Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-03-27
The Phantom
Skater
Bv CECILLE LANGDON

.stor had arrived at snow-bound
r-,oton found il hard to make a
1,s,fte start. The detective bureau
smnloving me had received no details
regarding the necessity of my mission.
Nod been ordered to call upon Evan
poae ana Sias Dunn and receive in
n structions.
found Rees to be I'm avowed mort
gage banker with leaning TO surrepti-
tions chattel loans Dunn was a re-
sired lawyer. They were counterparts
oId shriveled. with shrewd faces
and furtive eyes.
eve have sent for you to learn the
identify of person who Is annoying
us considerably" spoke Rees first of
all.
,.Nameg' l suggested.
Unknown. This annoyance" inter
Violated Dunn, has come in the shape
of letters tackled to our fence posts,
4brown in at an open window, or push
ed under our doors. They alternate
hetween our respective homes. They
demand of each of us $4,000 by the
ftAAAAAA+'h'
first Of the ensuing month, or"
The speaker made a complex gesture
ahat might indicate bullet knife
thrust or dose Of poison Then he
went on: Each successive letter men
hons the fact that we are nearer to
our doom so many days, and demand
repeated that through the local paper
I'VE indicate our willingness to come
10 terms"
"Some one seems TO have imported
city black-hand methods" / submitted
"TheSe letters" observed Dunn, ARE
ali delivered after midnight. We have
set watch, but have not been able to
catch the man. We want you to do
ahat, and, when You have accomplished
the feat. turn him over to rs"
Now | was impressed with the be-
lief that these two old men were not
disclosing TO me all the facts of the
case, but hung around first one and
then the other of the two homes for
three nights The weather was cold
and dtd not fancy the exposure and
monotony Of my task. The fifth night.
however brought along a decided tok-
en- Of interest.
It must have been two o'clock In
i the morning and the moon was shining
clear and FUN | was concealed by
some shrubhery AT the side of the
Dunn residence. when the metallic
swish Of skates on the firm ice Of the
river not two hundred yards distant
attracted my attention. Speeding along
4 vas the 1.-THE. closely attired figure of
\ man His evOlutions were graceful
h and expert. As he arrived opposite
i The Dunn place. he circled TO the shore
and unStpped from his waist what /
made ont 10 be a small chow and ar
row. He poised it and | noted a white
object az the end of the arrow. 1t
sped over my head, landed against an
upper window Of the Dunn home, pene-
trated pane and was. | felt certain
another Of those menacing letters.
The sender did not daily. He went
back the course he had just come. Il
sWaying flashing figure almost eerie
and phantom like in his presentment.
Inc next day ! learned from Dunn
that the arrow had indeed brought
new menacing missive He took out
ms wallet and showed it to me: "Ten
days more-act, or take the conse
4 Quences 1T said.
II was after Dunn had left me that,
Il looking down casually, I noticed fold
Il e' piece of paper that he must have
uToNpel ! opened and perused it, In
i"'iN " was receipt acknowledging
ah obligation 70 deliver to Robert Wills
S'0Wn in stock Of a certain corpora
\ uo0 L was dated two years back.
me next night went over the froz-
gu 'ee up the river to the point where
= u'0h'hed off from the lake. hoping
n :" intercept my phantom skater If he
II apT'areH again on his unique mission.
n i'0'efSng the shores of the lake my
s'"'oe was fixed on a light beyond,
s.U"Ins through a line Of trees on
''uF island. ] investigated this. TO be
,s1 g an old hut The light shone
N' ~ Alle WINDOWS. trIanc-
~ within J saw a man seated on
adjusting q pair Of skates. I rec.
$50" .hat slim alert figure. | acted
~ speedy impulse. Approaching the
,'.' ] pressed against ii. Being IN
,1oa'l z opened readily. I stood With
~ .N' room beyond. It's inmate spranp
sA'tleaIy To his feet.
~. "e ue'''ahued sharp-
"A friend" I replied. "come to
saye you delivering your letter af Broc.
w. Wy do It for YOU"
Ter NE ten minutes to gain the
y the young man. Then
/ = ~, ".0 He claimed that his faith.
8 haa been induced by Dunn and
- ~. r PEN .hem in promoting cor
-, E" e..e. had been very success
i. re- died suddenly and no eyi.
except q few casual remarks
."8a With an Impoverished
"na sister on Ills hands u.
.n haeuf}er1 ,-