Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-17
CHAPTER X (Continued)

DAOULS defiant attitude vanished before
~ this announcement. Irritation gave
place to amazement, dstrust turned to
friendness Nor did he attempt to conceal
his appetite for further news of Davtd's per-
sonal affairs.
David wrote me nothing of this" he said,
From his letter learned that he was COM
ing with friends. He did not tell me who
these friends were"
Well there's every reason why 7 should
he frank with you-as I expect YOU to be
frank with me-"
You are still suspicious. What can I do,
or say? tell you, don't know where David
is"
do you know where he was when he dis
appeared from Bogota three years ago.
NO"
Strange. man with all your interests
at stake in this puzzle-surey you must
have reached some conclusion?
'I tell you. | have not" he replied sharply.
Il know nothing, absolutely nothing
You admit you have theory--iets call
it that-a theory that fits the facts so tar as
you know them?'
But I'm right?'
Possibly" Raoul answered, turning aSa''
to the papers that Uttered his writing table.
That's all want declared i-elghto" wiz WIN
satisfaction. Now, we VIII pau ' ~
paign' ,.,,. hro,,.r
The ensuing silence was rudeiy brohen
There was a vigorous pouno'hs upon a.
outer door, followed by the abrupt ana n Hoiss
entrance into the house of some one iron
the street. ,.. .ooa rttIs
whoeyer II was this late visitor stood l'''le
upon ceremony. But leighton ana ,'e"eia
Herran had no difficulty in recognizing tue
nervous shuttle of feet along 'he % ,,ioi,
ridor the thump of the heavy walking s'ch,
| ,rcomnanied by grunts of dissatisfaction anu
| suppressed wrath. When Doctor Miranua ir
fnallv bolted into the room. fanning MN
| self as usual-although fans were @ aet'ueu.y 10y
l.,
| air of Bogota-they were' IN way p'e-
pared for him. =.
| He is gone, He is lost-that leete fe-
low! There is more lost OF them ne
| shouted. repeating his disjointed English IN
| s,accato Spanish, as soon as he caught sisht
of his two friends.
| What do you mean? demanded Leigh
| ton. ,,
| Il tell you, he Is lost. that leetle school-
| master " Miranda exploded.
ANDREW Parmelee lost? Impossible y
| "You are an estupdo." retorted the Doctor
angrly. Il say he is lost. Before my eyes
he disappear. | never lie. l never mistake
| Early that morning. it appeared. Doctor
| Miranda accompanied by the reluctant An
drew, had left Bogota for a visit to Lake
| Guatavita The report that Davids disap-
| pearance three years before had taken place
| there was given as the reason for the trip
| Arrived at the lake. Andrew had declined to
| accompany the Doctor in his search among
| the cliffs that guarded the mysterious body
|
| cutting made centuries before by the Span
| iards. This comparatively we'll
| sheltered spot and sufficiently removed from
| the precipitous shore which the cautious
| schoolmaster anxious to avoid His in
vestisations concluded after the lapse of
| something like two hours. Miranda returned
| to the old Spanish cutting. expecting to re-
| join Andrew. But Andrew was not there.
| Surprised at not finding him. the doctor at
| first supposed that the schoolmaster had
| grown tired of waiting and had journeyed
| back to Bogota alone. A single circum-
stance proved that in this he was wrong.
| There stood Andrews horse where he had
| originally left hin-and it seemed alto
| gether unlikely that his rider mad deliberately
| set out to cover the long and arduous miles
TO Bogota afoot
| Another puzzle in psychology I suppose
| commented Leighton with sarcastic glance
| at Raoul Arthur.
| The latter however, in spite of the fact
| that Andrew was utter stranger to him,
| appeared to be more amazed than the others
| by Miranda's story. and for the moment paid
| no heed to Leighton.
when you found his horse you made a
thorough search for your friend. of course.
| Senor?" he asked Miranda eagerly
| "Caramba leetle fellow what you think ?"
| was the impatient reply. Il look, and I
| look and call-ffty times I call. If can
| swim jump into the lake to find him there.
| But I am too fat. So call more times, and
| l throw stones, and make the trumpet with
| the hands. 1t is use. That leetle fellow
| say nothing. He is not there. So, l come
| away after long time"
He is drowned, poor fellow" murmured
| Herran in Spanish
| at is not possible" declared Miranda, turn
| ing angrily upon the general. What make
him drown? OF the water he is afraid If
he fall in--by mistake-he make noise,
he call to me. I am close by hear-I go
to him quickly. But hear nothing.
| well If he didn't drown. our friend
argues, what did become of him." demanded
Leighton
"Ah. Senor," replied Miranda. his mobile
features expressing hopeless bewilderment II
do not know. 1t is just / tell you
he disappear, he vanish. he is gone. If
know where, l find him would not be
| here"
so there are two disappearances to ac-
count for" summed up Leighton. Foreign
ers visiting Bogota seem to have the trick
of vanishing. What do you make of it,
Mr.. Arthur"
II am much at loss you"
Hardly that, I should think. You. AT
least, know all about this mysterious lake
You know what happened there three years
| ago, for instance. And then you know
You credit me with a great deal more