Show cc we T M 8 LOCK as cS ccharles edmondso sL rot r 4 awa V SYNOPSIS rudolph van Vach vechten ten a youn aunt man of ot akur to to bey ire d a man on enter to 0 no tita u houie across tho the treet street from chaa h FD pawhatan raw hatan club long tong and ef st a as til the house of mystery bev sev aral at regular interval intervals enter me KIX van vechten express 4 concern 0 o tila is friend ton tom ehin chinney ney restrain res the of aft 15 cousin pad fancee ral raw carew A ma 1 is 1 for ably eal c tea irom th t Q house van vechten and a n tom T 0 tollow follow tho ih man and find tm alm dead in the th it tureh reet van vechten la is attracted by the th or of a mirl irl in the crowd of onlooker surrounding the body later tater he h ducov erm rw the girl in gazing at hirn him with a look took of corn from the window windows of the dytrt eua u houm detective flint calta calls on van to iret his hi venlon version of th I 1 arar m edy dy tom f fet 11 binney goes alon stops on a bichl jacl r 1 tp he e ome some per som in a motor bat two men who whom he had een ren enter the bouc of malry lie he sees one of abam thema a mr cal a on hw share inter later and follow follows him tom li tied blindfolded and taken t W n to a MUM MAW lie fit heirs a a ri named jal el evi ati the daughter of til the map in ira author VP my qunion his hi captor captors A wet sweet voiced ft mor f T protests th the roughness roush ness of his van anat achten achten rail calls on his hi M ich theodore van Voth vechten ten bla blk rean man in wan all tret street and known am the man of dmn in n march m arch of information regarding ln i do whore of pair carew debee wv uv flint how shows van vechten a fold gold Y p arse found in the th house 0 of my mys bay van ses it aa an tela 1 to EM 1 carew the sweet voiced girl r hl help m 1111 hinney cape detects detective hint 11 t rite van vechten he has ha a th theory thai that balme hia hns been kid kidner ned fd are sent nl to europe in an nort ort t trace race pali paige T tern tim im tell nall vechten ir a la in love and latea hia his adventure va 4 BOOK U 1 r CH APTER V ve continued k N aw K binok ak them with iab trembling band bands the first proved to be A t ty who blade madil it ft a point to pro ame to paige every tim ebi inet mot her aaby did you vot no tell roe me that mist mfr fleres bmw was we bobby the number fit pt ewerds tw erds do not know her adi LL drew 4 bat but vill 11 and it without fall 11 be 0 ion W bight might fo f d I 1 1 I bop hope go sighed attly tearing open the other CD on 9 4 vol tn I 1 J fell a ai s is he 4 no ue ekit If she be we was now or bad tw so at anaw any the place viacom I 1 have bays la in rv tea some on one s of those the per gereon pe sons reon tap top on the messages gei would be su braio r ew www ILI it I 1 hall shall try a cable to her 3 alark addreal and see ee if it it te to forward A I 1 aleo lastrico mr fat let busy A I 1 believe bel teve holwill arant pi to I 1 a run over to rocky cove 4 il stet te 14 it alexander I 1 keryc M te log 11 obad during the 9 t u r G a wass U 44 A ti t e pardon ja mr van val 40 H adiian Ah iian b but I 1 MW saw you commilles om milles a pow u me tw 1 up ame mme him V t T eel werN let FRO have IL 1 we sms jh the beet sheet and Andt there Ber i il 0 k battes beU lne clear bowon the froat vago a w a ati aw like a mow blow between beckwi t u so air 1 l k 4 WK W X IS 18 baige TAIP 0 10 v ehno 11 f and wow tbt this we WAS a smudged two fishum halt tone portrait which bay way hl bli beba edg from a photograph of ab somal f t t t A rit I 1 t ach chapters CHAP TErI ma k t P vt 1 tf 4 lou reward vit van Vech tell raidia raul 4 am the blow of the brutal viona abo be ot b tv 41 rt p I 1 a A ts fe 2 C where la Is cartwr i fart his atte BUon upon the ea ional new news tory story that lay below aeda shel to eked aked load an a alay 1 bb us sit black ink addred ink and couk oafa make it there f but visible U onavee baat beavon kahmo shiell bore efilia efi eia bu B u er 4 his own and f ot doubtless K ft M the ta fm factor afi A JDee pJ S s te ert place it wae was made aas a alle that everybody who knew know w r have khawa here where palao pain 4 not th toll br r S sav did bidet knot know and it was u arz i how U tilt roU cence was a y conclusive evidence that she he bad had in 0 coRat countered ered ome some untoward fate ery every PoAl ble change choose wa was rung runs upon the ex ox cited quo query in the beetle hectic headline where Is paige coreal rudolph van vechten prominent clubman and well known society favorite a the mis rals sins slug girl a fiance bad been signally Big nally balvo in to nil his replies the interview with him wai was quoted in 11 full and the allusive comments com menta made it appear aa as if it he were at tie tte time dw dl to the verge of Insa tilty A recent celebrated abduction case a wae summarized and certain olmi lart tie its between it and miss ml carew werl ere played up strong the doll deliberate berato intent intention lon of coune course oft be ing to insinuate that the girl bad had met mist with a like outrage 0 Y p lu hort short so 0 o adro tty waa was the whole thine thing worded that the sphere in ln no nay ay committed itself and however ml M isa carew might reappear and whoa hat ever the subsequent explanation