New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-06-14

Na'ih oNuilNI AkullIlCt III iiC
garage, he went to his club and picked
up the last edition of his fuvorite
paper.
His eyes ran down column after
column of the pages on which such
news might be displayed, and finally
caught at u paragraph headed "Mys'
terry of Il Motor Car"
"Ilere we are." Christopher NUT
tered, beginning to read with interest.
But to his disappointment, the para
graph had nothing to do with the af.
fair ut Tilton-on-Sea.
yesterday morning." he read, IAN
empty motor car was discovered on
the Oxford Road. A party of laborers
painted car of moderate size stand
ing by the roadside, with no one in it.
They gave information to the police of
Needleham, the nearest town, and u
horse was sen out to tow the auto
mobile to the police station. There it
was recognized during the morning as
the property Of a gentleman who had
arrived at a hotel the evening before,
unaccOmpanied by a chauffeur. This
gentleman had already left town, but
as he had gone by rail he was traced
to Oxford, about ten miles distant.
Interviewed there on the subject of
the lost car he changed color, and ap-
peared at first somewhat agitated at
lnn rninU Uhnrn II had hnnp fp,,vJ Ir%
he expressed himself delighted to hear
of its recovery, offered a reward to the
men who had given the information,
and returned by the next train to
Needleham, where he took charge of
his property. The g~entleman's name
as it appeared in the visitors book of
the Bell and Bush Hotel of Needleham
was John Smith, London. He refused
to lodge a complaint against any per-
son for the theft of his motor, though
he did not deny in so many words that
he knew who had taken it. He was
not, he said, altogether surprised
that 1t should have disappeared, but
further than this he declined to be in
tcrviewed. Mr.. Smith and his car left
Needleham Immediately; but it's
%stranding in the woods remains a mys-
terry which has aroused considerable
local interest"
"a new-looking, blue-painted car of
moderate size" Christopher repeated
to himself. This was Il queer coin
cidence, to say the least"
In the London papers next day were
paragraphs concerning the finding Of
an automobile OF the East Coast in
curiously suspicious circumstances,
and several journals cited the occur
renee at Needleham as Il queer cOinci-
dence. The Daily Recorder, a half
penny paper of great prominence and
popularity, seized with eagerness n
choice morsel which might be worked
into Il sensation for the approaching
silly season."
1t was while Christopher was read
ing the column under a somewhat sem
heading, which the Daily Re-
rorder gave to the mystery of Tilton-
that the maid who brought his
breakfast brought with it a visiting
card. The name was an unfamiliar
me, but the magic words, "Daily Re
were printed beneath, as a
iind Of "Open Sesame" to closed
iOors.
Tell the gentleman to come up"
said he to the little servant who had
brought him so many queer messages
visitors of late.
In another moment a Spruce-lOOking |
man appeared-nOt an ordinary
it seemed, but a representa-
i've deputed to ask Mr.. Races help
n solving the mystery of the blue mo-
or-car. The matter was to be taken
Up" by the journal, and a reward was
o be offered for information.
He agreed to the proposal, and
Promised to begin Investigations at
nee, the Daily Recorder giving him
arte blanche as to his proceedings.
The first thing that Christopher did
to proceed In Scarlet Runner to
a pretty little town which
ad just outgrOwn villagehood. At the
hotel he obtained a description
( Mr.. John Smith, of London. From
'%eedleham he went to oxford (whith-
r Mr.. Smith had journeyed by train),
nd sought the hotel where the MISS
NJ man had been found. There he
ad given no name, but had been
raced by the police of Needleham,
a cabman. Mr.. Smith had
cen interrupted while lunching; and
$ he had not asked for a room, 1t
'as supposed he had not intended to
pend a night.
So far, Christopher had not accom-
lished much, and his pride was at
He determined to travel from
TO TiltOn-On-Sea by short
making researches here and
He could learn nothing of the
lue motor or its driver, however,
ntil at about six o'clock in the eve
ing he reached Helmsford.
On visiting one of the old-fashioned
ms, Race discovered that a gentle
ian had arrived i'm a motor car about
O'Clock two nights before, and had
emanded dinner. Each detail of the
ar. so far as 1t could be remembered,
greed with those furnished by Chris
,pher. But either John Smith had
Needleham and Helmsford