Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-10-15

No'" Soh WYNN, iluOlC 0ESd
aire, is about to give the larger part
Of his fortune to establish a library in
the village near which he lives. This
e Sife; * Ann nett Van % SPPGsea and ss his ms SON goa and
daughter by a former marriage. Morland
and Barbara Van Wyck.
The night before the gift is to be
his study. His body is found there the
through the heart. All Of the doors are
locked and there is no trace of n weap-
The coroner holds an inquest: It is
Wyck's two children had auarreled with
Raymond styrgis. who tells the story,
is in love win Anne. !
1t is established at the inquest. that
Carstairs Mr.. Van Wyck's valet. whose
on a joy ride the night of the tragedy.
Anne apparently stained with blood
turns s9spieion her WAY, ~ r,onm;n.
Stone, a wonderful detective friend of
his. AT the same time he is puzzled by
the mysterious disappearance Of Archer
from his room one night.
A letter which seems to incriminate
Anne Van Wyck is given to the detec-
tive by the house kr.acr.
Mrs. Carstairs. the h~ousekeeper,, has
nette. =
Markham, the detective on =thcgcase
expresses. the belief that Anne Nan. WSck
murdered her husband.
CHAPTER xvII-Continued.
Don't you think, Mr.. Sturgis," said
Barbara, that we ought tb make a
thorough and systematic search OF
the house for those pearls before W.
consider putting the matter in the
hands of the police? They represent
a fortune in themselves, and I am
sure that my father hid them after he
had lost control of his mind. 1t seem.
to me, then, that they must be some
where in the study. and we ought tt
be able to find thenA"
ut can certainly do no harm tt
search" + responded, non-committal'
~, but I supposed you had already
done So"
1--WE have, in a general way" sale
Morland; "but Barb means to try tt
find some secret cupboard or sliding
panel hitherto unknown"
gin at once. Anything is better thai
doing nothing; and I do think, MOI
land, that you're making very littl'
effort to solve the whole mystery. l
! I were you, 1 should call in Flemini
Stone" -
that was surprised. There is. NJ
occasion for such a thing" she wen
on. Father killed. himself. Hi
mind gave way at the last, and h
was not responsible. Also, he hid tn
pearls. and we can find them. Com
on and let us begin the search. Her
are Annes and Mr.. Archer-they vii
help, I'M sure"
After listening to Barbara's we
quest, both Anne and Archer hearth
agreed to help in a thorough search
We wen at once to the study. Mark
andeWe all went to work with a VIII
/ think I'm safe in saying that n
room was ever searched more care
fully than the Van Wyck study wa
that day. We divided it into sections
and each of US searched every sec
ton. Mrs. Stelton and Beth Fordyc
joined is later, and every possibl
hiding-place was ransacked. No
was it an easy task. There wer
many ~cupboards and desks and cd
pieces of furniture with secret draw
ers. And besides there were man.
possible hiding-places in the massiv
and intricate concentrations. The en-
ormous carved fireplace seemed t
mock at us with its possibilities. TIL
carved wainscot and succeed wall
panels all showed interstices which
though in some cases thick with tn
dust Of time, were large enough {
hold a pearl necklace.
Anne was perhaps the most enc
getic of all the searchers. She ra
up the spiral staircase to the mus
cians' gallery and called for. some on
to come and help her. For" sal
she, ''this carved railing is simply ful
Of places where anything could b
hidden!"
As I looked up and saw Anne lean
ing forward with both hands on til
balcony rail- ! thought had neye
seen a more beautiful picture
Whether II was the mere exertionI q
the search. or the result Of some sc
cret knowledge of her own. he
cheeks were flushed and her eye
were bright With Al unnatural ex
citement.
! ran up the iron staircase, myself