toad
tries TO hold me up when ] come here
myself person1y, from Toledo to see
you"
The Advisor said CURLY: a" can't
take your a Good-day."
mot take i'll Did you read the re-
wardf"
~Yes. Get meo else to find your
hopeful."
1T amt no case OF flndin' now. The
boys dead" His strident voice qua
vcred and broke. but rose again to a
snarl. "And. by God. I'll spend a mil
lion to get the dogs that murdered
aim"
At tue word murdered" Average
Jones clean-cut, agreeable, but rather
stolidly neutral face became resolute,
forceful and quietly alert. The hest
tant drawl signined awakened inter-
est.
How - do - you - know-he's-
deadf"
The other tore open the bundle he
carried, and spread before Average
Jones q white silk shirt stained with
ominous brown splotches.
IT'S his shirt. There's the initials.
Mailed to my house with the note that
come pinned to It. Here 1t Is"
He produced q bit of coarse wrap
Ding paper up0u which vas this mes
cage In rough capital letters:
TWO DAooEs SHOT HIM oAssENT
CAV NO MORE
Average Jones examined the wrap
II was postmarked Cincinnati.
next smoothed out the creased silk
studied infinitely the blotches. APP.
. cup sponge to a Of the
he rubbed the wetted portion
vigorously on 3 sheet Of paper which
~ near at hand. He scratched his
with Z slow movement.
n dealt see anything 90 far" he
|pbeerved. TO Indicate that your son ia
~ alive and veil nt this moment.
Dr1S1 hlood rubs on . faint bun color"
~ pscked up the sheet Of paper from
"a desk. a deep brownish streak
bowed whore he had applied the
uoistensd cloth. ITS the rawest kind
Y +. blind. vn~ ne idiot who sent