OCR Text |
Show TME MISSING MAN CHAPTER VI. Continued. But was not there an ominous significance in its being found on the bank of the river so near the spot where the Italians were wont to land on their excursions after liquor? Easily excited, malicious and revengeful, ready to brandish their knives at any provocation, it was not Impossible that they had set upon Hamilton when intoxicated, killed him and sunk his If his surmises body in the river. should be proved true, then it would not be asked why Hamilton should do so strange a thing as to go to the bank and yet not to his own house afterwards. It would be seen that he was on the way there when something to prevent, something dreadful, or he would have been heard from. Osborn, after some deliberation as to what would be t lie wisest course, called afler banking hours at the house of the president. Mr. Hastings was present and received him pleasantly. As soon as the young man was s alone with the president in the room, he broached the subject of his call and produced the cap as confirmatory of his statement. "You found it by the river bank?" "Yes, sir; lodged in the bushes. It may have been washed ashore, but I think, as the water has been low since May, it was more likely tossed there by some one." "We had a small freshet the very last of May, you recollect." "Yes, so we did! Well, it may have been washed there by the rise of the water. Anyway, it looks ominous; do not you think so, Mr. Hastings?" "Perhaps so," said the president. "Do you think Hamilton started to go homo from the bank, went as far as the river, encountered the Italians, presumably intoxicated, and was finally set upon by them?" "I do," said Tony, firmly. "I know-tha- t he was in town the 22d. and from haj-pene- d lat-ter'- hy M Mid SliVpard "We know there is. sir I have seen it manifested right here in Grovedale am not mistaken, you were and if present, too. when Dr. Major exhibited his influence over the minds of his subjects." "Yes, I recollect, and. bless me! you went forward, didn't you?' "I did, sir, and they told me I made a fool of myself; went around the audience offering flowers to the ladies, though I had nothing in my hand but my hat. Now. if Ashley possessed thU power, it would have been an easy matter, having come into the posses- sion of those notes, to hynotize Low. making him believe that he was Hamilton himself." "Well, well. Tony, you must own that this is all the purest conjecture; but if by any strange conjunction of circumstances your idea should prove to be not without foundation, how did Ashley come by the notes; why did .'lamilton go away with Mrs. Ashley, and where is Hamilton now?" "The second question 1 give over unanswered, the other two, by think ing of Hamilton as in the power of Ashley, are explained. Yes. and that might explain the second, too." "But how. about the Italian theory. must that go to the wall?" "The two might be united, somehow." "I conclude you have thought this matter up considerably." "Yes, sir, I have." "Couldn't have been Ashley instead of Hamilton you saw going into the bank, hey?" "No, sir, I was too far away to be hypnotized," said Tony, smiling, "and I know it was Hamilton himself." "Well," said Mr. Hastings, thought fully, "this is a strange matter, and perhaps we are only at the beginning of the mystery." "That is what I think, sir. I only wish it might end by restoring Hamil 1 Was that Mr. Hamilton's?" am convinced ton to his home and to his place at what I know of htm he would not go away again without the bank, a happy, honored man." "Amen. Tony." letting his wife know of his presence." Mr. Hastings, CHAPTER VII. "Ah, Tony!" said gravely shaking his bead. "The forces Clews and Suspicions. of his nature, his motives, were all In pursuance of his first thought unknown to us, and perhaps to himTony took the cap and went to Mrs. self. Habit keeps many a man walkhe had Hamilton's with it in his pocket. He when, the path, straight ing been differently placed, he might have hardly knew how to broach the mat been a thief from the outset. Look at ter, but at last did so by laying it on e bank In the table and asking quietly. "Was Spaulding of the Ayer-hirLook at Caldwell of that Mr. Hamilton's?" Massachusetts. INCIDENT TOLD BY CYNIC. With a low cry Constance snatched the Phenix. Were they not univerfill the cap and pressed it eagerly to her sally trusted? They had 10 be to Proof of Presence of Skeleton in the positions they did. Now. where breast. "Yes. it is his cap. his travel1 Every Man's Closet. ing cap. I made it myself, and he are they? Both in Canada, where Fun rsoti Bennett of Phila The late it him. took thinks with so, Where did is. Bruce away suspect Hamilton in his prime the most was delphia you find