The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-05-19
CHAPTER Vi--Continued.

Mr.. Van Britt saw and talked WIN
everybody and when he could Wedge
~ minute or two of privacy, heo
~ into the third room OF the suite
and thresh it out with Juneman' or
Dilloughby, or Mr. Ripley. From these
nriyate talks l found out that there
was still some doubt in the minds OF
al, four Of them about the boss crop
out-as TO whether it was voluntary
or not.
Also 7 found out what had been
done during the four days. We mao
no company detective' at that tlme'
and Mr.. Hornack had borrowed man
named Grimmer from his ola COM
NOW the Overland Central, wiring for
him and getting him on the ground
within twenty-four hours of the time
81 Mr. Norcross' disappearance.
Grimmer had gone to work at once
INIT everything he had turned up SO
Tor favored the voluntary runaway
.hoorv Mr. Norcross' trunks were
still in his rooms at the Billiard; but
his two grips were gone. Ana the
night clerk at the hotel, when ne was
nusbpd to it, remembered that the
.hoss had paid his bill up to date that
night, before going up to MS rooms
Past that, the trace was completed!
,ost The conductor on the Fast Mali
easthoupd. on the night in question
svore by all that was good and grea
that Mr.. Norcross hadn't been
Messenger on his train. AND ne woul'
certainly have known it If he had pee'
carrying his general manager
Over in the other field there wa VI,
absolutely nothing to incrlmnate III
Hatch people. So far from it, H a' C
had turned up at the railroad once
bright and early the morning ai'e
Mr.. Norcross had gone. He had aske
fcr the boss, and failing to find mn
he had hunted up Mr.. Van Britt. "h'
ne wanted, it seemed, was a chan'
10 reopen the proposition that III
been made to him the day before
tho offer Of the new Citizens stora'
4 Warehouse company to purchase II
yorIous Red Tower equipments al
plants.
Mr., Van Britt had referred him
Mr.. Ripley, and to our lawyer hal
had made what purported to be
omen confession, admitting that ne n
gone to Mr.. Norcross the night
fore. determined to fight the new co
pany to finish, and that there D
been a good many things said u
would better be forgotten. Now III
ever, he was willing to talk strals
business and a compromise. He n
called his board Of directors togeth
and they had voted to sell their ira
bordering plants to Citizens stor'
/ Warehouse If price could De d
cably agreed upon.
III With Mr.. Norcross gone ana a i
general manager coming, Mr.. RIP
was afraid to make move, ana LA
was pressing him to get busy Oh
3 bargain and sale proposition; was
parently as anxious now to sell
withdraw as he had at first been
fight everything in sight.
By the morning I came on the SC
the man Grimmer had, as they
Just about done his do. He was
a sort of jonrneyman detective
had run out Of clues. When ne c
In and talked to Mr.. Van Britt
Mr.. Ripley, could see that ne !
believed in the drop-Out theory
even the lawyer and Mr.. Van
had to admit that the facts were
him. The boss had written II
saying definitely that he was quit!
he had paid his hotel bill, and
grips were gone; and two days
President Dunton had appointe
new general manager, which was
positive, you'd say, that the boss
resigned and had so notified the
York Office.
When the noon hour came a
Fred May took me out to luhc
and we went to the Billiard ca1'
was pretty rich for our blood al
dollars per, but I guess FREQ 'h'
his lob was gone, anyway, and
reckless. Over the good things q
corner table we did a little thre
on our own accountant got
more chaff and no grain.
Fred didn't want to agree
Grimmer and the facts, but
didn't seem to be any help for it
As for me, I had other things IN
an the time-the big scary zeal
somebody had got to the ooss
he had left Ripley on the nle
stockings, and had just Dashed ;.
the face with the story OF MIS- .
sham widowhood.
BY and by we got around
burned hand, and Fred told me
mer had at least succeeded In Ct
up whatever mystery there was
that, The wall switch for the
light in the lower hall at the
quarters was right beside the
door jamb-as l knew. 1t nad
out in some way, and that WI
there was no light on when
downstairs. And In burning
had short-clrcuited itself WI
49, -. 80 +ha door. Fred