The Argosy, Vol. XI, No. 22

Museum Catalog Note: The Argosy, Vol. XI, No. 22 This issue contains the seventh chapter of "Brad Mattoon: Life at Hosmer Hall," a serial by William D. Moffat centered on the titular protagonist's experiences at an academy. In this installment, Brad discovers two masked burglars in the pantry stealing silverware from an open safe. He retrieves his hidden revolver and confronts them, forcing them to flee down a covered passageway. The thieves unknowingly fall through removed floorboards into an abandoned, mud-filled cesspool, where they become trapped. Brad signals for help, and the burglars are arrested. One is revealed to be Dick Barney, the dismissed gardener, who claims he was instructed the school would discharge him. The subsequent chapter exposes a darker plot: Brad's summons to the passageway came via a forged letter imitating Dr. Hope's handwriting—an attempt to lure Brad into the trap. Dr. Hope reveals this is the third such forgery, with similar incidents involving Brad's guardian and trustee meetings.