, he resented
the disbelief implied in such a question, and strong was his manly
indignation when one of the gentlemen present expressed his opinion that
the story was a lie from beginning to end. This rude estimate of
Holmes' veracity was, however, in some degree confirmed when a cipher
advertisement published in the New York Herald according to Holmes'
directions, produced no reply from Miss Williams, and inquiry showed
that no such street as Veder or Vadar Street was to be found in London.

In spite of these disappointments, Holmes' quiet confidence in his
own good faith continued unshaken. When the hapless Mrs. Pitezel was
released, he wrote her a long letter. "Knowing me as you do," he said,
"can you imagine me killing little and innocent children, especially
without any motive?" But even Mrs. Pitezel was not wholly reassured. She
recollected how Holmes had taken her just before his arrest to a house
he had rented at Burlington, Vermont, how he had written asking her to
carry a package of nitro-glycerine from the bottom to the top of the
house, and how one day she had found him busily removing the boards in
the cellar.

II THE WANDERING ASSASSIN

The District Attorney and the Insurance Company were not in agreement
as to the fate of the Pitezel children. The former still inclined to the
hope and belief that they were in England with Miss Williams, but the
insurance company took a more sinister view. No trace of them existed
except a tin box found among Holmes' effects, containing letters
they had written to their mother and grandparents from Cincinnati,
Indianapolis, and Detroit, which had been given to Holmes to dispatch
but had never reached their destination. The box contained letters from
Mrs. Pitezel to her children, which Holmes had presumably intercepted.

It was decided to make a final attempt to resolve all doubts by sending
an experienced detective over the route taken by the children in
America. He was to make exhaustive inquiries in each city with a view to
tracing the visits of Holmes or the three children. For this purpose a
detective of the name of Geyer was chosen. The record of his search is a
remarkable story of patient and persistent investigation.

Alice Pitezel had not seen her mother since she had gone with Holmes
to identify her father's remains in Philadelphia. From there Holmes had
taken her to Indianapolis. In the meantime he had visited Mrs. Pitezel
at St. Louis, and taken away w