Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-27

II agree to that
"All right said the man hunter, his
gaze rowing about the room and COM
pairing the mcagerncss Of the furnishing
with the royalness Of his hire. Some
thing ike seven thousand, and yet this
boy hadn't batted an eye. Bancroft !;
he would consult old man Smell to see
where the youngster got his money.
The deals on. Now. what is Il you
want me to find out down thcre?'
All the names of the former owners
down to the present, Of the Bolivian
Emerald Company; and II you come
across Kennedy among these names you
can start for home. The important
point Is that Daniel Stewart shall have
no knowledge of this cntcrprise.'
Il see, sir Surprising We go to your
bank at once and have the letter Of
credit made out? The sooner I start,
the better. Kennedy; and initia 50
II suspect that If any they will be
G. J."
The author Of the book?'
have only n suspicion.'
"Well, somebody must have owned
the mine before Daniel Stewart. No
physical risks in this, is there? I'm
not skying; on'y want to be heeled.'
IF you can manage to keep Daniel
stewart in the dark there will be no
risks"
I'll keep him IN the dark. I can
50 to San Francisco and sail from there.
When we leave the bank you can hand
me phony check. I'll look it over.
Then wei shake hands and part"
why thatI'
'Because you may be followed. You
never can tell. The check business will
make 1t look as If you had paid me off.
wen not be seen together again. This
JOB Is important Or you wouldn't be
sending me thousands of mics away.
NOW, some one might not care to have
YOU dig up what you are hunting for.
Logical deductions, they call that"
1t never entered into Bancrofts head
not to trust the man. Smell had rec
commended him as a man who had served
with the Department of Justice during
the war. If there was any speculative
thought at oil regarding the detective
IT was based upon envy. From New
York to La Paz was a tremendous nd-
venture; and he would have liked the
job for himself.
IF you find Kennedy's name. cable
Yes; II it appears nowhere, cable No.
don't want any letters or cables that
VIII explain anything. Remember
that"
-"Yes, sir: good idea. Now, I'll be
honest with you, Mr.. Collingswood.
The thing could be solved right here in
town."
Attended by dozen risks of having
your business known. The least rumor,
and I may find myself blocked. | am
In blind alley, the same as you are.
! want an indisputable. unbeatable
fact; and l stand ready to spend several
thousand dollars to acquire this fact.'
For II young man, sir, you seem to
know your mind," said the detective,
admiringly.
Perhaps was educated to know it.
No doubt you are mystificd as to what
| really want
mo doubt whatever. But my bust.
ness begins and ends with carrying out
your Instructions"
''Prccisely.'
That Bancroft was the young mans
name, rather than that on his ticket
OF lodgment, was sufficient to excite
considerable interest in the detectives
mind. lie had already. built up case.
Either Kennedy had sold out to Stewart
and vanished. for reasons best known
to himself, or he had been done away
with.
Bancroft pondered considerably. Was
he shooting at the moon! The emerald
company was an honorable concern.
Bellman, on the face of his affairs, was
an idle young man with money and
taste for travel; but whether he had
gone through the remarkable exploits
attributed to him in the prospectus
was something to be proved. Over
against these apparencies stood the pre-
posterous Great Adventure Company,
the mysterious visitor to his father, his
father himself. and that emphasized line
Paid Kennedy in FULL" all in be-
wildering penumbra. The failure to
disclose the identity Of c. j. X. through |
the publishing business was blow of |
force. That door was now closed for
ever.
Daniel Stewart--since that was his
official name-would know that G.. J.
Bancroft was no fool. Unused to the
world he might be. in fact but not in
theory; and day by day theory was
resolving into fact. Stewart had known |
that he was no fool long before that
visit in the storm. Why, even
an uneducated boy would have SHE'D at
for sale. Education would have Knocked
art had not pursued him he had adroit.
ly let him be. Why? To sharpen
the edge of curiosity, which was exactly
what had happened.
At . o'clock Bancroft called by tele-
phone to ascertain if Mr.. Bellman was
In his room. Mr.. Bellman was. Very
good. Would Mr.; Belmaln give little
of his time-say half an hOur--to Mr.
Jeremiah Collingswood? Mr. Bclman
would give Mr.. Collingswood exactly
half an hour if Mr.. Collingswood would
state his business.
Real estate
BEG pardon?'
"Real estate.'
Bellman frowned into the transmitter.
Real estate? He did not quite get
that. What kind Of n game was this
heaven horn hick purposing? Bell
man thought rapidly, and suddenly
smiled The boy wanted look see,
first. A little suspicious, ch? II
George Bcllman acquitted himself fav-
1rably, Bancroft would admit of the :
and open up on the Great
Adventure Company. No mlstaking it,
the professor was Il magician. He had
said Bancroft would come, and here
he was.
Come up" he said into the trans
mitter.
Now. Relman had the gift. lie could
make friends anywhere; he possessed
personality. misdirccted, no doubt. but
none the less vital. lie had the air and
the manner of gentleman born. lie
smiled affably as he opened the door for
his victim. lie took the prolfcrcd card
j. Collingswood, real estate-and
smiled inwardy as the ink blurred
under his thumb hadn't been off the
press more than a couple of hours.