Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Newspaper Page Text
1O gram. Valeska tiptoed across, and looked at the volume. It was Galton's "Finger Prints." a classi fication of all the known capillary markings of the digital tips. It was an hour before Astro put up his work, much of which time had been spent merely in sitting with half closed eyes, inert. Then he rose and yawned. '•Well, little girl, a bit of supper wouldn't go bad, v. uld it?" he said gaily. ■"Afterward, you may sit at my feet, and 1 shall tell you of my desire to meet .. lady that takes snuff, whose left thumb shows an invaded loop with two eyeleted rods; also, of :.. interest in a gentleman that roils his own smokes on a 'Motile .: Cigarettes' and gambles in Continental Zinc." Valeska shook her head, puzzled. •You heard what Calendon said, of courser "Yes, I was in the cabinet all the time. But of (< urse I haven't studied your evidence yet." "Nor shall you this night, by Rameses! A crystal gazer has to 'make his living on the curiosity of women. Kindly let me enjoy your curiosity this evening; and, that you may a t be a loser. I shall explain to you the fallacies in Dr. Lasker's analysis of the Ruy Lopez opening. Meanwhile, let us try some of that new Assyrian jelly which I sent for si long ago. If you wish to add anything more substantial, I won't object, although I am a vegeta rian, a Mahatma, an astrologer, cabalist, a student . f Higher Space, and a thorough believer in the doctrine that an ounce of mystery is worth v pound : i mmonplace. Selah. I have spoken."' During the meal, no one would have supposed, I v his animation, that the occult seer was con fronted by the most difficult problem his profession had ever 'set for him. He joked like a young boy. His pretty assistant was kept in rippling peals of I. .lighter. " After dinner he produced a chessboard with ivory men, and the girl puzzled with him over innumerable variations of his favorite opening They followed this by some of the regular chess I roblems, ending with several of his own. The last, finally, being too difficult, he left unfinished, sent Valeska home in his hansom, and himself went to i cd. THE next morning Astro looked, the first thing, at "The Era" personals. Calendon's adver tisement read as follows: KR US: '97 Otog LKwcirt cclen atil opom S.O.C. "I think."' he said thoughtfully, "th.it it will hardly be dishonorable for me to plunge in Cos mopolitan Electric, as long as I'm not going to let Mr. Calen <lc n pay me for this affair. Let's see. Sold yesterday at 75. If I can get it at five points margin, an investment of one thousand •'.■•liars will bring me in about eight hundred. I'll 1 c able to gel thai Egyptian manuscript I have been want ing so long. Now for Mr. Calendon!" He took his telephone, and was s" 1 'ii in communication with his client. _ "What have you found out:" hi- asked. "Twelve ]>ersons boughi Continental Zinc. " was the answer. "< »f these seven were legitimate investors. 1 have the names of the other five." •• Very good. Send your chief of detectives up to me in a hurry. There are some inves tigations they can make while I'm at work on a more impor tani aspect of the case." "Have you found out any thing?" came the anxious in quiry. ■■ i am on the track. Have courage, and follow instruc tions. Tell Mrs. Calendon that she will not be disappointed in my work." After his routine work that day, Valeska came into the studio, unable any longer to c< ntrol her curiosity. A tro drew out the evidei cc in the ( ase and spread it before her. "All life is made up of little actions," he began. "Everyone of them leaves its little trace. Whether you are tracking a bear by its footprints through the forest, or a criminal through his nefarious deeds, it same thing. Both leave their spoor behind. Now examine this letter and envelop carefully." Valeska took the magnifying glass and scrutin ized both; but was forced tO acknowledge her defeat. tro took the envelop from h.