Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-03-02
SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER I.--John BARLEY, noted Grim
inal investigator, recently returned from
Secret Service work during the war; is
asked by the governor Of New York to
investigate a mysterious attempted rob-
berry Of the Robert Slyke home at Circle
Lake, near Saratoga. Peculiar circum-
stances of the case interest BARLEY, and
he accepts.
CHAPTER H.-With his friend Pelt,
BARLEY goes to Circle Lake, the pair
becoming the guests Of Bob Currie, an
old friend; The three visit the slyke
home. Slyke apparently resents Bartey's
coming, saying he is satisfied the two
men in prison for the attempted robbery
were guilty. BARLEY is not Next morn
ing Slyke is found dead in bed, apparent
ly having shot himself
CHAPTER III.-Miss Potter, the dead
mans sister-in-law, the village police
chief Roche and the family physician,
Doctor King, all agree Slyke killed him-
self, but BARLEY insists he was murdered.
Investigating, BARLEY finds evidence that
Slyke, after card party he had given,
was shot on the tower of the house, un-
dressed. and placed in bed. During his
absence from the room someone removes
the revolver from Sykes hand.
CHAPTER IVA boy working in the
garage asserts he heard a shot during the
night, apparently ''in the air." of course
really on the tower.
CHAPTER v.-Pelt starts out to inter
view the members Of the card party. He
finds TO his surprise that Slyke, apparent
ly wealthy broker, had offered to sell his
friends whisky. He finds evidence that
the men in jail for attempted robbery OF
Slyke were framed"
CHAPTER vL-Returning from visit
to Saratoga, BARLEY, Pelt and Currie
come upon a large motor truck, without
lights and off the road ThHV dis
covered endeavoring to ascertain the
license number, and fired on. The truck
gets away The three come upon long
disused burial vault. Apparently the lock
is new, and BARLEY picks it. They find
the vault stored with whisky, and also
the revolver which had been found In
acquainted with the place, arrives, and
they detain him. 1t is Sykes missing
chauffeur. A detective, working for the
revenue department, arrives and takes
charge of the vault.
Currie, who was a few feet In front
Of US, laughed. "John," he said,
you're hearing things. No car can
be in those woods. Those are the
trees you see from my house, and
they stretch for some miles without
a break. Slyke owns this part of
them. You could not have heard a
car"
BARLEY placed his hand on his
friends shoulder. That's what I
thought, Bob. But l did hear mo-
tor; Of that / am sure"
He paused, then added suddenly,
Listen There 1t is once more"
This time we all heard the faint
sound Of motor running slowly a4d
with difficulty. There was no doubt
of it; 1t came from the woods before
US. II sounded as II q car were run
ming a few feet, then stopping, as 1t
would do on very bad road when
having difficulty in getting through.
AS we stood listening to the strange
sound coming through the woods,
BARLEY said: you say, Currie, that
there is no road there, yet by the
sound Of 1t l should say that was a
truck. What do you say to going and
finding out what 1t meansW
Currie gave an exclamation Of dis
gust. But it's none of our business,
john
"Just at the present moment, every
thing that takes place on Sykes es-