Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 935 — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

* Ex-N “No, Tho poliee searched for him, but no trace of him was ever found.” ‘You have informed the police of this «ase.”’ sé Yes.” “How old was your daughter af that time—the time of Mr. Achterson’s disap- pearance?” “She was nine years old, sir.” “And now twenty-one?” “Very nearly, when she died.” “Your only child?” 46 Yes.”’ “Your husband was fond of her?’ “Yes, very; and she was more like him than me—more quiet and studious.”’ “To direct your thoughts into another channel, was there any financial advan- tage to any one in your daughter’s death?’ “No, not the— Ah! T ‘had not thought of that before. Her life was insured for a large sum—ten thousand dollars—and that will come to me. Tn my grief I had not once thought of that, ‘sir, believe me.” The detective pulled at his mustache and was thoughtful. “That is a large sum on the life of so young a person, madain,” he observed. “IT must ask you to explain something about ft. I need not remind you how a eold, cruel world will look upon the mat- ter—your daughter’s sudden d¢ath and. this mysterious disappearance.” “ Good Heavens! Do you imagine that I have been concerned in a scheme, in a plot that called for the death of my only child? No, no! And, supposing I had been base enough to kill ber, what could T hope to gain by the disappearance of the body? Without the body, I cannat hope to recover a cent of the insurance money. But I assure you that I am inno-+ cent of every thought of that kind.” “T am willing to believe you, madam. Explain something about it, please. How came your daughter to be insured for so large an amount?” “It was a matter of mutual benefit be- tween her and me,” was the response to that. “I desired to msure my own life for her benefit, and she would not hear of my doing that unless I allowed her to do the same for me. I considered it a waste of money, she being young and healthful, but in order to carry my point, I made it that way. That is all there is about it, sir, believe me, and, as IT have told you, not a thought of the matter came to me until this hour.” ' CHAPTER III. . PIOKING FOR PARTICULARS. Business Bob could see that his employ- er was puzzled. Bob had been with him long enough to learn something about the man, and he could tell that much easily. The boy himself was interested in the matter, greatly interested, and listened to all that was said, and watched the speak- ers intently while doing so, trying to form a theory of his own. “ Have you an enemy, madam?” the de- ‘tective suddenly asked. 3 “Why, not to my knowledge, sir; Why ge ask that?’ in some surprise. “Your daughter being dead, an enemy might desire to cheat you out of the insur- ance.’ it. But, sir, we have mentioned the mat- ter to no one, and [ do not know that it is known.” “Tf that is the ease, the mystery deep- ens. By the way, had your daughter a lover, or lovers? Was there anything of that nature that might have bearing upon the matter?” “Yes, she had a lover, sir, an accepted lover, and admirers many; but, how that fact can have had anything todo with this 5 nd would take this means of doing -%" tl ——— , . a s ‘sie 7 = 4 ewsboy Detecti:. ~-Chum, as ‘=? . v7 —— _- . ~ sad matter is beyond my comprehension. | than you do yourself, of course? Did you The only thing I can think of is the one horrible thing I have suggested to you, sir, and that thought haunts me continual- ly.” “Tt is something unheard-of, madam. You must not give any weight to that. But this lover, who is he?” ‘‘His name is Robert Wellstone.” “ Where does he reside?” ‘His home is in the West, but he lives in Brooklyn now, at the —— Hotel.” “Does he know of your daughter’s death ?’’ “IT have sent him word, sir.” ‘‘He has called, of course.” “No; he has not.” Bob saw that Phillips attached import- ance to that. “Ts not that strange, madam?” “Tt begins to appear strange to me, L must admit, sir. He must have received my note last night when he returned from business.” , “Where is his business?” “In New York.” “Do you know what it is, and the place?” These particulars were promptly given, the woman having the knowledge re- quired. Then followed a great many more ques- tions and answers, which may be omitted, since they would only weary the reader and not advance the story, yet in which particulars were drawn out. “Now, to .come down to the case proper,”’ said the detective, when he had satisfied himself along those lines. “At what hour last night did you last see the body. in the room where you have told me it was laid out