it?" too." author. He was the American "I found it on he river bank, where popular "Strange, wasn't it. about the man New York Bonner's of Robert gpr if said it as there tossed lay by the freshet, Ashley hypnotizing the jailer?" of his books certain and staff, Ledger or some person." Tony. Flower" and "The "The Prairie Is a was "Oh. A then he He that drowned' like man was "Yes, It was. of the Forest" had a circu coming from the bank toward home Phantom would be dangerous man." that thought enormous latioji he fell antl no into the such it river. Was had power Hamilton "But now. even I dark that don't very night. Tony? that we know of," said Osborn. Mr. Bennett was over XO years old "He would not be likely to let it be recollect." said Constance, piteously. when he died. He was so unfortunate Hambut and Mrs. "Rather If dark; had. if consider, he Ashley known as to have outlived his fame. Never ilton are identical this business at the Hamilton, the unlikelihood of his walk theless. he continued cheerful to the disof Into the his in a man senses river, his first ing Isn't piece here bank end. and in the Masonic home, where who never and drank." honesty." "True. Then what do yon think his last days were passed his humor "I don't believe they are Identical. was prized highly. sort about it?" is another I believe that Ashley Mr. Bennett often used to talk about resemis "It not all Mrs. Hamil conjecture, of man, who may or may Robert Bonner at the home. This is said the man. who ton," and young Hypnotism, by forbearing Hamilton, ble one of the Bonner stories that he or the milder forms of fascination, to speak of the presence of the a as he had done to Mr. Hastings. sometimes told: compels peoP,e ,f do nia bidding. That ians, Bonner one day was criticising hu "I mind the cap for you to see and would you brought Ixw's. of Simon letter A clergyman rature cynically. man I if the where wish. keep you thought you might reading again that passage In nature's human the took cudgel up man presented the Bowles & ICstes like to know that It was probable Mr. defense. to Hamilton come here that started note?" I "There is good In all of us." he said: night." "No, here it is. 'When he entered more good than bad. I believe that fl: I as but a thank "Oh, and was you. yes. he Tony, stranger, thought cent of us have never done any soon as he grasped my hand and will keep the cap. I was sure Vane per which there is real cause to looked Into my face I saw that It was never would go away without coming thing for " ashamed. be " If But home. did was be and start Hamilton.' Bonnef Mr said "Nonsense," As 80. I It was that happened thought prevented, what "There It Is, sir. a skeleton In his soon as the man grasped his hand and to him? It was something dreadful. "Every man has He may have been murdered and closet. You could shoot a gun any looked Into his face Low knew that where antl bring down a bad man. It was Hamilton, though at first he thrown Into the river." and Constance at a "Why" he continued, warmly. 1 clutched save to herself chair a him stranger." thought, once knew n bishop who was consider "NoWing strange about that. Tony. from falling. "Let us hope that It Is not so bad ed the holiest mnn in America. A People' nre frequently deceived In the as that. He may be in the tolls of friend of mine, by the way of a joke same way." telegraphed one nlulit to this bishop: "But if It was Ashley, and he was Ashley somewhere." "All is discovered Fly at once." "Who Is Ashley, Tony?" such a man as he Is claimed to be. It Mr. Banner paused and chuckled to matter saw that Osborn bis Young an sym by would have been "sy "Well?" said the clergyman Impa believe rnthy he had been led Into error. Evihim and miM low hypnotize "Well, what happened ?" the she knew about nothing dently wished." what he "Bv morning.'' said Mr Bonner, "the me! frighten suspicion entertained by Bruce and "Why. Tony, you He hardly knew what was bishop had disappeared, and he has Where might we not nil be if there is others. New OMr. said but atbe decided to tell her about never been harl of ince. that'" best, such power afloat lean It. This would introduce the hypnotic Hastings, aghast. I 1 I 1 1 - FISHERMEN BATTLE g By MARY R. P. HATCH Author of " The Bank Tragedy " Cupfrtellt. lHiej. theory, which might be In some sense i comfort to her. as doing away with :he one point, hitherto regarded as in lontrovertible. of her biuuanc's in person (be altered notes Jo ow and to the other bank and le reiving the money in exchange. Constance listened to Vis accoust of Ashley, of Bruce's suspicions, and Tony s own ideas based on Bruce's Account of Ashley's hypnotizing the jailer. "Now. if he could do that. Mrs. Ham ilton. why might he not have influ need Low to the