r-iw
-rl
'M
tf
EVENING PUBLIC LEDGER IHTLABELPHIA, MONDAY, AUGOWT 23, 1920
i
V ,
THE PARADISE MYSTERY
By J. S.
CopUrloht, ltit, by
THIS 8TAIITS TUB ST011Y
The little Knglish cathedral town of
Wrvcheiter, with its peaoeful dote, Is
the scene of intrigue and mystery.
Varv Vewcrp. nineteen vtars old.pnd
Yer brother, Dick, seventeen are wards
or Doctor Hansford. -A grange man
tfft Doctor Hansford and a few min
utes later Is found dead. The theory
Is that he fell, but this Is obfecled to,
as Varner, a stonemason, insists he
was slain. Hansford has Mary pur
chase flotccrs for the dead man's
funeral, Hryco finds an entry in a
varlsh register .where Mark Hansford
had acted as best nxan at the marriage
of John lirake and Mary Bewery. Oos
sip is rife in connection with Ransford
end the dead man. Collishaw, the
laborer, who said he could throw light
en tin lliake murder, is found dead
under a tree with his dinner pail nml
an old tin bottle beside him. Detectives
turmise Hansford is the murderer, on
the ground that he prescribed for
CoUlshaw and his wife the night be
fore, and Hansford was left alone with
Colllshaw's tin bottle. Despite police
tutplclons. Mary assures Hansford of
her confidence i). him. .S'lmpion
Harker, a detective, questioning Bryce,
asks what he i.as dono with a scrap
of paper he took from Hraden's purse.
Marker admits he has learned that
Itradcn uas In truth Drake, father of
Mary and Dirk, llarkcr tells Hryce of
a second convict who had mysterious
ly disappeared from the city after
Hradcn's death. At the inquest over
Oollinilmw's body Doctor Hansford In
an outburst denies any part n tho
deaths of either Hraden or the mason.
X1I HKIir. IT CONTINVKM
mirOSSIBLE that It could strike one
In any other way, you know."
answered Snckvlllo with flno and lofty
superiority "Ransford should have
token Immedlnlo steps to clear hlmnelf
of any suspicion. It's ridiculous, con
cerning his position guardian to to
Miss Bcwery, for Instance that he
should allow such rumors to circulate.
By God, sir. If It had been me, I'd have
stopped 'em ! before they left the
pirlfh pump 1"
"All.' said Bryco. "And how?"
"Mado an example of somebody." re
filled Sackvllle, with emphasis. "I be
lieve there's law In this country, Isn't
there' law against libel and Blander,
and that sort of thing, eh 7 Oh, yes'"
"Not been much tlmo for that yet,"
remarked Bryce.
"Piles of tlmo." retorted Snckv'lle.
swinging his stick vigorously. "N'o,
fir, Hansford Is nn ass ! However, If a
man won't do things for himself, well,
his friends must do something for him.
"Ransford, of course, must be pulled
drained ' out of this Infernal hole. Of
eourf.0 he's suspectod ! But my step
father lie'8 going to take a hand. And
tnv stepfather, Bryce, Is n devilish cute
oM hand at a gnme of this sort !"
".Vobody doubts Mr. Folllofs abilities.
I'm sure,' said Bryce. "But you don't
mind saylne how Is he going to take
a hand?"
"Ptlr things toward a clearlng-up,"
announced Sackvllle promptly. "Have
the whole thing gone Into thoroughly.
There are matters that haven't Been
touched on, yet. You'll see, my boy!"
"Olnd to hear It," said Bryce. "But
why should Mr. Kolllot be so particular
about clearing Ransford?"
Sackvllle swung his stick, and pulled
lip his collar, and Jerked his noso n
trifle higher.
"Oh, well," ho said. "Of course. It's
It's a pretty well understood thing,
don't you know between mysclr nnd
Miss Bowery. ou know and of course,
we couldn't hnvo any suspicions attach
ing to her guardian, could we, now?"
Family Interest, don't you ' know
Caesar's wife, and all that sort or thing,
ch"
"I see," answered Bryce, quietly.
"Ah ' sort of family arrangement.
VTIth Ransford's consent and knowledge,
of course?"
"Ransford won't even be consulted,"
Mid Sackvllle, airly. "My stepfather
sharp man, that, Bryce ! lio'll do things
In his own fashion. You look out for
sudden revelations !"
