They had begun to believe
that the child had in some manner escaped at the time of the tragedy, and
was now held in retreat lest he disclose incriminating evidence. But it
was a barren triumph of logic. They realized that any demand of the
reward offered must needs bring a counter inquiry concerning the facts of
Briscoe's murder, and therefore from the beginning they had little hope
that any good result would ensue from the wide publicity and the extended
search that his mother and her adviser had inaugurated. The child
remained as if caught up in the clouds. Though extravagant offers of
reward for any information concerning him, as well as for his ultimate
recovery, were scattered broadcast throughout the country; though every
clue, however fantastic or tenuous or obviously fraudulent, was as
cautiously examined as if it really held the nucleus of discovery; though
fakers and cheats of preposterous sorts harassed the proceedings and
wrought many malevolent bits of mischief in disappointed revenge, being
treated with a leniency which would suffer aught, all, rather than clog
any vague chance of a revelation of the seclusion of the lost
child--there seemed no prospect, no hope.
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