The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-17
CHAPTER XXI.

Two days later Lampkin received q
lote from Hendricks. II ran as follows:
Be at your office tonight at o'clock.
HENDRICKS
When the detective came. the doctor
was busy examining under powerful
microscope some consumption germs
which had that afternoon been sent him
by distinguished physician.
BUSY, see, was Hendricks greet
ing as he sat down in an easy chair aud
dropped his slouched hat Oh the floor.
How are you? Through in min
ute," responded the doctor. Il want to
get at the nature Of this batch of germs
Conway sent me this afternoon. I know
little about such things, but he always
wants me to sanction his conclusions. +"
"What sort are they?" asked Hen
bricks absentmindedly.
Lampkin laughed, with bis eye to
tho microscope.
'Do you expect me to waste valuable
lung power explaining things to you
when your mind is thousand miles
away? Go to! What luck at Benton 81"
mot much," answered Hendricks.
"I'm stranded. Would you believe, old
man, that night before last, after we
got back from East Orange, went
home, went to bed, failed to sleep, got
up, walked to Central park and back
and then went out to Benton s?''
II shouldn't have been surprised If
you had taken your passage to Europe
on half inflated life preserver. But
really, did you go back ont there?''
"That's what did. You see, was
satisfied Montoastle's yarn was straight,
and all at once 1t seemed to dawn on
me that had absolutely nothing to
work on except the bullet which had
lodged so lightly in the wall Of the
summer house."
but Allen,' put in DR.. Lampkin,
removing one Of the glass slides from
his microscope and selecting another.
II thought
"No," Hendricks broke in; II haven't
blasted bit of evidence against him.
The fact that he had quarreled with old
Benton when Benton was rowing with
every soul around him wouldn't count
for anything. So, you see, it was the
bullet or nothing. Anyway 1t kept me
from sleeping. crept into the grounds
at the side gate and by the light Of
dark lantern carefully examined the
wood in which the ball had lodged,
hoping that some idea would pop into
my Uranium, as it often does"
"You usually have ideas to spare"
remarked Lampkin, adjusting the green
shade over his eyes and looking again
into his microscope. "Have you heard
how Allen is getting onP'
II don't know much about him." re-
piled Hendricks. "Kola is looking aft
er him. He has been about Benton's all
duy in the disguise of laborer. Lato
this afternoon no sent mo hasty mes
sage that Allen was to be moved to
private hospital up town. Kola prom
Used to meet me here this evening""
II am glad Allen will have medical
attention." said Lampkin. "He was
such sad sight that l have not been
able to stop thinking about him."
1T ID the bullet that's troubling me-"
said Hendricks "When can't sec nat
ural reasons for thing, it runs me
wild. can't account for the ball not
having had more force than it had.
have talked to pistol makers, gunsmiths
and old sportsmen, but none of them
can explain it.
Hendricks rose, took the bullet from
his pocket and unwrapped the tissue pa
per from about it. "You see." be con-
tinued, the pointed end Of it ID scarce
lS fastened" ..... t.
Dr. Lampkin examined the bit Of lead.