"I will," replied Bryce. "By-bye:"
He turned off to hla rooms, wondering
now much of truth there wan n tlie
fatuous Snckvllle's remarks. And was
there some mystery still undreamed of
by himself and Harker? Thcro might be
lie was still under tho Influence of Hans
ford's Indignant nnd dramntlc assertion
nf his Innocence. Would Ransford have
nllowed himself an outburst of that sort
If lie had not been, ns he said, utterly
Ignorant of the Immediate cause of
Broden'a death? Now Bryce, nil
through, was calculating, for his own
purposes, on Ransford's share, full or
partial, In that death If Ransford really
knew nothing whatever about It, where
did his, Bryce'H theory, como In and
now would his present machinations re
sult? And, more If Hansford's nsser
tjon were true, nnd If Varoer's story of
'nn band, seen for nn iiiHtant In the
rrchwny, were also true and Varner
"as pei nlst'.ng In It then, who was the
man who Hung Braden to his death that
morning? He realized thnt Instead of
straightening out, things were becoming
more and more complicated.
But ho leallzed something else. On
the surface there was a strong case" of
Mibplclon against Ransford. It had been
suggested that very morning before a
coroner and his Jury; It would grow;
'he police wore alroady permeated with
B'isptelon and distrust. Would It not
f-y him, Bryce, to encourage, to help
It' Ho had his own score to pay olf
"gainst Ransford; he had his own
themes as regards Mary Bowery. Any
aj, ho was not going to share m any
attempts to clear tho man who bundled
Mm out of his house unceremoniously
ha would bldo his time. And In tho
meantime there wore other things to be
Uone one of them that very night.
But before lityui could engage In his
becret tak of excavating a small por
tion of Paradise In tho rear of Richard
Jenkins a tomb another strange develop
ment came. As tho dark fell over the
oia city that night and ho was think
ng of setting out on his mission. Mltch
wgton camo In, carrying two sheets of
piper, obviously damp from the press, In
his hand He looked at Bryce with an
expresplon of wonder.
"Here's a queer go!" ho said "I
rant make this out nt all Look nt
these big handbills but poihaps you'o
(.fun 'm They're, being posted all
er the city we've had a bundle of
em thrown In on us."
-"'i ''p-'t beon out since lunch." ie
ma'ked Bryce. "What are thej ?"
Mltchlngton spread out the two papers
other0 Pointing from cno to the
',',Y2U aoe?" he 6alt1' "Vive, hundred
rounds reward one thousand pounds
reward! And both out at tho same
i.?,r'Lrom different sources I"
What sources?" asked Bryce, bend-
i?,.v?r U!. blllH- "A"' I see Ono
signed by Phlppa and Maynurd. tho other
1 .rrie;tcroft- Odd, oertululj '"
hiadJ , exclaimed Mltchlnglon "I
S?U.'i Hllnk B0 ! Hut ,lp 'uu see, doc-
Efci,at.iono-"B00 reward Is offered for
H11'1 ar,y nature re!atit) to the
K2 ur.iol,n I,r'"l-'n and James Col
li wUbJtn or pl'her. That amount will
PhiSW f0T "nt'sfftctory Information by
Mn.8.Jn(1 Maynard. And Philips and
"aynard are Ransford's solicitors. That
t!,..i!r' ??mes from hlm Anl now
i,er'J.he 100 "ound one, that offero
lenni?.w ,0 n.ny one wh0 can Blve
ti.nn.; n'ormatlon as to the clrcum-
,i.; .r",l,0.1"B U1 ueath or John Bra
,..i 1 --" mu mvru iv it
Indent i1 V"K' u o xnese runs quite
5,i V7"h othPr? """ me ,f
(ifDtK.c5. len.,,...ftnU reread the contents
for SviS" 'J'8' A,,d then he thought
w e befo.-e speaking.
Rblv f '. h.e B.aJd ut ,ftHt'- "there's prob,
MeaVl.l!l" ln, " ,th0 FoHlots are very
VeH iLpeo"le Mrs Folllot. It's pretty
Mlss n?- wA,lts ner o t marry
i'rohihitweifyTDoc,or "ansford's wardf.
