Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-06-06
"THE EVIL SHEPHERD
BY E. Phillips Oppenheim
n,usrat by yIrwinM Myers and

Francis was Interested.
"Shopland," he said, II believe that
our intelligences, such as they are, are
akin"
What do you suspect Sir Timothy
Off" the detective asked bluntly.
81 suspect him Of nothing" Francis
replied. "He is simply, to my mind,
an incomprehensble, somewhat sinis-
ter figure, who might be capable of
anything. He may have very excel
lent qualities which he contrives to
conceal, or he may be an archcrim-
inal His personality absolutely puz-
zles me-"
There was a knock at the door and
Angrave appeared. Apparently he had
forgotten Shopland's presence, for he
ushered in another visitor.
"Sir Timothy Brast to see you, SIR"
he announced.
The moment was one of trial to
every one, admirably borne. ShOpland
remained in his chair, with only
casual glance at the newcomer. Fran
els rose to his feet with half-stif1ed
expression of anger at the clumsiness
of his clerk Sir Timothy, well-shaven
and groomed, attired in a perfectly
fitting suit of gray flannel, nodded to
Francis in friendly fashion and laid
his Homburg hat upon the table with
the air of a familiar
my dear Ledsam," he said, st do
hope that you will excuse this early
call l could only have been an hour
behind you on the road / dare say
you can guess what / have come to
see you about. Can we have a word
together?"s
Certainly" was the ready reply.
"You remember my friend Shopland,
Sir Timothy? 1t was Mr.. Shopland
who arrested young Fairfax that night
at Soto's."
II remember him perfectly" Sir
Timothy declared. II fancied, direct
ly l entered, that your face was ia
miliar," he added turning to Shop
land. II am rather ashamed of my
self about that night. My little out
burst must have sounded almost RI
diculous to you two To tell you the
truth, l quite failed at that time to
give Mr.. Ledsam credit for gifts which
! have since discovered him to pos
seSS."
Mr. Shopland and 1 are now dis
cussing another matter" Francis went
on, pushing a box Of cigarettes toward
Sir Timothy, who was leaning against
the table In an easy attitude. Don't
go, Shopland, for minute We were
consulting together about the disap-
pearance Of young man, Reggie VIII
more, the brother Of friend Of mine
Andrew Wilmore, the novelist"
Disappearance Sir Timothy re-
peated, as he lit a cigarette. THAT is
rather vague term"
"The young man has been missing
from home for over week." Francis
said, land left no trace whatever of
his whereabouts. He was not in finan-
cial trouble, he does not seem to have
been enrangled with any young wom-
an, he had not quarreled with his peo-
pie, and he seems to have been on the
best of terms with the principal at the
house of business where he was en-
ployed. His disappearance, therefore,
Is, to say the least of 1t, mysterious"
Sir Timothy assented gravely.
1.-THE lack of motive to which you
allude," he pointed out, makes the
case interesting. Still, one must re-
member that London Is certainly the
city Of modern mysteries. If a new
Arabian Nights were written, it
might we'll be about London, l dare
say Mr. Shopland will agree with me-"
he continued, turning courteously to-
ward the detective, "that disappear
ances of this sort are not nearly so
uncommon as the uninitiated would
believe. For one that is reported In
the papers, there are half a dozen
which are not"
Where do you suppose they disap-
pear to?" Francis inquired.
"Who can tell?" was the speculative
reply. For an adventurous youth
there are thousand doors which lead
of US are quite so simple as they seem.
Even youth has its secret chapters.
This young man, for instance, might
be on his way to Australia, happy in
the knowledge that he has escaped
from some murky chapter Of life
which will now never be known. He
may write to his friends, giving them
hint. The whole thing will blow
over"
There may be cases such as you
suggest, Sir Timothy" the detective
said quietly. Our Investigations, so
far as regards the young man In ques-
ton, however, do not point that way"
Sir Timothy turned over his ciga-
rette to look at the name of the
maker.
Excellent tobacco" he murmured.
"By-the-bye, what did you say the
young mans name wasp
Reginald Wilmore," Francis told
him.
"a good name," Sir Timothy MUIR
INJURED. Il am sure l wish you both
avarv UoOd fortuno IN x,o,,r o,,o.+