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Show 7 Villiers Disappearance Taken from ths of an Old Detective Notebb9kCharles Edmonds Walk by And With Name and Flicii Hlddan Published ta a Proof That t Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction In bis Felix Hazard waa engaged ovn private den at the Sutherland Detective agency 'principal offices, when a rap sounded upon' the door. - He baWled Come In!" In a tone that, was more a threat than an Invitation to enter, whereupon the door opened and a tall, handsome girl entered and tossed a "bundle of papers upon hia desk. With an impatient scowl. Hazard reluctantly tore his eyes away from his work; but the scowl was instantly erased as he recognized the intruder, and a look of pleased admiration took its place. Interruptions- ,when his keen brain was concentrated upon the unraveling of some particularly knotty problemr were his abomination; but for Helen Bertel, his and friend, he was willing at any time to lay aside the most pressing demands. The girl, disregarding his manifestations of irritation, advanced and laid a band upon the bundle of papers. "When you find time, said she, here is something thd chief wants you to dip into. Hes talked to me about it, but its the sort of case that hardly falls within my scope. There are some features about it, though, that struck me as being rather odd." She broke oft to ask, quite irrelevantly: Felix, what Is you'r conception of the average blue blooded Britisher, one who has money in bales and barrels ?" Hazard directed a keen glance at the lovely, earnest face, lie was accustomed to being called upon thus suddenly to bridge wide gaps in the other's train of thought, and In the alert expression above him he ndw nought some clue to guide him at least to an Intelligent reply. Not finding any, he returned In affected derision: Owan, there ain't no slch animal." Helens fine gray eyes crinkled in a smile. She said: "After you've delved into this you'll think differently. A month' or more ago we were asked, through our London branch, to find an English, scion of wealth and patrician birth whose ' history shatters all traditions. He came to this country some twenty-odyears ago, it appears, never married at all, but went Into business for himself. Furthermore, he succeeded. Then believe me or not then he voluntarily had his allowance stopped! And he wasn't looking for an Amerl- - This story throbs with realism In the words narrowest meaning. It is a faithful rendering of an authentic experience in the career of a high official of a detective agency whose name is a household word throughout the English-speakin- g world. Real names of persons and places are sometimes disguised. In all other respects the amazing, often thrilling, always gripping facts are recorded Just as they happened. Once more elone. Hazard remained bowed- - over his desk for an hour or more, and it was not until be returned from luncheon that the bifudle of papers recurred to him. He picked them up, and w ith no hint that be was' about to enter upon one of the extraordinary episodes of his career, slipped the rubber band and spread them out on his desk. , He was hot to glimpse their contends yet, however. At this Juncture One thing, though, did come to light, a discovery that was3 gruesome and at the same time Indicative of Felix Hazard! line of reasoning. Felton's body was exhumed and an autopsy held. Haddon Felton had died of poison! Despairing after a while of ever learning anything more, or of piecing together to any definite end the few more or less detached facts that he had picked up, one morning Hazard packed a small steamer trunk and a handbag, and something over a week later was ushered into the presence of Morton, soMr, Morton of Bruiton licitors, 7 Lincolns Inn Fields, London. His reception was as cordial as an eminently respectable London solicitor could unbend himself to extend. It was made up mostly of vague apologies which Hazard, with characteristic directness, bluntly interrupted. Said he: I have come all the way to London, Mr. Morton, to learn precisely the real-sowhy Gerard Cecil Villiers ever went to America at all. You must yourself know that the information supplied our agency was inadequate to account for this important point; or, to be more exact, no reason at all was closely. The old carved handle was much worn; but jt recently engraved monogram was the factor that caught and held the detective's eye the initials D. F. The dead man's pockets had been an old, rifled," Cowles explained; worn wallet had been turned Inside out 'reefed' but the' clipping, which hadtuck to the side ofoneof the compartments, was overlooked or disregarded by .the thief and assassin. The name Villiers, of course,, made me think of the Inquiry you people are making." I can't help you now," Hazard returned; "I really baven't taken up, the matter yet; he paused and again regarded the stiletto I may run on to something that may enable that. No other clues? you Cowles shook hia head. Just' what you see," said he. With this tragic angle opening up in a case in which he was Interested, he was not long In acquainting himself with the contents of the bundle of pa Much to his disappointment, pera. however, they contained i