0C "he doesn't wish any suspicion
ran sSL,er he ,fnm"'- That's all I
ford wSJJst. '"J tho ot'l0r ctw- "ans
r Wants to clear himself. Vnr .lon't
"ill i J inirAtVi... . - .i.
'u'et tlS. Mllnhl.n-n..
lonihn,i.V ' ''vl;lll"ioii. mini
!SS, 'nny. ''now something.
somewhere,
only
in I iM it
l"H'',",l. somoijiing
'IfUpubtfdl)
lu.,e think
mrl... I '.,0K'l 1
of the suiinlritrin thnt'n
been riiHt lmnn iiim
Inlrlm. ,.. -..- .." ' . .. .
atjinii ::""" v not u wrong ease
"gainst Hansford ou'e got your work
6t.
knock
tiavo your inenrv il
nasty
"bout that Hion,i?.S X'y .n'8 'w words
tad.a P'" DldCoates and Everest
pM.r
Wet nt Ubortjs w,UV umitttA
c;s Mr r? Vii .. "y VIr Deachcroft. And
from Vr; r,' l?.t.s solicitor So that comes
xi7t?, iiV1-1?1"01- Whnt llnH ,10 to 'o
i ''"," And are these two nutting their
Fletcher
JLllrtt X. JTnop, Ine.
tri f T1",' ,JM Present. anywtty.
wSii.i . i.811 'hese private obcra of re-
, iJtirV.nnB. that lhoso who make
kJ2 hnt.Jlc,W ot information which Is
lncPonve?lenfm U"' a'0XX 8ee' y't0
wiMn", hne.WMnt away' anl Bryce, after
down '-tlnni1.10 U,nHl ""W'" had e1e1
anS . IPi"6? 'Lly out of the house
in nrVJi for thr."!oW of Paradise,
tiftrttv cc,r.danco with his undonlablo ca
ll?vUyi,J0 co,ntrlvlng and scheming,
raSSS- ?ii m.a(le. duc nnd caref"l .P"pa
a?rt TnMMr.hl vlBl,t t0 the tomb of Rich
fislon finJ?ven ln ,ho momentary con
roll?hn ,0Tln upfn hl8 Hcovery of
ijoJe Mit0 h.' own mmedlato pur
inSum nni0ti?f ,.'lat tno tomb a very
?n th JKu. dlJaPdated structure stood
navern" iRt.ot a sma" cxPanse of stone
wnhif l.,bctwcon thc yew trees and the
hat ?h tho naNe! ho ,lttd notlcod also
nnnti. Pnv.ement consisted of small
iV.-it8 of. one' BOm" o' which bore
VhnJ?. a,"d ,,,a,eJ'- A harP B'anco at
!i.i?Ie8.m."1 whereabouts of tho par
pnHriBp.0.t whlch h0 wanted, as Indl
tir.ii". ,h? BcraP of Paper taken from
5ni,i ,.. DU.rBC' ?howed him that he
SS..".-"6 t,.,ra",e one of those small
squares, possibly two or three of them.
And no he had furnished himself with a
?i,0L,.5r?wl,a,r of tempered steel, special
ly purchased nt tho Ironmonger's, and
with a small bull's-eye lantern. Had
he been nrreBtcd nnd searched as he
mado his way toward the cathedral pre
cincts ho might reasonably 'have been
suspected of a. design to break Into tho
treasury nnd appropriate thc various or
naments for which Wrychcster wns
famous. But Hryce feared neither arrest
nor observation. During his residence
in wrychcster ho hnd dono a good deal
of prowling about the old city nt night,
and he knew that Pnradtse, at any time
after daTk, wan a deserted place. Folk
might cross from tho closo archway to
the wicket gate by the outer path, but
no ono would penetrato within tho thick
screen of yew and cypress when night
hnd fallen. And now, in early summer,
tho screen of trees and bushes was so
thick in leaf that once within It, foliage
on one side, tho great walls of the navo
on the other, thero was little likelihood
of any person overlooking his dolmrs
while he. made his Investigation. He
anticipated a swift 'and quiet job, to ha
dono In a few minutes.
