The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-08
PRIZE pETEcTIv STORIES, NO. ie.

little door. as we stood there, and brushed
around our feet. Mr.. Dix stopped and
stroked her. Then he went quickly 10
the door, beside which her little entrance
was arranged, unlocked It, and stepped
out. / was following him, but he mo-
toned me back.
"None of my boarding mistress win
dows command u.s., he said, "but she
might come TO her back door, IT."
/ watched him. lie passed slowly along
the little winding footpath which skirted
the rear of our house and extended faintly
through the grassy field TO the rear OF
Phoebe Dole's. lie stopped, searched
clump of sweetbriar, went on to an old
well and stopped there. The well mas
been dry many year, and was choked
up with stones and rubbish. Some boards
are laid over II, and big stone or TWO 10
keep them in place.
Mr.. Dix, glancing across at Phoebe
Dole's back door, went down on his
knees, rolled the stones away, then re-
moved the boards, and peered down the
well. He stretched far over the brink
ana reached down. He made many
efforts; then ne got up and came to me,
and asked me 10 get for him an um brella
with a crooked handle or something that
he could hook into clothing.
/ brought my own umbrella, the silver
handle of which formed an exact hook
He went back TO the well, knelt again,
enough, what he had been fishing for.
Then he came bringing ii to me.
"Don't faint, he said, and took hold
OF my arm. / gasped when l saw what
he had-my fathers blue overalls, all
stained and splotched with blood!
/ looked at them, then at him.
"Don't faint" he said again. "We're
on the right track. This is where the
button came from; see?" He pointed to
one of the straps of the overalls, and the
button was gone. Some white thread
clung TO it.. Another black metal button
was sewed on roughly with the same
white thread that / had found on the
button in my box OF clues.
"what does it mean?" i gasped out.
My brain reeled.
HYou shall know soon," he said. He
looked at his watch. Then he laid down
the ghastly bundle he carried. "It has
puzzled you to know how the murderer
went i'm and out, and yet kept the doors
locked, has il not?" he asked.
eyes"
"well, am going out now. Hook
that door after me.
He went out, still carrying my um-
brella. i hooked the door. Presently /
saw the lid of the cats door lifted and
his hand and arm thrust through. He
curved his arm up toward the hook, but
ii came short by a half foot. Then he
withdrew his arm, and. thrust in my
silver handled umbrella. He reached the
door hook easily enough with that.
Then he hooked IL again. That was
not 80 easy--he had TO work a long time.
Finally he accomplished it, unlocked
the door again, and came in.
"That was how?" l said.
"No, 10 was not he returned. "No
human being, fresh from such deed,
could have used such patience as that to
fasten the door after him. Please hang
your arm down by your side. T"
/ obeyed. 1 looked at my arm, then at
his own.
"Have you tape measure?' he asked.
/ brought one out of my work basket.
He measured his arm, then mine, and
then the distance from the car-door to
the hook.
have two tasks for You today and to-
morrow he said. al shall come here
very little. Find all your fathers old
letters and read them. Find man or
woman In this town whose arm is six
inches longer than yours. Now i must
go home, or my boarding mistress will
get curious.
He went through the house to the front
door, looked all ways to be sure no eyes
were upon him, made three strides down
the yard, and was pacing soberly up the
street with his cyclopaedia under his
arm.
made myself cup OF coffee; then
went about obeying his instructions.
read old letters all the forenoon / found
packages in trunks In the garret--there
were quantities i'm fathers desk. / have
selected several to submit to Mr.. Dix.
One of them treats OF an old episode in
fathers youth, which must have years