The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1925-12-03

nOis.
He was the son of the Hon. Robert
MacLaren, who was well known in cen
trail Illinois as banker and as mem
Der Of state boards for local improve
ments. James, who had been living
ut home after finishing his course al
the state university, had gone into the
real estate business in Linton and
was doing exceedingly well at it.
Through the Chicago firm Of Howell
and Company he had procured options
upon suburban tract of land which
was rapidly increasing In value; and
having formed syndicate among his
friends in Linton, he had collected
thirty thousand dollars and gone to
Chicago to take up his options. he
had wired Howell and Company for
IN appointment for the afternoon OF
the same day upon which he left Lin
ton, but he had never come to their
Offices, although he reached Chicago
on that day, for he cashed check for
i've thousand dollars at a Chicago
bank.
The next morning he identified him.
self and cashed check for three
thousand at another bank; and in the
afternoon he cashed four-thousand-
dollar check
ALI these drafts endorsed in his
handwriting had returned in the or
binary course of business to the Lin
ton bank; and there was little doubt
that James MacLaren himself was the
person who received the twelve thou
sand dollars In cash. Yet he never
appeared at Howell and Company's
Offices; he never wired or wrote to his
family or to any of his associates in
the syndicate; he was not to be found
at any hotel; he gave no account Of
himself whatsoever, and by his nom
appearance he let his very valuable
options go by default.
Because he had had with him eight
cen thousand dollars, his friends de-
clared that he had been robbed and
made away with; but against this
was the proof that he had been free
to cash checks at Chicago banks both
on the day of his arrival in Chicago
and on the next day.
Driving along, Bertram Darand, NJ.
D., pondered over the telephone sum-
mons that was taking him to the
South side.
Occasionally some one at distance
called him, not at all for his profess
siOnal skill, but because that some one
sought attendance Of a doctor born
a Darand. Only one call fell out of
these categories-the night of the
storm, some weeks ago, when Kitty
Hewitt, that charming and bewilder-
Ing girl, mistook his door for another
doctors and SO summoned Bertram to
the bedside of Eddie Pellen, Eddie
the Immune" notorious gunman.
That mistake brought consequences
from which Doctor Darand was by no
means free indeed, he knew he was
now considered by Pellen and his
friends as ION their staff" SO that
when again they should need the
secret services of surgeon, Doctor
Darand would be very likely to hear
from them.
His call this morning however, fell
quite plainly into the category Of a
social affair. The man who had sent
for him was Harper G. Cotton, whom
Bertram knew by reputation Cotton
was middle-aged and rich-owner Of
two hotels in the city and much real
Yet whatever had been COlton's idea,
Bertram had no choice but to proceed
In response to the call Cotton was
rich man, and Bertram needed patients.
On the steps a bent old man, his
face Obscured by battered hat pulled
low and blue wooden muller wound
around his chin, was sweeping snow.
The walk steps had been swept before,
apparently, and recently, for scarce
down Of powdery snow awaited the
broom.
lis this Mr.. Colton's house?'
The bent old man did not reply, but
took one hand from his broom and.
turning, pressed the button beside the
door. He seemed to press it three
times, Doctor Darand noticed; per-
haps it was merely that age caused
his hand to tumble. Yet, q sudden
glimpse of the obscured eyes beneath
that hat brim gave the doctor rather
q start. It seemed to him, oddly
enough, that he had seen those eyes
before and in no such figure as this.
The curious thought was interrupts
ed by the opening OF the door, A
young negro, in the white coat Of
houseman, stood there. - -
81 am Doctor Darand."
eyes, sir. Mr. ColtOn's expectin'
you." ~
Inside the spacious, walnut-paneled
hallway the negro took Bertram's hat
and ulster. Some one upstairs was
vhlstlfng Barney Google" Then