Excerpt: "His friends speculated and investigated, curiously, eagerly, fearfully, but to no pur pose. What was the motive? Where had he gone? Had he committed suicide? Was he insane? The elders of the church em ployed a detective, and the friends of his wife took up the search, but Witherle was not found. He had left as little trace where by he could 'be followed as a meteor leaves when it rushes across the sky."