extent of making him believe he was the cashier of tb. Grovedale bank?" "It is a bold idea, Tony. I wish I could credit it fully. And yet, as you say, it is no stranger than what he did to the jailer, as alleged by Mr Bruce. Bruce then thinks Ashley and Vane are one and the same." "Bruce is a stupid old curmudgeon' Couldn't track a mouse back to his hole." "Tony," said Mrs. Hamilton, suddenly, "what do you think of the letter thrust under Mr. Hastings' door and purporting to have been written by Mr. Hamilton? I do not think he wrote it at all." "He certainly did not. if what we have conjectured is true." "Why I think so I will tell you. He would never send me a message through another person no more than he would have come to the bank without coming home." Mrs Hamilton's confident assertion carried great weight with her listener until a doubt hurled from the regions of nowhere struck against it. "How asked the doubt, "if he went away in the company of another woman?" "You seem to doubt it. Tony?" "No." he replied, for his mind had already rallied from the shock on thinking that he had taken his premises on the belief of his complete innocence of every charge. "I think your reasoning is good. Mr. Hamilton is, I believe, instead of being a victimizes the victim himself, of circumstances, if not conspiracy." Tony arose to go soon afterwards and Mrs. Hamilton said, gravely: "I shall think over what you have said, and it may be I shall want your assistance in following out some line of investigation. May I count on your aid?" "Yes. indeed, I shall be most happy to aid you if I can." and Tony's boyish face lighted up with pleasure. "Thank you. You are the only per son in Grovedale. besides myself, who believes my husband to be innocent Even Uncle Carter does not." said Mrs. Hamilton, with emotion, as she shook hands with the young man. Constance thought the matter over hours, and then deeply for twenty-fou- r the following letter reached young Osborn : "Friend Tony I have decided to ask of you the favor I hinted at yester day. If you can get free from your duties at the bank for a few days I should like to have you go to the po lice headquarters in Boston, gain a personal interview with the chief, and have him send a suitable detective to follow out. the new clue furnished by the cap found on the river bank. desire a man of great astuteness, for such a man is needed, tell the chief, and I am willing to pay well for the service, and, of course. I shall reini burse you for the time and money spent in my behalf "Very truly yours. "Constance Hamilton." release without much his Tony got difficulty and soon reached the pollct Following Mrs. Hamil headquarters. ton's directions he asked for a detec tive of the keenest order, and stich a one was furnished him In the person of a small, alert individual by the name of Swan. To him Tony recount ed from beginning to end the ban! mystery with its varied complication; and the adverse circumstances sur rounding it at the present time. (To be continued. I e WITH A DEVIL FISH, ORLEANS PARTY HAS CITING ADVENTURE. NEW SHOTS AROUSE THE EX GIANT Yacht Is. Followed Sluggishly by Creature, and Bullets Fired Make Little tmoression on the Monster. New Oi leans The sensation In the fishing world recently was the expe rience foar sportsmen had with a devil fish off Horn island. During the week the big power yacht Jeanne, owned by Commodore Thomas Sully. with John P. Sullivan, Phil Werlein and Ned Rightor as guests, ran out to Horn island for a few davs' fishing $ They had ull the sport, they wanted with mackerel and bull redfish, aud early one Sunday morning slatted for ''the eastward pass of Deer island and Biloxi bay. The) had t raveled'possibly three or four miles from the island when, just ahead of the yacht they saw something on (lie surface of the sound which looked like a giant turtle. The course of the yacht was changed so as to overhaul this strange creature, and when the boat neared the fish the engines were slowed down and stopped. The yacht came up close to the fish, which proved to be the largest devil Durfish ever seen in that section. ing last summer a number of these the called sometimes monsters, blanket fish, have been seen, but they were not longer than five or six feet This monster measured in the neighborhood of 15 feet in length, and was fully seven or eight feet broad. When the nose of the fish was alongside the step of the yacht, its tail was just opposite the foremast, a distance of over 15 feet, but, to make the measurement reasonable, the sportsmen came to the conclusion that they would give the fish 15 feet as a fair measurement. Commodore Sully secured an improved Winchester and went on top of the pilot house to get a good shot. The fish was