But thero was another Individual In
Wrychester who knew Just as much of
the geography of Paradise as Pemberton
Bryco knew. Dick Bowery and Betty
t'ampany had of late progressed out of
tho schoolboy and schoolgirl hall-fellow-well-met
stage to the first dawnlnga of
love, nnd ln spite of their frequent meet
ings had begun n romantic correspond
ence between each other, the Joy and
mystery of which was Increased a hun
dredfold by a secret method of exchango
of these missives. Just within the
wicket gate cntrnnco of Pnradlso there
was nn old monument wherein wns a
convenient cavity Dick Bewery's ready
wits transformed this into lovo'n post
otllc. In it he rcgulnrly placd letters
for Betty ; Betty muffed Into It letters for
him. And on this particular evening
Dick had gono to Pnradlso to collect a
possible mall; nnd ns Bryce walked lei
surely up the narrow path enclosed by
trees nnd old masonry which led from
Friary lane, to tho ancient enclosure.
Dick turned a corner nnd ran full Into
him. In the light of the single lamp
which Illumined the path, tho two re
covered themselves nnd looked nt each
other. ,., ,
"Hullo!" said Bryce. "What's your
hurry, young Bewery?"
Dick, who won pnntlng for breath,
more from excitement than haBte. drew
back nnd looked at Bryce. Up to then
he knew nothing much against Bryoo.
whom ho had rnthcr liked In the fashion
In which boys sometimes llko their
seniors, and he wns not Indisposed to
conllde ln him.
"Hullo"' he replied. "I say' Where
are vou off to?"
"Nowhere ! strolling round," answer
ed Bryce. "No particular purpose,
why?" . ... , ,
"You weren't going In there?" nsked
Dick. Jerking n thumb townrd Paradise.
"In there!" exclaimed Bryce. "Good
Lord, no! dreary onough in tho day
time ! What should I be going In thero
for?" ... ,
Dick seized Bryce's coat-sleeve and
dragged him aside.
"I say 1" ho whispered. "There s some
thing up ln there a search of some
sort !"
Bryco started In spite of an effort to
keep unconcerned
"A search? In there?" he said. "What
do you mean?" ,
Dick pointed amongst tho trees, and
Bryce saw the fnlnt glimmer of a light.
"I was In there Just now," said Dick.
"And some men threo or four came
nlnnr Thev'rn In there. ClOSO UD by the
nave, Just where you found that chap
Cdlllshaw. xney re uigging or huuic
thing of that sort !"
"Digging!" muttered Bryce "Dlg
B'ng?" . ,. ,, ,
"Something lko It, anyhow," replied
Dick. "Llstep."
Tlrven henrd the ring of metal on
Rinne. And nn unnleasant conviction
stole over him that he was being foie-
Rtnlled. that somebody wns beforehand
with him, and he cursed himself for not
having done the previous nignt wnav ne
nad loft undone till this night.
"Who are they?" he asked. "Did you
see them their faces?"
"Not their facos," answered Dick.
"Only their figures In the gloom. But I
heard Mltchington's voice."
"Police, then I" said Bryce. "What on
oarth are they after?"
"Look horol" whispered Dick, pulling
at Bryco's arm again. "Come on 1 I
know how to get In thero without their
seeing us. You follow me."
Bryce followed readily, and Dick
stepping through tho wlckot-gato, seized
his companion's wrist nnd led him
amongst tho bushes In tho direction of
the spot from whenco came the metallic
sounds. He walked with the stop of a
cat, and Bryco took pains to follow his
example. And presently from behind a
screen of cypresses they looted out on
the expanse of flagging In tho midst of
which stood the tomb of Richard Jonktns.
Round about that tomb were live men
whose faces were visible enough In the
light thrown by a couple of strong lamps,
ono of which stood on tho tomb ItBclf,
whilo the other was set on the ground
Four out of the fle tho two watchers
recognized at once. One, kneeling on
the flags, and busy with a small crow
bur nlmllnr to that which Bryco can led
liiBldii his overcoat, was the master
mason of the cathedral Another,
standing ncur him, was Mltchlngton. A
third wns a clergyman one of the lesser
dignitaries of tho chapter. A fourth
whose presence mails Bryce start for the
second time thnt evening waa the Duke
of Saxonsteado. But the fifth was a
stranger a tall man who stood between
Mltchlngton and tho duke, evidently pay
ing anxious attention to the master
mason's proceedings. Ho was no Wry
chester man Bryce wob convinced of
thnt.
