The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-11-26

laughed. "Sorry we are busy today
81 like your cheek, remarked DR..
Lampkin when the young man had left
the room.
"Sh!' The smile had left Hendricks
face. 1t was tense and serious. He rose
softly, tiptoed to the door, opened it
slightly and looked out.
Cant be too cautious" he remarked
as he leaned chair against the door to
keep it closed. Eyes, / admire my
cheek" he went on as he came back
to the doctor, but like his more.
tell you he's corker 4"
81 dropped on to your ruse to get
him out of the room," said Lampkin.
II knew of no Thompson or any corner
LOTT
Better to do it decently," returned
the detective. Never give 'em chance
to be defiant and tell you to mind your
own business. My idea is to keep on
friendly terms with the whole lot. 1t
was that fragment was after" Hen
bricks pointed to the charred remains of
the envelope. HE was burning it as
we came up stairs. l could smell it
through the crack of the door, That's
why broke in so suddenly"
Hendricks took a sheet Of writing
paper from the desk and slid it careful
ly under the frail, crisp fragment
Don't dare to breathe on it," he
cautioned as he carried it toward win
dow. cit will go to pieces like soap
bubble. was awfully afraid he'd get
his foot on it and grind it into atoms "
The detective raised the sheet of paper
to his eyes and examined the burned en-
velope carefully. Lampkin heard him
calculate something in a tone of disap
pointment
Empty and blank at thatl'' he NUT
tered.
What could the fellow mean by de-
stroying it?' asked DR.. Lampkin.
The brows of the detective met. He
looked about the room, shifted the air
and pointed to a stream of smoke issu-
ing from the room through a crack be-
meath window sash.
''He has burned more paper than
that" he remarked. "He was all fired
quick about it. We did not burst in on
him soon enough"
AS Hendricks spoke he began to thor
oughly search the room.
''Ah, running waterl' he exclaimed,
going to the hot and cold water basin
in little alcove adjoining the room
and looking into it. Got match, doc
tor? It's dark here.'
Lampkin struck one and gave it to
H. soIx 1xaIl he 10 81
carefully examined the porcelain sur
face Suddenly he raised himself.
Never saw his beat, he said. "The
young rascal has absolutely washed the
remains of burned paper into the city
sewer. He is now laughing in his sleeve
at my maneuvering to get possession of
that blank envelope. That's the second
time he has done me. I'll keep the
count"
IT don't quite like his looks" re-
marked the doctor. ut seems to me he
il trying to cover up something"
Hendricks said nothing, but taking
the charred envelope from the desk he
laid it exactly on the spot where it had
blown from Ralph's hand.
ut can't aid me to keep it, and when
he comes back here and finds it still
there he will be thrown off the track.
Now we must take peep at the
young fellows belongings. I don't
think he was undressed last night
that u.s. am pretty sure he did not
take off his shirt and necktie.
"Why?"
because young man Of his taste
would never wear black dress bow,
such as he has on now, with a business
suit of Clothes"
"You think, then, that he was in
evening dress last night?" asked DR..
Lampkin.
Hendricks opened closet "See ali
those coats neatly hung on coat stretch
ers back there?" he asked.
Lampkin nodded.
THAT shows the young man is order
ly by habit" went on the detective.
well, here hangs his evening suit. 1t
has simply been jerked on to the hook.
You know man is more particular
about his evening suit than any other.
There is little doubt that Ralph Benton
took off these garments in a rush last
night. Hendricks carried the coat,
vest and trousers to one of the windows
and examined them closely in the light.
Lampkin saw him holding up first one
article and then another, with per-
picked look ON his face"
Whats up?" asked the doctor, APP
preaching him.
II can't account for the presence of
these fragments of tow" answered
Hendricks. II find them on the lapels
of the coat, ON the front part of the vest
and absolutely rubbed into the cloth on
the inside of the trousers legs. See!'' he
exclaimed. 1.-THE silk has been worn
off one of the vest buttons. I"
That's strange said Lampkin.
II should think so, answered Hen
bricks. How in thunder could man
get suit of clothes in exactly that
condifion?''