othlng pointing to the dead hian's identity or the possible ownership of the dagger. In a brief, businesslike manner, they asserted: That Gerard Cecil Villiers, only son of John Stephen Villiers, had left the ancestral home, The" Yews, Widlbald, Surrey, Jn June of the year 1890, ostensibly to carve out his own fortune in the United States'; that he waa twenty-on- e at the time, and that white there had been no open rupture between father and son, bitterness ex lsted on both sides owing to the young mans determination to leave home for any reason whatever. He had been granted a liberal allowance by his father, but this bad been stopped at Gerard's request as soon as he gained confidence that he waa capable of earning his own living. After sojourning in several specified Eastern and middle Western cities, with the sudden expansion of the automobile industry he had Interested himself in that growing business in which he had enjoyed more thhn average sue cess as & salesman. He finally went to the Pacific coast, and was? fast heard from as agent of the Regis Automobile company, in June, 1910, at which time he resigned his position at Los An geles, and departed from the city Then was when every trace of him was lost that is. lost to his friends , but" to-tra- bis telephbne announcer sprang into activity with the suddenness of a surprised rattler. Drawing the desk Instrument toward him, he learned that an Immediate visit at police headquarters would probably reward him with information respecting a matter in which he. was interested. As the Sutherland agency and all its branches worked in harmony with the regular police, he did not ignore this hint; consequently, a few minutes later, he was closeted with Police Lieutenant Cowles and a man of the central detail, Ever hear of ' a fresh water sailor who answered to the name of Bill Hughes?" asked Cowles. Felix Hazard ran over the list of sailors in his mental directory, and ffnally shook bis head. I cant identify him by your scant description," he replied. Perhaps, if I saw him'' You can; he's on a Blab at the morgue. He was croaked with one of these Dago stilettos. . . . But the reason I called you up is this" he handed Hazard a small newspaper clipping "we found this on him." Hazard carefully conned over the clipping several times, but it afforded and relatives. Followed a description, which was, of course, of a striplipg of twenty-one- , wnereaa Felix Hazard was given the problem of finding a man in his forty second year. Also n photograph of the boy was contained in the packet, which waa of far more value as a means of Identification than anything else. Haz ard studied.it carefully, particularly directing hi attention to those features which change little if any with the passage of time: Eyes, nose, con tour of head and facial bones. The first question that presented Itself to Hazard's mind, after perusing these papers, was: Why should young man reared in the lap of luxury voluntarily give up a rich inheritance for a exile? Then What had been the cause o,f the bit plain-clothe- rough-lookin- s g well-stocke- slim-blude- d - d terne.88 on both aides? The detective had a definite feeling that the true reason for the separa tion had been concealed: that the rea son given was inadequate to account for so momentous a step in any young mans life, however foolhardy or reck less he might be. During the ensuing weeks Felix Hazard and Police Lieutenant Cowles kept in close touch. The printed description of Villiers aud the reward offered brought no important returns. The mjstery of Bill Hughes' death, and the ownership of the Italian stiletto, remained unsolved. But during the period of activity Hazard accomplished a good deal he did not .know it; the though t widely separate factors had not taken concrete shape' in his mind. The results of his Investigations were, in short: Wheh Villiers came to America in 1S90 he had been ac compacted by a friend of about his own age who went by the name of Haddon Felton; the two had remained together until March, 1S99, when V tiller obtained work with an Indiana as-ye- ! of the Ponce Has Been Asked." "Tha until all at once he recollect can heiress He never disappeared alt nod light bundle of- papers tnat 'Helen the in fact those years not until recently, him. Was this had Bertel till home with brought but kept in touch The clipping were about? before his father died. . Now, what they - shortly when hes entitled to inherit whole oodles of money, he cant be found. Think of that!" ' a strain -impossible; its too great a mock with Then, intellect. on the '"Nourish, Jiazard laid a baud S.osom. "Behold," he the long lost t, N And add appeared thus: GERARD CECIL. VILLI PERSONAL, ERS please communicate immediately with your sister, Isabel. 