Evening star., 1928-11-09

- Cavanaugh, lis safe. I did
come, among other things,
to look !nto the matter of
those papers. but Capt. Cam
herwell is responsible for my presence
in this unconventional fashion. He
didn't quite fancy leaving the survey of
the last spot where so far as We know,
Mrs. Ellsworth was seen alive to the
estinable detectives promoted from the
traffic squad, and the rest of the de-
partment, in rare burst of diplomacy,
backed him up. It's rather ticklish
case this, from their point of view. Mr..
Ellsworth has not given them what
you'd call cooperation. He was not at
all cordial to the sergeant who came in
response to Mrs. Kane's call. To be
exact, he turned him out of the house"
YES" Peter agreed, with a reminis-
cent grin, hes rather good at that.
I'd liked to have been present at the
interview. It must have had its dra-
matte moments"
Doubtless. At any rate, Ellsworth
has them rather baffled. The depart
ment is shy about sending couple of
uniformed policemen to batter in the
doors of q prominent millionaire, -four
ishing a search warrant, unless they
have something more definite to go on
than they have with Ellsworth. He
might make things too uncomfortable
'ater if they were on the wrong track.
md yet 1t is obviously necessary that a
borough investigation be made of the
7cene Of Mrs. Ellsworth'S disappear
ance.
"Camberwell is thoroughly competent
- undertake the job himself, of course,
but Ellsworth, I'm afraid, would not
have greeted him with the respect his
,'ery high talents deserve"
mo-" Peter grinned again. Respect
fcr people who come to interfere with
what he regards as his private affairs
Standing traits. I've noticed that my
self"
well, the upshot of it all was that
1t CamberwellS request I was called
',pon to fill the breach. Camberwell
-1"S an all too fiattering opinion of my
abilities. But at least have the ad-
vantage of personal acquaintance with
ellsworth.
He'd hardly shut the door In my
eace-provided I arrived when he was
here to shut it at all, which in the cir
oumstances thought would be hardly
tactful.
"I'm armed with a deputy sheriff's
badge and search warrant to use as
u
lice friends had faith that I'd manage
to get along without what believe are
sometimes referred to as strong-arm
methods. In return I stipulated that
my services, such as they are, must be
taken strictly as favor I prefer to
have an entirely free hand, and the po-
lice accept that little idiosyncrasy, al
belt with little reluctance"
III bet they do!'' Peter looked
across at the doctor, who had resumed
his somewhat precarious seat on the
dressing table chair with very boyish
enthusiasm. They're like the transcen-
dental female who told Carlyle she 'ac-
cepted the universe and the old bird
If know them, will take whatever you
chose to give them and be grateful.
But what's your idea about Ellsworth,
anyway? Does-this-er visit--mean
we're getting the dope on him?"
I'VE haven't what you call the dope
on anybody yet. And make it point
not to have too many ideas in advance
of the evidence"
The faint emphasis on that I'VE"
brought quick, embarrassed flush to
Peters cheeks.
You know I didn't mean" he
faltered, feeling more than ever like a
Smau DOy.
"Quite. You wouldn't be here at this
moment If the we we're disallowed I
did my own bit of housebreaking. pre-
cisely because haven't a fixed idea
about our young friend But 1 don't
want him to run into any more trouble
than is strictly necessary, so 1 was
willing to take the part assigned me in
conducting this more or less official
preliminary survey, at the same time
following little idea of my own. If
he's left those papers alone, we'll and
good. If he's taken them away, he
may be panicky fool or-something
else. In either case, can do more good
| by taking my time in looking about
before the police wind the whole place
up in yards of red tape and regulations.
BY the way. at the present moment
you're representing newspaper. That's
understood"