The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-12-10
CHAPTER XIV-Contlnued.
Copyright by George Fl. Doran Co.

IS
He paused and looked at me as II
20 see whether he was reaching any
hidden spring which if touched and
sprung would open the secret. lie
did not believe | was truthful.
mir. Sidney's life is open, honorable
and full Of nothing but good for fifty
years back" Morgan continued. I'VE
have investigated very thoroughly.
But fifty years back, Mr.. Sidney dis
appears, %ovapOrates. There is no Mr..
Sidney that can be found. We find
a young man Of twenty, and nothing
back Of him. There we stop. II is
a blind alley. You come to nothing
but a wall. That stopped investiga-
ton.
"Now, ! 60 n good deal by lunches
call it intuition, guessing, inspiration.
IL IS not good detective method. |
don't claim it's good detective work.
j never work on a bunch and neglect
a rational method. but frequently
when ! do work on a bit Of guessing
We get results.
"Tve been working. around here. on
q guess that was so wild when 1t first
started that 1t seemed too preposter-
Gus even for me. I'll tell YOU that we
are not Investigating Mr.. Sidney any
more. We are looking for another
person. and / believe we are going to
find him. Then we are going to find
some one else. Doctor, | tell you, If
You don't know 1t, as You say, it is
the Strangest case | ever have known.
1t is one of hate. Mind, I'm only
guessing"
That touch was so impressive that
l BETRAYED an emotion. He saw it.
81 had you there" he said.
"AIr. Morgan" I said, you will not
believe me, and for that reason it is
useless for me to say and keep on say
ing that I know Of nothing here |
could help you on. You suggested
something to me just now, and YOU
saw that you had done so. But that
was because Of a coincidence imma-
terial to what You call a case"
"Very we'll" said Morgan. II did
not expect TO get ahead by coming
here, but | want TO be fair and reason
able. You do not know anything, but
] am not allowed to talk to any one
who might know"
"You have talked to Jed" | said.
~Yop c&hnSt reasonably expect to be
allowed to annoy the ladies Of the
house or TO flutter the servants. Mr..
Sidney is very i'll and very weak.
Even you would refrain from intrOduc.
ing your case TO him if you saw him.
If we seem to avoid your inquiries,
1t Is unfortunate. We have nothing
20 avoid"
Il follow my hunch," said Morgan,
getting to his feet. IF | am right,
something will be revealed hat even
/ could not compromise. | am afraid
you must prepare yourself for some
publicity"
: III have told you before that you
must select your own course" | re-
piled, and Morgan took his leave, driv-
ing away through the snow.
We had our Christmas eve in Mr..
Sidney's room. He was very feeble
physically and could be raised on pill
lows In bed but nothing more. But
he was the spirit of jOviality. He
had Jed sit in a great armchair by his
bed, and early In the evening he had
a bottle Of claret opened for him
Nothing would do but Mrs. Sidney and
IsObel should have a bottle Of Madeira,
and | had a whisky teddy. A great
punch-bowl was brought in, and Jed
mixed gallons of liquor and many
spices in 1t.
Four of the men servants came In
with q great log for the fire, and had