The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-01-23

At the garage, II was verified
that Vaughan Dunbar's car had
been a 1910 Packard convertible,
with black leather upholstery,
license number V-2121-Y. II
had appeared 10 be practically
new when it was brought in,
though it was not the custom of
the garage to take speedometer
readings. Nor was it the custom
TO mark down engine numbers
or other identifications. Neither
did the garage preserve record
of the comings and goings of its
clients automobiles, unless they
were chauffeur-driven.
That was all. And Lieuten-
ant Thatcher was frowning.
when will these rich people
learn?" he asked glumly. They
take in any stranger that has a
good front. He robs them if he
doesn't kill them. And when
we are called in they think we
are being crude when we ask,
What do you know about this
man.
Il grant you, those people out
there at Merriwether's place
were pretty much upset tonight,
and ! had no chance to talk with
the girl. But as far as / could
make out, the fellow just drove
up, said something about know
ing an old friend of the family,
and they took him lovingly into
the fold. He was a pal, right
off. And who is he? That's the
first thing we've got TO find out.
Unless we come up TO him"
Let's get ahead with the
routine said Captain Meehan.
He was an imperturbable man,
of colder and more cynical
breed than his colleague. He
bent over the writing desk, and
put down slowly:
/. Check Clipper ship.
2. Prints and description TO
FBI.
3. Check British legation.
4. Check banks.
5. Check State Department
for passport visas.
Then he lifted his slow glance
TO Lieutenant Thatcher. Il un-
derstand he was some sort of
neWspaperman."
Lieutenant Thatcher grunted.
THE people out there gathered
something like that-in a vague
way"
Captain Meehan wrote again:
6. Check press associations.
Z. Check u. S. offices of all
English papers and press asso-
Citations.
Well get going on this in the
morning. he said, unless he's
been picked UP by then"
"One more thing" Lieutenant
Thatcher said. He picked up the
pen and wrote:
8. Check MerriWethers past
history.
The morning came, and the
routine of inquiry began its
steady course. The day wore
through, with no news at all OF
Vaughan Dunbar. And on the
following day, which was Tues
day, Lieutenant Thatcher and
Captain Meehan sat in the draw
ing room at Stone House, look
in. at Cynthia MerriWether, and
Fred West, and Fred's cousin
Anne and Mitchell Grace, and
Henry Prentiss, and, DR.. Flem-
ing. All of them had but late
ly come from the funeral Of Col.
Wesley Hope Merriwether.
In a rather flat voice, Lieut.
enant Thatcher said, Captain
Meehan has generously agreed
TO help us. He has no obligation
10 do SO. But since the man liv-
ed in Manhattan hotel, he is
willing TO cooperate"
Cynthia was very calm, but
she seemed chilled, and her face
was without expression.
THANK you, Captain Nee
han, she said.
The captain bent his head IN
slight bow.
Lieutenant Thatcher went on
more briskly. 1t is great pity
you did not inquire more care
fully into this mans credentials.
l must report TO you that we
have absolutely no trace of him.
And here are the immediate re-
suits of our routine investiga-
ton:
He did not arrive on the
Transatlantic Clipper, and we
have no idea how he did arrive
in this country-supposing that
he has not been here all the
time.
The Federal Bureau of In
vestigation has no record of his
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