7 our father Is automobile concern and separated from Felton at Buffalo, N. Y.; the two friends maintained a correspondence which gradually grew more desultory until It ceased altogether about the year 1902; that this correspondence had been renewed in May, 1910, when Felton wrote to his friend that he was sick and destitutejn New York! , What followed was tinctures v numerous conjectural elemenjr llers probably sent Feltoa tj the es'ate awaits 'you. dead and one-ha-lf Persons knowing the whereabouts of said lust heard fr.m at Villiers. Cecil Gerard Los Angeles, Ctfl.. where he was agent forJ. the Regis automobile, or persons possess- thejajwej!t(? him. in any Information concern n Wn h j3-- ' tJ suitably rewrf-Cc'J information to Y b 4Xrs, 7 Unccfc- a' HnsarJ - sharp interruption came from Villiers. Why are these intimate family matters being paraded here, pray tell?" he demanded. Felix Hazard bent upon him a curious look, then replied in a tone that vibrated with feeling: "Because they are an essential part of the story I have to tell a presentation of facts that will, clear the mya-ter-y surrounding two cruel murders, as well as facts that seriously affect the disposition of the immense Villiers estates." Villiers paled and half started from his chair; but be dropped back again, and, white and trembling, stared at the detective like a man hypnotized. The lawyer, however, addressed Hazard sternly. I warn yon, air, that yon must either Justify your words or suffer seri- A -- or later hi friend must see the ad- vertisement. They were high among the mountains cf California, a spot deliberately chosen for his purpose; and now, instead of waiting for the sick Gerard to die. be hastened that death with arsenic. You seethe was counting on the years having so toned the old resemblance between the two, that GerardS few relative and acquaintances in England would consider time's pannage when he appeared among them ns Gerard Cecil Villiers. Chi"Again fate Intervened. Back in same the saw Bailor old lake cago aa advertisement, and n few weeks later, when Gerard Cecil Villiers registered at one of the city' hotel, n best-know- and tbe newspapers chronicled the heir pearance of n much sought-after to t3 British fortune, Hughes hastened to him. Of coarse he detected the tra -- n supplied." The response to this request was, to say the least, startling. Said the lawyer, in a dry, precise tone: "I to express my regrets. Mr. he squinted at his callers card Mr. Hazard. that you should have missed our cable; it would have saved yoU an unnecessary journey. Mr. Villiers has returned home. For once In his life Felix Hazard was flabbergasted. He stared speechlessly at the other for a moment, then stammered: "Home! When how 1 I what the devil do you mean 7 I comprehend your astonishment, Mr. Hazard; it is the last intelligence for which you were prepared. Mr. Villiers arrived at my office on the very day you departed from Chicago. I repeat, we regret that our cable It was now the detectives turn to interrupt. Walt a moment! Are you sure It was Gerard?" He has not Oh; yes; positively. changed so much. Even his sister, Miss Isabel, who was only four at the time of his departure, recognized him , instantly." During another pause Felix Hazard did some of the quickest thinking of his career. Well," he finally offered, "I suppose our connection with the matter ends right here but, no, it doesn't either. There is one more question you may answer, if you will. Was there ever an old servant or retainer of the' Villiers named William Hughes? Mr. Morton leaned back in his chair and thoughtfully regarded the cellwas-tryin- g ah" r . ing. "Ilvlghes? Hughes? he repeated. "Ah, yes I believe there was. Hughes was the name of the faithful old fellow who followed Gerard to the states; felt that he was under an obligation to look after the heir, you understand. The surveillance was wholly without Gerards knowledge, though; he never knew that Hughes followed him. Felix Hazard's eyes gleamed. He bounded from his chair with the unexpectedness of & Thank, you, Mr. Morton," he said I must be off. with effusive haste. But first, aa we say In my country, I want to put you wise to something something that you, as the Villiers lawyer, should know, I have the best 'of reasons for believing that the Villiers properties are in grave danger; if, within the next week, say, I promise ta have definite and complete information, for you on the subject, will you undertake to have both Mr. Villiers and Miss Isabel bere at a time I shall designate by telegraph? Mr. Morton looked startled. Danger! he gasped. What do you Jack-in-the-bo- A Recently Engraved Monogram Was the Factor That Caught and Held the Detective's Eye the Initials, F. Ct ous consequences. These are grave assertions you are making." I assume full responsibility for everything I say here," was Hazard's Now please let me concalm reply. tinue uninterrupted." And he vas not Interrupted again; not until the dramatic climax hurst upon them with crushing force. Gerard had a boyhood friend, by name Haddon Felton, and when Gerard declared hia intention of going to America, Felton expressed a determination to accompany him. Thin phase of the contemplated Journey met with the opposition of two persons the elder Mr. Villiers. and n gardener at The Yews named William Hughes. Their objections, singularly enough, w ere based upon identical grounds a vague but none the lesa powerful distrust of Haddon Felton. Gerard, however, laughed at hia fathers intangible fears, and Mr, Villiers could not press his indefinite objections, Therefore, n few days later, when William Hughes came privately to the father and expressed similar suspicions of Felton, an arrangement was made whereby the