-r and tilted it to th< light. "Do you see a slight mark there?" he asked. "It is the print of a thumb. It is not generally known that a finger pressed on paper v. lli leave an oily impression, especially when the hand Ins recently been passed through the hair. S. it will on glass or any polished surface Let i^ develop this prim The ink will ding tO the paper except where these oily lines have been in contact with it. An ordinary tbumbprint would SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR JULY 5. 1908 show the lines of the ridges; this will show those of the channels between the ridges." Dipping a large brash in ink. he swept i* ovei the paper. The ink flowed away from a patch where a little system of concentric lines appeared. "Lo: the Invaded Loop!" he announced "It is a woman's thumb. I saw it yesterday, and copied its fundament .1 diagram and its core. Now look at the mucilage on the Map. Do you sec I tiny grains? Snuff, as I proved by my microscope. The postage stamp is awry, and half on, and also shows tiny traces of snuff. The woman was in a hurry. The corners of her mouth were Si with' the result of her filthy practice. X< the paper surrounding the toe. Let me smooth it out. Do you see the foldings and indentations that were there before it was used for this The marks are unmistakable, and by their geometric extension, to anyone who has studied stereotomy and the development of surfaces, it shows unmistakably what that object was. See. parallel lines, a t rumpled area, and here the traces of the milling ol a small wheel. A small cigarette machine, such as one buys on the Rue de la Paix, in Paris. This is a long shot, to be sure; but sometimes it is the long shot that brings down the eagle. If I hit the mark this time, I'll never be afraid of making a risky guess again. We shall see." HE was interrupted by the bell. Valeska left him. to introduce a neat and dapper younf who entered, with a self satisfied smile, with the report from the detective offices of Nally & Co. Of the five purchasers of Continental Zinc, most bad bought from the curb market, and had been traced with some difficulty. A man had r een assigned to each buyer, and these had followed the instructions given Nally that morning. Abraham Fraser. retired Jewish merchant: the purchaser of twenty shares: smoked thick, black cigars. H. V. Linwood, a young clubman and & favorite; insisted on a special brand of Russian cigarette^, costing four dollars a hundred. William Rartlett Smith, a Westerner staying at the Waldorf Astoria; smoked a French briar pipe with granulated tobacco. Lambert F. Owens, a race track bookie. living in South Orange. New Jersey; could not be traced; but information in regard to him was momentarily expected. '"The fifth man, Paul Stacey. I saw- myself," said the detective. "I acted as a newspaper re The Couple Were Fearfully Distraught. porter. He's fairly well known on the Street; but yet I could find out little about him. Nobody knew much; but what they did let out was not very favorable. But I talked to him, and he smokes incessantly. Rolls his own cigarettes with a little nickel plated machine. Keeps Turkish tobacco loose in bis right hand coat pocket, the instrument in his left. While I was near him he threw aw.iv a stub, and I brought it to show you. Here it is. 1 ' " Very good," said Astro, squinting at the cigar ette butt. "You needn't bother about Owens. Now I want you to shadow this man Stacey wherever he goes. Use as many men for relays as you think necessary; but don't let him give you the slip as you value your reputation. Yoi: understand ths importance "of this, and hoy.- fast we must work if the boy is to be saved." As the young man left. Astro ricked up a evening paper and turned to the reports of ti stock market. His eyes ran down the column •: figures swiftly, until he came to the line: ;cco Cosmopolitan ] • 7° J* 1 "Rameses the Great!" he ejaculated. "T"s will teach me a lesson not to take advantage c: my inside information. My margin's wiped cs already. Pity I didn't stay wit my good inte:-^ tions!' And I an Astrologer of the Fourth Circi: I hope nobody will find that out. Yaleska. what ever you do.'don't gamble." For v rnoir.es::; stood contemplating the sheet before him. and the he turned to her with a strange expression. "Mercy!" he cried. "I forgot. C.iVndon'stipfal gone wrong again! What will hat ;en next.' I:> horrible!" HE was interrupted by a long ring at the ekctrc bell, and, when Yaleska answered it. Calendca plunged into the room, holding a : .