it would be good for anotn r front page atory bory and the sphere would have bays nothing to remt rt c V vaa V Vec achten hlen chite alte with rage grashed his b deett glancing up to ascertain certain aa whether he waa was the target of too many curious eyes and land discoe orlas that he be ad f 9 nd tim were once more alone be savi gave tent vent to a hushed but heated expression of hie his feeling feelings that gritted be mutilating the heet sheet with a vicious lab jab of ats 1 flat to is damnable if it that meddling little reporter were here id thrash him within an inch of his life lord wont uncle theodore rage end and tear hir hair when he sees it believe me olde old chap hap thorell there II 11 be doing now tow A Alexsa alexanderi derl where did that boy bay go C alexander waa was upon the scene a almost I 1 aa an if it by magic hta mien on one of it childlike innocence p VAILI achten ten instructed telephone relf phone the keamo e garage and bale fetch my touring ear here Immediate lythe tho largest one on ensconced in pue quo of the he cluba clubs booths alexander oon soon got lot the gar age and next whom he be thui thus addre mud say SAWs yon you bantley bick hick your bo wants hie his biggest buie bust wagon at the powhatan Pow batan stan C Q 0 D j aget got it itt W wa gi I 1 that ri abo me met well wall id ator be a cromb kid than a pickled mutt it couo you volt et pinched OB on abo way elso housell bo b 1 1 job t 11 k f 1 further ro r part marteo by odily hanging up 9 and ro punning hie him occupation of ua 1111 but ni idly la in the th 09 r cal q that ait not only got not the laport of alexander message but ay ap prec predated ita its urgency aa as well walk vaa proved by him prompt abt r thie this beata beats hunting taxis every minute or of gom 0 o to tom and might aa as well be earning hie big wadea waisa III bast t keep hirn man at hand tw for 10 4 let go id rather rua iva the machine to you talk any how return returned sd tom candidly A fellow follow might halfe a cace to think tee oder wae WAS piously riou slY aad and notoma to atoma satisfaction favorably perhaps Per hape van vechten a orned 1 1 t might be aa an well not to bie too bany in came anything very pi private tate occurs even the beet boot of sor f Bara 11 lole of coune course can be mede mods to talk if cleverly cloyed y manipulated 1 alexander went to fetch tom motoring gear from the cloakroom locker and waa was dismissed tom toms expert guidance the tie huge base machine gilded silently allent ly over to across aero union maua aguare coill adway and douthat dom donn that buey busy channel ae it if it were held hold within the speed limits only with the utmost die dis culty Arrived at the bow at 0 flee tom remained remal nid with the motor vaa to b the man of iron it waa was quickly learned had already seen the sphere spheres in fand and something was wa already doln doing too I 1 outwardly oat 1 moved inflexible choit howing bathing of the annoyance that beneath his hi emit trust be he bad had pulled this th wire vita and that one with he the result that the sphere spheres entire local taff staff from the city editor on down aown to the neet assent cub were solicitously peculating speculating upon the chance chances of land lox log new now job jobs in the extremely likely event that their present fotios would terminate next payday pay day A striking ng tribute thia to the man of irona irons tar far reaching power for in all the wide world no other authority could ao so hay haken shaken the apparently impregnable niblo strength of hta this great journal IN moreover uncle theodore had bad al ready very explicitly Y aisis principal paria paris and london rop meats uve who had of tra father lag to in beyond the scope either of at police or newa news bure siss all of ot whisk he be succinctly and iwa 11 before his hi nephew k N s 11 1 am an be bertani stani to fear he be auw JU 10 a ly concluded blat tint serious bu halt happened to pon aa and jo what I 1 cant imagine bat but no so more can be b done than we are we doing I 1 am a bar busy man I 1 can am not afford to have my plane plans upset or Intorf interfered oreil with I 1 must delegate this matter to you until active active interference by me will accomplish some definite result then I 1 hall shall act promptly draw on me for or necessary euary fund funds but dont tall fail to keep an accurate account of every cent spent both exact amount and spec flo purpose for which expended rudolph drew a long face how can you expect me to do that prote protected he be when where my own expenditure expenditures aro are concerned I 1 am unable even to arrive at an u estimate eitl mate then dryly you need not draw on me at all for onca you may direct your money to ome some useful and profit able end but I 1 mui musi be kept fully informed ot of every stop of progress made send me ta typewritten pa written bulletins bullet lna con all fact facts but pared to the bone wile now get set out out but it the man of iron believed that he had succeeded in muzzling mus sling the press for once in his life at least be wae was blameworthy of an error of judg juds ment the etory story waa was become public property and the early edition editions ansteatt of observing obe erVing restraint ran to license in their amplification of