The Van Buren press., 1894-12-22

conscious agent " tne mlemeno8cnfns NJ
Of his affairs
A young man smokine rood cigar.
/ we'll dressed, well Rloved and booted,
walked into the 01acc OF the Central
European hotel, and saunterinR to the
rear laid his Cigar on the marble
counter, behind which the elefk was
busy.
Il wish y foom,s he said, in . la
comic tone. "You may give me No. H."
THAT number is taken. sir"
what name?'' y
"Name of Roberts.
"Here you are, them" and he handed
the clerk card.
"All right, sif. Here, Dave, show
this gentleman to room IL, and be
quick about It"
The gentleman" made himself COM
Portable, but not quite In the usual
way. He threw away his cigar before
he reached the room, and he ordered
nothing except box of matches. The
gas was already lighted, as if In an
ticipation OF his coming, but rs soon
ns the boy brought the matches and
left again, he turned the gas off, leav-
ing himself in darkness Aexce.>t Ter
| gllmmer Of light that came In over the
transom. He had seen with one quick
glance where the door of communities
ton between that room and the next
was located. and he had placed b chair
in convenient proximity to It Then
he sat down In the darkness and
waited.
Half an hour later two people en-
tered the room, which was, as may
have been readily surmised, parlor b
two men who talked In low tones and
locked the door after them! The
trained senses Of the detective in room
II were on the alert. No word escaped
him.
TITS shameful conspiracy" said
one of the voices In parlor B; moth
ing like 1t has been known In modern
times. 1t will be startling revela-
ton to society people, ssiS
How did yor happen to suspect
him?"
II heard him talking and muttering
to himself, He snid: 4 hate himl I
wish he was deadr Then he sent the
boy to his house on an errand. lie re-
turned with two bottles OF wine, some
choice vintage he brought from mon-
nstery in Italy. have heard him
praise 1t to the skies and say TINT it
was worth Its weight In gold. When
the wine came he sent the boy away,
and poured out q glass at the side
board in his office. Then heard him
say. If one of us were dead she
would marry the other"
Referring to the beautiful widow
Mrs McTavish?'
referring to the beautiful widow
Mrs. McTavish. knew then that he
had poisoned the wine, and sent Off a
messenger in hot haste with note to
Mr.. Armitage."
"What did You tell him9,
II said, Sir, your old friend Powell
Plummer sends you two bottles of
wine. For Gods sake do not touch
them; they are poisoned. Keep this
Knowledge secret for few days. and
believe me, sir, true friend"
'You signed your name to it9'
"Yes. did"
i "Wonderful. Eugene, you have
given me lift shall not soon forget.
Why, man, do you know what this
means to me9 A trip to Europe on my
share of the dividends.
"What markets can you control?"
New York, Boston, Cincinnati,
Chicago, Milwaukee, St Louis, San
Francisco and a dozen others"
mako list. We must have this all
dow in a business way. 1t is tie
enterprise Of II ! nm looking at. We
will be pointed out rs two of the ris'
ing"
| "Histl thought I heard some one in
the next ROOM"
Nonsense. II anyone is In the next
room it is some guest Of the house. II
is not Powell Plummer, the poisoner,
nor his friend Philip Armitage, the
poisoned"
mo; believe me, Clem, millionaires
are not In a hurry to shuttle off from a
world where they are having such a
good time. He, too, desires to live for
Mrs. Mcrnvish.
when will you see Mr.. Armitage?'
inquired the one addressed as Clcm.
"We will go there tonight. have
ordered carriage to be here at ten
He expects us at half-past that hour.
At that moment there come knocl
at the door and the carriage was an
nounccd.
When they were gone the detective
In the next room lighted the gas, re
placed the chair in Its proper angle
and walked deliberately down ths
staircase to the office, where he waitet
long enough to light a cigar.
Business good these days?" asked
the clerk, carelessly.
Blooming" was th, unusual reply
as with no other word the taciturn in
dividual walked away.
Philip Armitage, the well-knowr
and much beloved millionaire second
was walking the floor OF his library in
state of the widest agitation. HI
almost wished now that the lettel
warning him of the poison in the wine
had never been received.
II would rather at this moment b,
lying cold in death than know tha
the friend have loved and respected
for SO many years could have don,
such terrible deed. l fondly be
lieved, rather, that he would have
died for me, as would have died fol
himl'
Two gentlemen, sir, who say the.
have an appointment with you," ant
a servant handed in a couple OF cards
Bring them in here, Simpson, ani
see that am not disturbed"