^kage in ca hand. The muscles of his hand were twitching 3 a frenzy of agony. "It's" come again, oh God!" he cried._ boy ! What in Heaven's name car. v.c !o? " Hewer: up" to the palmist fiercely. "See hen.-.' you prem ised me your help! You even gave me encoursg: mem! See what has happened .-.iready! a* ■ long must this thing go on?" , . "Have you opened the package?" Astro ■"■** quietly. f ..., Calendon shuddered. "No. I ■.■^t. . "Leave it with me. then. You • ■■•:-t wait, J*--. Calendon. I am hard at work. I -p certain M succeed Already I have the m^r. : : -r.l its* essary to prove it. One can't r.sv ; : .rystal vises as evidence in a court of law, yon know. f "Who is the scoundrel?" Oak::!:! deir.acueu "By Heaven! 11l tear him limb from limb, a kin him! Til — " Astro put a restraining hand '-•:;_ the^ directed arm. "Calm yourself. Mr. Culcn.ii n. he soothingly. It is not by such means that «j get the boy. In your present frame ot dare not trust you with the man's name. X >'- make a move now. you may even jeopardize y e bo} 'a life. He must on no account know tn» a is suspected. No. play the game. Mr. £f tex ®* according to the rules the kidnappers ha\e p scribed, and I'll guarantee that soon they nDepgj ing it according to your own ideas < : :'--^' l<x -^l your tip and advertise as usual. You will oocc^» have better luck to-morrow." . "To-morrow." said Calendon sadly "lm^J to throw all my holdings in the Fotmtainet W^ pan;, into the ' market and bear the stocK i""| enough for these devils to get their sh.i: ie! ul F™^ can't bear to receive another package. « Fr2 ruin for me; but I'll not care if the ■>' is sa.-* TT was fortunate for Astro that at that timete^j *■ also interested in the astonishing I '.:rglar:es Glebe House; lor it filled in a tedious ' olt^ : %* hours of waiting with considerable c xciterr.e-- Valeska could see that the Master was 9™®*?*% I interested in the tragic fate of the voting k°>\~\ that it bad enlisted all his deepest >vmpat~»* What little leisure they had was occupied :«» set of chess problems which Astro was worloEg for relaxation. , „, It was a great relief, therefore, v.h- :•. me >'^ ; detective from N'ally's put in his aj ; earao« ■ days later, and made his report. . j § "We've been hot on Stacey's trail ever ' . $ left you; but with nothing doing of any °?ESf|h| I whatever until late yesterday afterm «<?.. took a train to Antwerp, New Jersey, n^ met at the station by a carryall c<>:t " ;i: V r '^i.^, I women. He rode about H>r an h<u;r v.ith t*- not stopping anywhere at all. and was ( - r^ v^ r \.."y to the station, "and took the six-twelye aC i eaS New York, and went direct to his rooms at tee oc^* Rivage Apartments." . "He saw no one else? Not even a man in d-* with a black tie?" "Absolutely no one." "And who are the women?" "One is a Mrs. Elizabeth Cutter, widow. Jj v^, small hou^e on the outskirts of the village : the .°* * a Miss Easting, lives a mile away. Both bye i"c "Di you get into either house?" .-<. "I tried to; but couldn't make it. to be very suspicious of strangers. MiiS turned the dog i i: me." „<£ " l>i.i you notice that either of these women . snutl!'" ajd "One of them looked it. She was &*»**z£d seemed to have smears of brown in the corce her mouth." " Which one was it I " "Mrs. Cutter." -jyj "Yerv good. That is all. Thank you for you've done. Ijihal day. rc 33 In a flash Astro had sprung to a xnesM.-n^.- c n'* on the wall and pressed down the handle. 1 ,. scribbled a message on a telegraph blank. handed it to Valeska. It read as follows: p jt Come immediately to the Beau Kivage. Import- 111 "Give that to the boy when he conies. "** CensrueJ in pcf* i 3