The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-07-08

my summer residence-469 Clifford
avenue Somebody lifted $4,000 from
the safe.
Detective Cack gulped hard. then
gasped:
"Pn be right-I'n send my best man
right out"
He returned the receiver to its rest
ing place, bounced to his feet. snatched
his hat from the wall. raised the win
dow blind and gazed gloatfngly at the
ham for a second then ran all the
way down the eight flights of stairs TO
the street, and hailed trolley car.
I'm engaging private detective
against the advice of my son-in-law,"
announced Mr.. Dillingham;, pulling at
his white goatee. spreading his short
legs far apart and glaring fiercely
through powerful-lensed spectacles.
Better have kept the whole thing
quiet" snerted the son-in-law, biting
viciously into a cigar. He was OF
about CIarence's own age, and with a
quick, nervous manner. His face ap-
peared never without a sneer, for his
features were built that way. He
lighted the cigar. whats a mere S10,
raise aDOuI:
.aTen thousands ten thousand" OBJ
served the practical Mr.. Dillingham;.
The son-in-law shrugged his Shout
ders and left the library. Mr.. Dilling-
ham approached the criminal appre-
bender, who was examining the dial
on the safe.
I'm against detectives myself con-
f1ded the head of the house, ''but I've
got to show Mr.. Petty-that's my SON
in-law-he's not running things How
ever, you got to work on my terms
five hundred dollars if you catch the
robber, and nothing if you fall
CIarence's heart slid into his shoes
and a smoked ham he had been vision
ing did q movie fadeOut. However, he
stretched himself to his full six feet
and glared haughtily at his prospect
i've customer"
"ThOse are always my terms" he
said, with dignity, and added: Il have
never failed on a case"
Mr.. Dillingham; related what he
knew of the robbery. While discuss
ing a business deal with his son-in-
law. which necessitated opening the
safe TO examine some papers, he had
been called from the library. Mr.. Pet
tvs call of Help! Stop thief" had
brought him back on the run, and he
found the son-in-law lying on the floor,
his coat partly torn off, pointing to
the window and grooming: HE went
through the window"
CHANGING out the aperture in Ques-
ton, Mr.. Dillingham; had seen no one.
An examination of the safe had dis
closed that $4,000 was missing. "Have
you a cIew?" he asked Clarence, con-
Guiding his story.
Detective Cack smiled enigmatically.
"Can the servants" he directed.
One or all of the servants might have
been guilty. and Clarence Archibald
Creston KenelwOrth would not have
suspected it, after the straightforward
stories they told. He was honest him
self and had not yet learned to distrust
others.
Telling Mr.. Dillingham; he was fol-
lowing a clew, Clarence left the house,
outwardly confident, but inwardly de-
jected.
self, as he trudged down the lane lead
ing from the Dillingham; domicile. The
sun had just sunk beneath the earth's
rim, and the lane was gray with gath
ering darkness except for a few va
grant rays of twilight that sifted
through the interlacing boughs above.
'T can see myself crawling back to
father-or starving" said Detective
Cack, filling his pipe. He paused close
to big tree, and opened his metal
matchbox, but it was empty. Clicking
1t shut in disgust, his hand came in
contact with the tin horseshoe on his
watchchain. A shaft of light struck
the trinket and was reflected against
the tree.
Don't shoot" pleaded a trembling
voice behind the tree. 81 give up
The form of a man, cringing and
trembling skunk forth. Clarence drew
out his electric flash and let loose
flood of light Before him stood Mr..
Petty, a travelling bag in his hand.
"The ten thousands in the bag" he
said. 81 was trying to beat it, but
saw you coming and lodged behind the
tree. When I heard you cock that
gun, and saw the light reflect from the
barrel, decided it was time to quit"
Half an hour later Detective Archi-
bald Creston Kennelworth, with $500
in his pocket, was RECALLING himself
with smoked ham. Another half-hour
passed before he was ringing the door
bell at the home of Magdelfne Osborne.