if its sensational possibilities rudolph during the ride back to the club winced more than once when when ome some newsboys new boya shrilly shouted logan slogan as a vaulted adulte d his hearing where 1 to paige careal Care wl tam asked himself under ha his breath the answer b be pulling gaga gap from that on the roof root gari L 1 typewritten con kalning all fat but pared to the sons now got out dene dons tonight its the catchword already r poor old ruddy I 1 they stopped at a telegraph office where van echtel filed a cablegram legram t to known Parla adore address lon when he be returned to the car let us hurry hack back to the club wild said be 1 mean to phone flint and he lie and andl l lied ked questioningly up at t tom 1 I gu appose you mind t taking us over to rocky corel cove he asked 1 1 TO tom Is instantly bontly brightened all over apparently but he opposed o 0 objection took look right ruddy cant you s no I 1 why gd be a er a W port of wila chayo ism dash it all 4 lolly jolly wea won like li to go though ot J the decisive way in which van vechten climbed into the tons eitt andl ad that this halfhearted beetter wa was accepted for leta lets find and mt he mid said speed ep un 10 P badelt alfthan ald than dooe dons however bow eTar for 11 a their arrival atthe at the powhatan the moat most diligent use oath of th the telephone failed to 91 ebelt belt the th trace ot of the 1 rudolph and tom were in the act ot of leaving the club to enter the automo bile when ame enger boy catered entered under alexanders cautious loua guidance aad and handed ata a cable gram before linthe the cover he be wae was a bit purled to tol oberre that it waa was addressed both to big uncle and himself himi elf which meant that a duplicate boull woul 49 ie delivered to the of iron it ind he be bad had fiot already rec elTee oae one u i the this message wae was dated at london and athla chite Js what van Vo clites read two lave description me mm id D and mies ca C two weeks wee ie in withy 0 somerset luly july two 1 to digit diee same booked geow age 68 A america merlea augut august 3 an a mm mr aad mb min at new teak luve va pin ed 4 reward clr ave hundred pound pounds CHAPTER VIL VII deeper water tills message mee aage so 0 o condensed con denied that too a moment van lochten bel belled levoid it to be in code contained more th ahta on incomprehensible but none the ie less pregnant item the line of perplexity between hie his brow brows deepened as be he continued to caare at it while tom looked on and fidgeted with curiosity curlo elty Withy withypool pool van vechten voiced hia his mystification seems to me ive heard that name before I 1 m ore sure I 1 have hanebut but hanged if it I 1 caa associate aeo clate it with anything definite dennl te and who the deu deuce la is I 1 I 1 he handed the slip of paper over to tom the items began to appear slowly by degrees withypool he caveat ed in an effort to spur his memory where and when did I 1 ever bear that name ita its not one that paige men honed must be some town in somer som r bet set and two ladlee ladies tom in mock admiration au at coring to the description of your you cousin and mr mrs devereaux Der ereaux were there some time in july what a ripping sherlock holmes you arel are van vechten surveyed urr eyed him with un seeing eyes after a moment say be he began begin with considerable ensig energy tom it they were paige and jo why should it be so 0 o difficult to determine their identities positively were they trying to hide hillet and it to 0 o from whom you caa can earch search me tom offered dispiritedly van vechten tov tok it the he menage message and pored doted over it again five hundred pound pounds reward h he groaned after a minute great scott tom total I 1 how luridly the paper papers will bloom blossom now for the blessed purzle la fair game same at last for them who has authorized anyone to offer a reward id like to know and what two week weeks in july were these two mysterious ladlee ladies at am I 1 to infer that they and ad mr mrs and mee miss schuyler are th the oame that paige and joe failed mailed home the eighth of lat last month Tt abate lats what it ay says replied tom in A way yes but this heet sheet of deformed to med intelligence is more remark able for what it does not eay say than for what it ay schuyler huyler Bc you know was urk mr maiden name toms eyes opened Dy By Georgel he exclaimed wonderingly so it wal wass I 1 f r well tartly doea does the circum ilance anything to you but tom merely stood silent a see ond wagging hia his head no its it only a little more muddling te Is all I 1 can make of it IV here it ic Is the fifth of september vaa van Vech tene tens summarizing went on where what e in heavens name hay they been all this time where are at they now moves and green spectacles rud 1117 dyl t bunt burst forth tom in desperation deepe ratton gire give yourself a headache bead acbo if it you keep on asking questions that left wort here leti ista sit it down at taw table and have something omet bing to drink maybe help you can think thing thinks anyhow w vaa van of a udden sudden expert need a letdown let down from the high ten ton loo sion under which he had bad been labor 1 TOT since the cablegram arrival ral and immediately the drawn lines about hie his mouth |