lying very near the surface, and did not seem to pay the slightest attention to the boat and its occupants. Two shots were fired in rapid succession, but they did pRov-em- not seem to bother the fish In the least. When the shots were fired tht giant sank slow ly and came up agair a few feet further ahead. A dozen more shots were fired from the rifle, but no Impression was made. Fully half an hour the yacht lay to while its occupants tried all kinds of means to wake up the monster of the sea. Werlein finally grabbed a long boat-hooand wanted to tie a line to the A HANDY BAG HOLDER Filling of Bags with Grain or Vegetables Is Made Easy. How the Those who have occasion to has grain or vegetables will appreciate the simple bag bidder here described, says a writer in the Homestead. Fas ten an inch board to the side of the barn near the grain bin in a convenient place to fill the bags Then set a post of six by six material, and spike it against the board. The post should be just high enough to permit the bottom of the bag to rest on the floor while it is being filled. This is u I 1 n The Bag Holder. Important, for it is not intended that there be any si rain on the framework composing the holder proper. Take two pieces of strong wood an inth wide and a half inch thick, bote holes In one end with a spike, through these holes fasten the two arms to the top of the post. At proper intervals on each arm insert screw hooks over which the buttonholes in the bag are to he slipped, or if the bag is without holes the edge may be slipped over the hooks. A strong sord is tied to the ends of the arms and supplied with additional hooks to The hold up the front of the bag. Illustration shows plainly the details 3f this convenience, which may be readily made from material likely to be found on any farm. The Shots Had No Effect on the Fish. handle and harpoon the fish, but the others were not exactly certain as to the results of such an experiment, and would not listen to Werlein. way Finally the yacht got under again, and the devil fish, with a few lazy waves of its giant tentacles, dropped In behind and followed the boat for fully half a mile. Then it disappeared. A few weeks ago W. C. C. Claiborne and several other fishermen returned with a story about three devil fish seen at the island, but their story was taken with a huge grain of salt. Claiborne has a reputation for story telling, but bis tale is followed up now by this experience, and the sportsmen are wondering if a big yacht, with plenty of harpoons on board might not furnish a lot of lively sport to the sportsmen. llates, who was a machinist at Baldwin's, came here from Hillville, Warren county, New York, two ago. RUNS TO MORGUE His only known relatives areyears two sisters in that place. Machinist Tries to Save Trouble, but DIES OF JOY OVER LETTER. a Friend Balks Good Inten-- tions. Man Collapses When He Reads Cood Philadelphia. Having drunk carTidings of Old Friend. bolic acid, Gordon Bates sat down upon the steps of the morgue to die. Philadelphia Overjoyed by the reThis unique action seemed to speak ceipt of a letter from an old friend, more strongly than any words that Alexander Alcorn, 40 years old, suffer he might have written or said that ed an attack of heart disease and he desired to lessen, as far as was in died. his power, the trouble that his fatal The letter leached here late Saturjraught would be to others. But his day afternoon, but Alcorn did not recaldeath was slower than he had He ceive it until Sunday morning. culated, so that afler all his fore- - did not appear to recognize the handwriting on the envelope, but, upon opening it. he smiled and became very much excited. "Gosh! I am glad to get this letter. It's from a friend have not heard from for ten years," he said. He had read a portion of the letter and was about, to sit down In a chair, when he collapsed and died. Several men who saw Alcorn collapse thought at first that be bad accidentally fallen. Upon lifting him they were surprised to find that he was dead. The letter was still In his right hand. It was dated from city and was signed "Joe." BUILDING GOOD ROADS. Interest in the Movement Spreading to All Parts of the Country. The good roads problem, is ocattgj Ing the attention of the people as It never did before, and on every side are heard discussions of ways and DRINKS POISON AND means to provide better highways. In Missouri Gov. Folk has suggested that the money obtained from dramin building shop licenses he used roads, and the next legislature will be asked to pass a law to that effect. In some states the revenue derived from automobile licenses will be used for building roads. The utilization or convict lalor seems to be the simplest and best method of improving