Willmar tribune., 1897-12-28
From Clue to Climax. .
~ Will n. HARBEN.
copyright 1896. by J. 3. Lippincott Col
CHAPTER XV.-CONTINUED.


seiricks. I could see indications of it's
having been regummed and resealed. It
is almost impossible to put paste on an
envelope as smoothly by hand as it is
done by machine"
$50 you thought began WILDLY.
"That when the individual who had
written my mother under the name of
Frederick Champney had received the
letter coming on the heels of my tele-
gram, his first impulse was to return it
unopened, being afraid the reception of
1T would tend to show his whereabouts.
But, being curious to know what I had
to say, he first opened it; read it, and
dhen sealed and returned it. Not a bad
idea, eh:"
WILDLY nodded "It failed, however,
to take you in"
"And, moreover, it put me ON to sub
stantial clew. See. here are the two
envelopes side by side-the one ad-
dressed to my mother and the other to
Mr. Strong. Now for points of re-
senblance. The handwriting, though
disguised, is the same; the ink under a
glass shows the same crystal forma-
tions; the two letters were sent from
the same postal station in New York;
and, though the color and quality of
each envelope are different, yet under
the flaps, in raised letters, are the names
of the same retail dealers in New York.
See-Ramage & Co.,. Stationers, East
Fourteenth street. The two envelopes
were purchased at the same shop"
But" said WILDLY, doesn't it strike
YOU that it is rather an unnatural thing
for man guilty of murder to do-to
openly write to the mother of a detective
to get his address?''
''People guilty of crime will do the
most foolish things in the world" Hen
bricks answered.; 'but I have to resort
to my own vanity to account for his
having done as he did. Aatter myself
that he knew something of my skill in
in detecting crime, and once he found
himself guilty he regarded me as the
anan he had the most to fear. He dis
covered, as his note to my mother
shows, that was out OF town. That
anade him uneasy. The thought
troubled him so much that he simply had
to satisfy his mind on that point. He
supposed his little game with my
mother would succeed, and that she
would think no more about it after re-
plying to his note.''
@Ah, yes," exclaimed Miss Delmar.
'<and when he got your letter and tele-
gram it must have frightened him to
find himself in direct correspondence
with the man, of all others, he was most
anxious to avoid"
EXACTLY" the detective agreed; land
Hshall lose nothing by what he has done,
for his letter shows me where to look
for him. He is in New York, and has
been there ever since he committed the
murder and scattered those notes about
town. They were designed to make us
think the murderer lived here"
+tBut," said Miss Delmar, 1'surely you
Mave overlooked the fact that Mr..
Roundtree has received a warning since
then, and that Mrs. Walters has been
shot at by the man hinse1f?''
Hendricks looked little embarrassed.
II can't explain Il hat now," he said;
~@but L know whereof:I speak. HeSis<in
New York: am going there tonight,
a,,d shall do my best to lift the cloud
from over your two heads. If fail, it
won't be my fault. shall not leave a
stone unturned." !;
whether you succeed or not, we shall
mover forget you for all you have done
and are trying to do" said Miss Delmar.
II really don't know what we shall do.
Ny father is threatening to disinherit
and disown me, and if half the world
continues to believe Mr.. WILDLY guilty
we shall be miserable enough" 49,.
~You are, indeed. in q disagreeable
situation said Hendricks; in, kindly.
tone. ''No one knows better than I. To
bo frank-though the bare fact may
pain you a ittle-I must tell you nosv
that it has only been On my earnest
assurance that I had hopes of producing
the real criminal that have kept Welsh
and his gang from arresting you, Mr..
Whidby." ,.# =. "a
There was silence for moment. Miss
Delmar changed countenance, though
she strove nard to keep her self-posses-
sion. " '> %>s.s : s7,~zg5 ~. N II
Ig-