Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-08-03
CHAPTER xIv-continued.

IL
Stanton was still wrestling with his
problem when the Handsome couple"
returned from the play. The trust
held captain saw them as they crossed
the lobby to the elevator and again
marked the little evidences of familiar
ity. "That settles It," he mused, with
an outthrust Of the pugnacious jaw.
she knows more about Smith than
anybody else in this neck of woods
and she's got 1t to tell ~
stanton began his inquisition for bet
ter Information the following day. with
the bejewelled lady for his ally. Miss
HIGHLANDER was alone and unfriended
In the hotel-and also little bored.
Hence she was easy Of approach; so
easy that by luncheon time the sham
promoters wife was able to introduce
her husband. Stanton lost no moment
investlgative. For the inquiring pur-
pose, Smith was made to figure as a
business acquaintance, and Stanton
was generous In his praises of the
young mans astounding financial abil-
lty.
'1He's simply wonder, Miss Rich
lander " he confided over the luncheon
table. Coming here few weeks ago,
absolutely unknown, he has already be
come a prominent man of affairs in
Brewster. And so discreetly reticent
To this good day nobody knows where
he comes from, or anything about
him" A-f.
nor" said Miss Verda. "HOw sin
gulhr" But she did not volunteer to
supply any of the missing biographical
facts. G
Absolutely nothing" Stanton went
on smoothly. "And, sf course, his 81
lence about himself has been grossly
mlsinterpreted. have even heard II
said that he Is an escaped convict"
"How perfectly absurd !" was th'
smiling comment.
isn't it2 But you know how people
will talk. They are saying now tina
his name isn't Smith; that he has
merely taken the eommonest name il
the category as an alias" F.s
Il can contradict that, anyway
Miss Richlander offered. "Hls name Il
really and truly John Smith"
''You have known him a long time
haven't your inquired the lady will
the headlight diamonds.
ooh, yes; for quite long time, in
deed" rr..-.
"That was back In New York state?
Stanton slipped In.
I'm the East, yes. He comes of al
excellent family. His fathers peopl
were well-to-do farmers, and one of hi
great-uncles on his mothers side wa
on the supreme bench In our stnte; h,
was chief justice during the later year
of his life"
what state did you say?" querie,
Stanton craftily. But Miss Verda wa
far too wide-awake to let him surpris
her.
"Our home state, of course. l dom
believe any member of Mr.. Smith
immediate family on either side ha
ever moved out Of It."
Stanton gave 1t up for the time be
ing, and was convinced upon two point,
Smith might have business reasons 70
secrecy-he might have hackers VIII
wished to remain completely unknow
in their fight against the big Ian
trust but II he had no hackers tn
other hypothesis cllnched itself instan
Lyle was In hiding; he had don
something from which he had ru
away.
1t was not until after office hour
that Stanton was able to reduce hi
equation to its simplest terms, and
wns Shaw, dropping in to make his r.
port after his first days work as cler
and stenographer in the High Lir
headquarters, who cleared the air of ,
least one fog bank Of doubts.
i've been through the records an
the stock-books," said the spy, whe
In obedience to orders, he had locke
the Office door. "Smith is playing
lone hand. He fiimfnmmed Kinzle f,
his first chunk of money, and after tn
It was easy. Every dollar invested
High Line has been dug up right he
in the Timanyoni. Here's the list
stockholders"
Stanton ran his eye down the strir
of names and swore when he saw Ma