the roads quickly and at the least expense, and wtoen this method is adopted the roads will rapidly become better. In the southern states it Is a com mon sight, says the Motor Way, to see the convicts working on the loads, and wherever this work is be Ing done the county or district is benefited and the improved roadway means a higher value for the adja cent farm land. Better highways will bring the countrj resident closer to the city and enable him to enjoy many of the privileges of city life heretofore denied him. I FARM NOTES. New-Yor- j Fowl diseases are Indications of in correct management. Removal of the cause prevents recurrence of the effect. Proper care is tho best and only preventive known. It costs notli ing to apply. Tuberculosis Is frequently caused Your barn by damp, fllthy quarters. must be kept clean, dry and light, with a good supply of fresh air, and above all, pure drinking water. P. P. Southworth. Minnesota. Cheshire hogs mature early, are of good size, have fair grazing qualities produce a fine grain of pork firm in texture, and rank high among the bacon breeds. They are very valuable for crossing upon rough hogs. Every farm ought to be an expeii ment station, the fanner its professor No farmer can copy the station results and reproduce them In detail on his Conditions vary. He must farm. study conditions, be patient In expertluents and Observant of results. Rooster Is Fond of Kerosene. Fullerton, Mo. The craziest rooster in all Missouri is owned by Walter Lynne, residing near here It is acting as if it were an automobile and is creating havoc among the flock. This N rooster no longer crows at dawn, but by assiduous association with a He Ran to the Morgue to Die. it has acquired a lovely "honk, thought he traveled to the morgue by honk." and practices this on all occasions. At times It starts at one end way of the Hahnemann hospital Bates, who was 3!' yea is old. and of the barnyard and, giving a warning lived In Wood street, a half block alarm, rushes through the reBt of the from the morgue, thought he was chickens, bowling them over right and going to die from consumption. Sev- left. A few days ago Mrs. Lynne left eral friends and relatives had gone a can of kerosene on the back porch. that way, and he became daily more and within ten minutes the rooster lonely and despondent. Finally, hav- was doing its best to drink up the ing nerved himself to the final strug- stuff, undoubtedly with the object of gle, he drew from his pocket a bottle acquiring the gasoline smell. It is also full of carbolic acid and tossed of developing an "auto face." the contents, while standing wear his Grass. Cut Tree to Free Prisoner. landlady, Mrs. Annie Unman, whose is of great importance on my Grass husband. Cornelius, died from conMahanoy City, Pa - Handcuffed to farm, and of all my farming an apple tree by two deputy state sumption a couple of months ago. upon grass. I raise depend operations Mrs. Brogan, In her effort to pre- game wardens for shooting robins In red top, clover and blue vent his swallowing the poison, was violation of the game law, Peter timothy, About 16 per cent, of all my grass. by Qerung was freed by two companions ' severely burned upon the arms Is made Into hay and 18 per grass some of the liquid who outwitted the wardens In a two-milcent, is used for pasturage. The grass to the "Now I'm going down chase through the woods at crop In this locality does not receive morgue," were the man's parting Glrard Manor, returned with an ax. the attention from farmers that It wotds, as suffering the first agony of with which they felled the tree and diould. About the only kind recently removed from intioduced into this the death struggle, be ran ftom the had the manacles neighborhood Is door Qerung at a country smithy just as alsike clover. There are no other new He nad just sunk upon the stcjis of the wardens got back to lake their lnds that have been successfully the morgue, when one of his friends, captive a prisoner to town although nlfulfa and orchard ;rown, Mah olnj Cochran, a plumber, came up huve been introduced and are ;rass anil asked him w hut was the mat Why He Invested. mUl to a limited extent. think, says, tm. "I've Just bought a carload uv this Randolph county correspondent of "I've Just drank poison, and I'm dysaid Farmer Oeehaw. 'aimer's Review, It would be an Im"Fer the land's sake!" exclaimed provement for farmers to keep noning.' was the response. And the next mln te he sank Into s stupor that Mrs. G. stock and manure the land better and "Yaas. that's whapresently ended In death on the way biught It fer." to feed out so far as possible all tho to the hospital replied the old jtranRer. tstd produced on the farm I few-gees- j one-thir- i e i tree-boun- 1 J |