University of Santa Clara - Redwood Yearbook (Santa Clara, CA)

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THE AERONAUT ' S CRIME s 1 wf XEt EFORE a desk, strewn with papers and oth- er odds and ends, sat Thomas Brooks, NeAV York ' s famous pri- vate detective. He was a middle aged man with dark brown hair and a pair of keen, piercing eyes. His features lent a pleasing ap- pearance to a well-proportioned phy- sique. He had been in the detective business for many years, and had won a world-wide reputation by his ability in unravelling the most baffling myste- ries of crime. He had just finished the sensational Terhune case, in which James Ter- hune, a wealthy banker, had been mur- dered in his home for no apparent rea- son. The police had been appealed to, but, after weeks of labor, had effected nothing. The stricken family had then come to Brooks who solved the mystery with surprising skill. As he sat in his comfortable chair he was contemplating a trip to California, in order to get away from business worries and take a much-needed rest. But these pleasing thoughts were quickly put to flight. For, as he was about to touch the bell to call the office boy, that worthy personage ap- peared at the door, ushered in a short, stockily-built man and announced him as Mr. Rudolph Allyu. Mr. Brooks, said the man, with a raise of his heavy eyebrows. The same, Mr. Allyn. Did you wish to see me on business? Yes, replied Allyn. I am from Aurora and am president of the First National Bank in that city. Very well, Mr. Allyn. Have a seat. Do you smoke? No, thank you, I don ' t. Now, Mr. Brooks, as my time is limited, I wish to state the caiise of my visit at once. Up to about a week ago our bank em- ployed, as a clerk, a young man known as Harold Delmar. He had come to Aurora some months ago, from a little toAvn in Vermont, where he had been employed as a cashier. He applied to us for a position and after giving him a trial we decided to keep him on. He gained our good will by his integrity and ability, and soon rose to the posi- tion of cashier. Now, to get down to the matter in hand. Last Tuesday he did not ap- pear at the bank. The matter was re- ported to me, and I, thinking he might have been taken ill, phoned his apart- ments. I was told that Mr. Delmar had not been to his rooms since five o ' clock on the jDrevious evening, at which time he had come in, packed his suitcase, paid his bill and left without announcing his destination. It struck me as being strange that Delmar should 13

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COLUMBUS The rising sun dispels tKe mists of night, And Palos ' port witn bunting is beaignt ; For Castille ' s queen, tKougK pressed witn other care, Has heard, at last, Columous ' earnest prayer. And now, Ke nails tKe long, long-wisKed-for Kour, WKen Ke, tKe seas, for unknown lands can scour. He Kids Kis motel}? crew witK Kim repair To Palos ' CKurcK, wKere, rapt in fervent prayer. He Kumbly Kegs tKe Virgin Queen to Ke, His guide, upon tKe vast uncKarted sea. TKen, rising up, Ke seeks tKe bark so frail. In wKicK, so large a freigKt of Kope, must sail. A migKty tKrong Kas come to bid adieu. And wisK Godspeed to Kim, and to Kis crew. And, as tKe Kour of starting drawetK near. From many an e-pe tKere wells a bitter tear. For some brave Kearts tKere are, wKo never more, Will look, witK love, upon tKeir native sKore; Tet in tKe eyes of all tKere glistens Kope, And grim resolve, witK dangers fell to cope. TKe ancKor ' s weigKed ; tKe sails unfurled Columbus sails to find anotKer world. D. 12

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14 THE REDWOOD. walk off like that without saying a word to anyone ; so I questioned one of the clerks to find out if anything un- usual had happened that might possi- bly throw some light on Delmar ' s dis- appearance. The employee replied that nothing in particular had taken place except that he had handed the cashier a telegram, the day before he left, which stated that a large amount of money, two hundred thousand dol- lars, to be specific, would arrive on the following Saturday. ' ' I attached no imjDortance to this in- formation, at the time, so I thought I would let the matter rest. Now, last night the main vault was blown open and everything of value in it was taken. I did not report the matter to the police, because I knew that they would make a fizzle of it, as they usual- ly do, but came directly to you. I have been authorized by the Board of Direc- tors to lay the case before you. For my part I think that Delmar ' s disa D- pearance and the robbery is a coinci- dence not to be despised. During the recitation of the story, Brooks sat still and listened. Once in a while he uttered short ejaculations, which were passed, unheeded, by the speaker. After a lapse of a few mo- ments, which were spent in thought, the detective spoke : You say this man ' s name was Del- mar? Have you any photograph or other mark by which I could identify him? Yes, replied Allyn, I have a pho- tograph of him which was found in his rooms after he left. Very good. Now, has anything l:)een disturbed at the bank since the robbery took place? No. I gave strict orders that every- thing be left as it was until you ar- rived. ' ' Very well, Mr. Allyn, we will start as soon as I can get ready. Brooks touched the bell for the office boy who appeared almos t immediately. James, said the detective, tell my chauffeur to hurry with the ma- chine and also to bring my suitcase along. ' ' Yes sir. In ten minutes the door opened and James entered. The machine is waiting, sir. Very well, replied Brooks. Five minutes brought them to the station. They were comfortably seated in the train speeding to Aurora. About a mile outside of the little town of Sacksville, New York, stood a low, barn-like structure with tAvo mass- ive doors in front. Inside of this build- ing, on the evening prior to the inci- dent just narrated, a little group of men were working feverishly. In the center of the group stood a young man of about twenty-five. To the casual observer he was nothing more than the ordinary well-built youth ; but on clos- er inspection one would be able to perceive a furtive expression in his light, blue eyes. He seemed to be su- perintending the men who were putting