Larry Dexter and the Stolen Boy; or, A Young Reporter on the Lakes

by Howard Roger Garis

For a moment Larry had half a notion to go back and demand to be allowed to search the rooms. Then a moment’s reflection told him that his wild and half-formed idea could not be true.

The hotel was a well-known one, and above suspicion. It would be impossible to conceal a kidnapped boy in it, unknown to the management, especially after all the publicity that had been given to the case, for, after Larry’s paper came out with the big “scoop,” all the other New York journals followed, and the whole city was ringing with the story. The police were urged by editorials, and by frenzied letters, written to the papers by frantic fathers and mothers, to leave nothing undone to get the kidnappers, and recover the boy.

“Parloti thought he could bluff me,” thought Larry, “but I’m certain he had a hand in this. He’s playing a bold game. I guess I need some real police aid on this case. I’ll go down to headquarters.”

This he did and after a consultation with a certain officer, whom he knew well, Larry and the latter decided on a plan of action.

On the reporter’s promise that the detective should get the proper newspaper credit due him, the latter offered to proceed in the case, and hold for Larry exclusively all the information he got. Larry needed some one with the proper legal authority to make a search of Parloti’s rooms, and also look up the two men whom the young reporter believed were the tools of the chief plotter.

“Sure I’ll do it,” agreed Detective Nyler, who had helped Larry with suggestions in the bank mystery. “It’ll be a feather in my cap if I can arrest the kidnappers.”

But it was decided to act cautiously, and to this end a watch was put on the suspected man, his hotel being under surveillance day and night. It was ascertained that the man who had been with him had gone out soon after Larry’s visit, and no one knew who he was. It would have been worse than useless, the young reporter knew, to question Parloti again.

The Italian did not carry out his threat to “call out” the editor of the Leader unless a retraction was made. And the only retraction that was made was a statement to the effect that Parloti denied knowing anything of the whereabouts of the stolen boy, or that he ever planned to take him.

Meanwhile Madame Androletti was plunged in grief, in spite of her brave attitude, and of the aid she had given Larry in trying to solve the mystery. She gave up her concert tour and, to avoid further publicity, went to a small quiet hotel in New York, under an assumed name, Larry alone, of those outside her manager and immediate friends, knowing where she was.

“And now!” exclaimed Larry, late that night, “I’ve got to get after some other clews. Let’s see, where’s the first place to start? At the music hall, of course, from where the boy disappeared. I ought to have gone there at first, but I couldn’t cover everything. I’ll go there now. It will be some time before the evening performance.”