Ami a moment later he was convinced
of another equally certain fact. What
ever these five men Were searching for,
they had no clear or accurate Idea of Its
exact whereabouts. Tho master-mason
wns taking up tho small squares of flag
stone with his crowbar one by one, from
the outer edge of tho foot of the old box
tomb ; as ho removed each, he probed the
earth beneath It. And Bryce, who had
Instinctively realized what was happen
ing, und know that somebody else than
himself was ln possession of the secret
of the scrnp of paper, saw that It would
be Boine time beforo they arrived at the
preclso spot lndlcited In tho Latin di
rections. He quietly drew back nnd
tugged at Dick Bewery.
"Stop here, and keep quiet !" ho
whlspeied when they had retreated out
of all danger of being overheard. "Watch
'cm ! I want to fetch somebody I want
to know who ttuit strangor Is. You
don't know him?"
"Never snw him before," replied Dick.
"I suy ! como quietly buck don't give
It away. I want to know what It's all
about"
Bryco squeezed the lad's arm by way
of assurance and made his way back
through the bushes. He wunted to get
hold of Harker, nnd at once, und he hur
ried round to the old man's houso and
without ceremony walked Into his parlor,
Harker, evidently expecting him, and
meanwhile tunuslng himself with his
pipe and book, roue from his chair us the
younger man entered,
"Found mi thing?'' he nhUed
"We'ie done'" npuwered lliyce. "J
wns a, fool not to go last night I We're
forestalled, my friend I that's about
HI"
'iPPWSWOXn TOKOpaQJKi
THE GUMPS Anotlier
rTn f 1 rr
6EE-L.O0K AT
l TMr BAQV ( - V
. wow pd wetf ) M ' t )
I OfcT UtM W V &. I , t. MiLP ni4A S
PETEYWisc for Once
The Young Lady Across the Way
The young lady across tho way
srjs it must be terribly disappoint
ing to a good buhcball player to
rome to the bat with thc bases full
nnd be put out by being bit by a
pitched ball, even if it doesn't hurt
biui.
SOMEBODY'S STENOG
"CAP" STUBBS-
1 - ;t
IUJ--1W
THE-epSS SAID J?UAI J ZrnZ I VLL.HRE.t3 V AH THERE, UTTLE PACH ! 1 ss-sct'H WHATS "THIS? ViHYlTAVS --7 YOU CAA1T COLLECT F: '
THE OFflTCE FOR HlfA d&Jfk , ANRLVWORM. IJJJSJWAMTTO rjmmKMt RIGHT HERE. OM THIS RlLI - WSSOsL THIS ! Sfel)K TIME. f."
I I 1 1, 1
-"Coming Events"
Big Fish Still at Large
PATHETIC FIGURES
She'll Run the Office at
"
& Zt ff
&S g? THE. UlXfLB OLD DAD
WHo succesreD tat tcv
0 DMS ARMfil? IH ORDtR To
y .yAVC TM ZO', 1HCKEAS6 IK THElfl
fb KAii Road pares 0ac homc.
s &'Y ' J II I
P M , , r JbJ WJL r
a Profit, AU Right
- 5av "PeTcy ve vAvfT) f- Avr Come on X
PfoU TO ACT OKI A C H 910 1
I COMMITTEE TO JUDGE f? VAM -
Te "5E5T "BATHmGjV mfr rSK
Bu Fontaine Fox SCHOOL
Fvstt
HE: WAS
tMtfS
A
DAYS
Copnleht. 1020 by Pub.lc
wKI ' WJCnH KHtgATHOOD WAS IH gop
By Sidney Smith
V0) SHOULD HVE SEEK tWAY
voy xtvera. wvscgo wwv-
VW10H Ms 15 ig AG'VMs.i
VUU QfcT WE YMS
ruv-E" joho
ByC.'A.Voight
NOT AFRAID ( NOPE -
J0oFArKH OWlVONt-
By Hayward
T-Ji:r Co
By Edwina
ifM
By DW1G
.irflKffllttBlW;
'ify,- " "i
rV"fe,wj.
h
'J&f,
.'ifr.
V"J ,.
tkKJ'Xl&AvA .
ttt
in
tmrnSkf"
iiiii'to''' '1j
.4'1
i
,V''Wj!"PWiJ.. !