rpose proceeded to the locality to
which he had been directed, where he found a comfortable-looking,
well-kept brick dwelling-house, and upon a metal plate upon the door, he
noticed the name he was in search of. Ascending the steps, he rang the
bell, and shortly afterward was ushered into a handsomely furnished
parlor, where he was greeted by a pleasant-faced lady, who announced
herself as the sister of Mr. Newton Edwards.

"Is Mr. Edwards residing with you?" inquired the detective.

"Not now," answered the lady, "he was here until Saturday last, when he
left, saying that he was going to Milwaukee upon business. I have heard
however, that he was in town on Sunday last, but that I am not sure of."

"Did his wife go with him?" now asked the operative, hoping to obtain an
interview with her, if possible.

"No, sir," replied Mrs. Andrews, with an air of sudden coldness and
reserve, which was not lost upon the watchful man before her. "Mrs.
Edwards left on the same day, in company with her brother, who has taken
her to his home; I do not wish to allude to this matter, but I am afraid
my brother and his wife do not live happily together."

"Have they separated?" asked the detective, in a tone of solicitude.

After a momentary hesitation, the woman replied: "I am inclined to think
they have. Newton has not been himself lately, and has, I am sorry to
say, been drinking a great deal. This naturally led to harsh treatment
of his wife, and I presume she wrote to her brother, and on last
Saturday he came and took her away."

Finding the lady indisposed to furnish further information, the
detective took his leave.

At the second place he received much the same information, and
concluding that he had exhausted this matter, he started to return to
the agency. At this latter place, however, he had casually inquired for
the name and residence of Mrs. Edwards' brother, and on learning that,
had concluded his visit.

Everything thus far had favored a belief that Edwards was concerned in
this robbery. His leaving home a day or two before the act was
committed, his quarrel with his wife, his statement made to friends that
he was going upon a business trip, which it was evident he had not done,
his strange appearance at Newtonsville and Geneva on the day the robbery
took place, the fact that his personal appearance agreed perfectly with
that given of the robber, by eye-witnesses to that event, and his
mysterious disappearance since