Daily camera., 1897-07-23
awhile after he went into the room

WILDLY, land read the letter again.
From where l was in the hall could see
the paper quivering in his hands. He
remained there for long time, as if
in deep thought. and then threw the
envelope into a waste-paper basket,
took down file, and put the letter care
fully away"
"Ah, l see. Good, so far!" exclaimed
| Hendricks. ''Do you think you would
know that letter again?"
81 don't know; perhaps so. 1t was in
large, square, blush envelope, and
the sheet was of the same color, and of
| letter-paper size"
II am glad you remember those de-
! tails said Hendricks. "Now let's in
spect that file. May we not go in the
room where Mr.. Strong kept his pa
pers?"
Certainly" said WILDLY. "The coast
is clear. Matthews is staying down
stairs. am answering the doorbell"
cat this young lady's suggestion" :"
said the detective, with laugh, as they
were crossing the hall.
"Pray how did you guess that, I'd like
to know?" Miss Delmar asked.
"You were afraid your father would
call here, and if Mr.. WILDLY answered
the bell you would have time to hide.
Is not that true?''
"Perfectly,' replied the girl. with a
| laugh. I'm glad he isn't famous de-
tective. He would have found me out
| long ago."
When they entered the llttleroom and
approached the desk, which was near a
started to draw the letter-1ile from a
pile of books and papers on shelf over
head, but the detective called out:
Hold ON! Don't touch it," and he
brought a chair and placed it under the
shelf. Then he went to the window
raised the shade as high as it would go,
and let in the sunlight; after which he
stepped upon the chair, and, with a
hand on each end of the shelf, looked
carefully at the books and papers on
which the file rested.
"Ah, blast his ugly pictured" he ejacu-
lated. Hes noUoly's fool"
whats the matter" asked WILDLY.
"We shan't find the letter, after all.
Hendricks lifted the file, and stepped
down to the floor. af
"Why, you haven't looked" protested
Miss Delmar.
"Yes, have" said the detective, in
disappointed tone. "Those books and
papers up there are thicllly covered
with dust, but the file is comparatively
free from it." 1-l-
"Ah." said Miss Delmar. "Some one
has been handling it,
Exactly; and quite recently" Hen
bricks opened the boX-like file and be-
gan to turn over the papers fastened in
by sharp-pointed steel prongs. "Ah!
see they are arranged according to
date of arrival. You think, Mr.. WILDLY,
that the letter you remember noticing
came about a month ago. Well, we must
turn to about the goth of June. All!
here is the spot; and, by Jove! our
friend was in a hurry-not so very eau
tious. after all"
"What is it?" asked WILDLY.
"He has torn letter out at this place.
And it was a blue one, too, for he has
left tiny fragmentof it on the prongs.'
Hendricks held a minute piece of paper
towards WILDLY. docs that look like
the paper on which that particular let
ter was written?'
| 81 think So
Hendricks nodded, and put the torn
piece into the back part of his watch
case. Then, taking the letter-file to the
window, he laid it on the end of the
desk, and, keeping it open at the place
where the letter had been distracted, he
examined it closely.
Miss Delmar drew nearer her lover.
81 do hope he will find the criminal.
It would make me happier than any
thing in the world,' she whispered.
81 don't think there is much hope,
replied WILDLY, in a low tone, as he
stealthily pressed her hand, his eyes on
! the broad back of the detective.
81 think there is great deal,' said
the girl "Oh, should simply be de-
lighted to be able to show papa that you
are innocent, after all! He would never
chject then, you know. for you would
be your uncle's legal heir, and worth
more money than l could ever expect
from papa. If only"
'By Jove!" Hendricks startled ex-
clamation drew their eyes to him. He
was holding the file close to his face
and examining letter with his lens.
what is it?" asked WILDLY.
"B-l-o-o-d!" said Hendricks, playfully,
in deep, gurgling tone. "The fellow
| extracted that letter within two min
utes after he cut Strong's throat"
"How do you know?" asked Miss Del
! mar.
81 find traces of blood on each of the
two letters between which the missing
one lay. So far, so good! Now, there is
but one course of action, and if that
fails / shall be at sea; so, Mr.. WILDLY,
keep your wits about you. The letter
taken from this file must have been of
such nature that it would associate
the writer of it with the crime That