gardener waa to follow his young master secretly, and keep n watchful eye upon the latter's travelSo ing companion, Haddon Felton. when the two friends sailed Hughes was a steerage passenger on the same steamship; in New York he found employment in the hotel at which they stopped; and so on, by similar expedients he managed to keep near them without their knowledge. Several years passed in this way. and the gardener began to believe that hia suspicions were unwarranted, and by and by Hughes, with characteristic mean?" Just what I say, I can't afford to expose my hand now. I may be wholly wrong; if am. nobody will be injured by keeping the matter to myself. But," tie concluded grimly, I believe I'm right. The lawyer demurred and protested and tried to surprise an explanation from the detective, but fruitlessly. In the end he yielded a grudging assent frankness, sought out Felton, made to the proposed arrangement. himself known to him, told him his During the next fortnight Felix Haz- purpose in coming to America and ards activities were amazing. In the apologized for his mistaken thoughts. guise of an American tourist, he exVilliers, of course, when he heard plored every nook and cranny of the of , Hughes presence in the United beautiful Surrey country; he made States, was surprised, but at the same friends with the Villiers servants, and time overjoyed to see him. He fonnd. even found two ancients who had a good position for the faithful servserved the last Felton an always ob- ant in Chicago, and the surveillance scure family, and now utterly extinct ceased. in ,the county. However, the two kept In touch. Then came the day when Hazard Hughes became a lake sailor, and Vilsent off a number of telegrams, one of liers' employment carried him over them to Mr. Morton. The next mom vast stretches of country. For one professing the warmest ing he returned to London. When Felix Hazard, in company with sort of friendship for Villiers. Haddon two quiet, soberly dressed men who Felton was singularly affected by enmight have been Hughes presence in America. Certered tbe Lincoln's lun Fields cham- tain plans of bis were upset, and bers of Bruxton & Morton, solicitors, where before he could act with ashe found a curious audience awaiting surance he now had to more cautioushis arrival. The detecfJVe's shrewd ly fearfully. His affected illness glance focused immediately upon Ger quickly brought him and his friend toard Villiers, whom he found to be gether again; they were soon in a reman, who betrayed no mote region among the mountains; signs of falling health, and Btriklagly and he resolved to act boldly. like the boyish photograph. Now, from their early bcyhotvl cp Isabel w as a pale, slender girl, very to this time there had been not at nil. pretty, wearing her dinary phystyh clothes with tht supreme un- - .j two friend 1 sness of habit ' 'v-- brought rith bis usual Mtis o the heart of h 1 linen-draper- , well-preserv- t'-jt- r y heF I J at once. In terror and panlo Felton arranged a meeting for that night. Some hoars later Hughes was fonnd with a dagger In his heart, his pockets tiffed to hide the motive of the position crime. Doutbless Felton believed that he left behind no cine to connect him with, the murder; that his father, Densmore Feltons ownership of the old Italian stiletto could never he traced; perhaps he was frightened away before he could recover the weapon. For whatever reason, he left It behind." During most of Ike detectives address everybody had sat aa If spellbound; all except the pseudo Villiera. The man waa literally paralysed with terror and the black horror of right? eons vengeance that confronted hia unseeing eyes. Felix Hazard made a sign to the two men who looked like and they went and stood behind ths wretchs chair. They were Scotland Yard detectives. Hazard pointed n stern, accusing finger at Felton. "There," he grimly declared, is the guilty man! There sits the murderer of his friend! There sits the murderer of William Hughes! There sits not Gerard Cecil Villiers, but Haddon Felton!" The ordeal had been too severe for Felton; be collapsed utterly, and a few hours Inter made a full confession, verifying at length every one of Felix Hazard's accusations. The details of extradition in due time having been observed, he waa taken back to tha scene cf his first crime and ultimately, sentenced to prison for life. Five dayp later, in recounting n history cf the case to Helen Bertel. Felix Hazard concluded, with this observa-.-tion: If Felton coffia have withstood the ordeal that I staged for him, it is posses that he would have gone scot? free; the evidence alone was insufficient to have convicted him. I took a linen-draper- . v long chance tCpprr-cl.- and 1 won." pa. l. w. Q. Chapman.) . Z -- Horseflesh as Food. Horseflesh as food was introduced into Gaol when the country was Invaded by the Franks after the by Julias Caesar. A police drawn Sp in 1404 shows WM In Paris at that Urns, -the siege of Part In 1590 the f f asses waa held In high - L.-hag the slegsvof JLa Rochelle hi 111) the ProtestiEts by eating their horr:z ought to prolong their resiriaco con-que- reg-nlatk- m tin il rrzl against Richelieu. During the revolution, ten. ?"','-J'v:jie- and d 1 "'-- a r rv t ' h" - |