preparatory for the funeral, madam?” “ About midnight, sir.” ~“ And everything was all right at that hour?” . sé Yes.” my “ You had no sitters-up?” “No; that is something I have always considered folly. Would that I had em- ployed some one to watch.” “ Regrets are useless now; we have to take the matter just as it is. Did you look well to the fastenings of the house on re- tiring?” ‘““No more so than usual, save tothe parlor, where the body lay. ‘There I did examine the windows, to see that e catches were on, and on coming out turned the key in the lock.” a “The windows were then secured?” “Yes. “And this morning?” pier # “They were the same, and the door was left locked.” “And yet you tell me that the body of your daughter was missing. Here is a mystery, truly.” “ But you can solve it, can you not, sir? Do not tell me that you cannot, or I shall go erazy, I know I shall! It is almost maddening!” : “T will do the best I can, madam, be- lieve me, and it is seldom that I am baf: fled; others might tell you never, but I will modify that. I will do the best of which I am capable.” _“ Certainly you can do no more. But, sir, you will not keep me long in suspense? You will report early and often, whether you have diseovered anything or not? Perhaps you can understand the yearnings of my heart, but it is hard to believe that you can realize its intensity.” “TI will do that, if you desire it, madam.” SE AOL, Gate “How many servants have you, mad- am?” ’ as “Only two, sir; the woman you saw, and another who is employed in the kitchen.” _ “ And these know no more of the matter ve 5 ec an » ' 4 <i RSet ee » NP? ln et ee er eee a sleep soundly when you retired, after your visit to the parlor?” “I searcely seemed to sleep at all, so great was my grief, but I suppose I must have done so, toward morning. I heard no noise during the night, and suspected nothing until I made the discovery this morning.” ‘** Nor the servants?” “They say they heard nothing, sir.” “ What was your first thought when you found the body gone?” “Heavens! I did not think. I was paralyzed, and it was some moments be- fore I could call out. When I did, the servants came, and our amazement knew no bounds.”’ “Could any one have gained admission into the house without your knowledze after you have retired, as you have said? Whose business was it to see that the front door was secured?” **Martha’s—the woman you saw. No; no one could have gained admittance. We looked to the front door immediately, and it was locked, just as she had left it. Oh! it is enough to drive me mad!—mad! I cannot stand it, sir! I cannot stand it! You must do something quiekly!” “Let us see that room, madam, if you please.” “Yes, yes; anything! sir!’’ | She rose hurriedly, crossed the floor to where double doors opened into the ad- joining parlors, and threw one of these open. They followed her in, and the first thing noticeable was the table on which the dead young woman had been laid, and from which she had so mysteriously disap- peared during the night. Phillips went around the room carefully. letting nothing escape his notice, but there was nothing of importance to at- tract his attention. The windows were se- cure, and, as he remembered them from Without, it would have been difficult to have removed the body that way. When he came around to the double doors, he stopped there. ““How about these doors, madam?” he asked. “What about them, sir? They were locked, if you mean that, with the key on this side, as you see it now.” “That is what I meant. Madam, the further I go the more mysterious this mat- Come this Way, ter appears. If I am frank with you, and ive you the view of a practical man of the world, pardon me.” “What do you mean, sir?’ ‘“T mean this: When the police have me to investigate the affair, I am very uch afraid that suspicion must fall upon you,” me? Why, sir, that will be. She stopped, evidently seeing the force of what he had said. ~ Pee “T am afraid that it will be so,’ he re- peated. ‘“ But I ean give you. the assur- ance that I hold you innocent.” ‘ “As they all must do sir, for innocent I am. Surely they could not be so base as to think that I would kill my only My God! - child, whom I loved so well— They cannot think that!” “It remains to be seen, madam. In any event, I hold you innocent, for I have studied you well during the time I have been here. Then, as I have said, your success would have depended upon your retaining possession of the body. You would be the last »ne in the world to — en spirit it away.” — : “Tam - _ » = a *7 ye aa, . <. ee ee st ~. 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