The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-27

promised Ralph.
Even if they question you." went
| on Hendricks, lyon can make mp some
excuse. can trust to the inventive
genius of a man who can faint as ar
tistically as you did ON a certain occa-
sion. i"
Ralph flushed.
lit struck me all at once" said he.
"that was to be the next witness and
that I'd have to own up to the whole
of my scheme or swear lie. F"
''It certainly worked" smiled Hen
bricks. ~ thought you were goner
and turned two somersaults to get water
for you. BY the way, how's that hand
getting along that you bruised in the
gymnasium at the club where they
haven't one?"
Ralph grinned.
81 lied there outright" he admitted.
81 rubbed the skin off climbing the
rope. 1t cut like file"
well, don't forget tomorrow night,
was Hendricks parting injunction.
"Kola, give him a stiff drink of your
native brandy. Good night"
CHAPTER XVIII.
AS they were driving home in the
Cab Lampkin said:
How on earth was that effect pro-
ducsd in the darkened room? don't
think i was hypnotized.
Hendricks chuckled merrily.
"Kola attended to the pyrotechnics.
He refused to let me into the secret;
said it something countryman Of
his was going to get patented. The idea
for the seance came about this way: In
nosing around in old Bentons private
matters we discovered that he, without
the knowledge Of his associate, Mr..
Brooks Allen, or any of his family, had
been experimenting with certain Pro-
fessor Dewitt, who has invented an
improved instrument for photographing
bodies in motion. We found that Ben
ton had himself sat for several of the
test photographs and had been taken
in great many moving attitudes. Pro-
fessor Dewitt gave us an exhibition Of
some of these, and it occurred to my
East Indian that he could use certain
series Of negatives to advantage"
''Ah, I begin to underestimate ex-
claimed the doctor. cit was certainly
q good idea"
"Old Benton" continued the detect
i've, chad been photographed sitting at
a desk, rising slowly, with revolver in
his hand, taking deliberate aim at a
target and firing. The instrument ad-
mirably reproduced the flash and the
rising and vanishing smoke. Professor
Dewitt, at Kola's suggestion, removed
the revolver from the negatives, leaving
instead Mr.. Benton's index finger"
Admirable ideap' exclaimed the doc
tor. "Benton was supposed to point at
the one who had killed him."
HE seemed to be indicating each in
dividual of the group" answered Hen
bricks.
'Allen was the only one who gave
any outward show of weakness, re-
marked the doctor. "Ralph Benton said
he was i'll, and, to tell the truth, Allen
looks as If he had been slapped in the
face by the grim monster himself. {"
9 IF he is really i'll, this nights work
will come to naught," said the detect
i've. '.Kola says he gives him the i'm
preston of dying man. You may re-
call Aliens statement that he had had
certain DR.. Burton with him the
night of the murder. You remember he
refused to give me his address. Well,
Kola found doctor Of that name who
acknowledged he knew Allen quite
well; but, on being questioned. he re-
fused to talk, saying he made habit of
not speaking of his patients to stran-
gers"
"He was right" said Lampkin. "a
physician ought not to make free with
the affairs of his patients. I"
For a few minutes both men were
silent. The silence was finally broken
by Lampkin.
"Have you made anything out of
Montcastles and Miss Benton's mys-
terious conduct on the night Of the
murder?" he ventured.
"Not much. / am at work on it now.
I'm OH the track Of the cahman W Tho drove
them to and from the station. At first
I thought il was an East Orange rig,
but know now that it belonged to New
York. am still in deep water. with
nothing but my chin aAoat. A most
important step was made tonight in
clearing away Ralph, Bepton's part in
the matter. I breathe freer now and,
can use him 70 further my investiga-
lions" ''F'y g ~ ~ ~ 3
'Howr"
"I'lI explain tomorrow night. You'll
go over with meY'' go 80 80, . ' =
Most certainly"
"Al right. Here's your street. /" Hen,
bricks leaned out to order the driver to.
stop at Lampkin's number. "a
- 3
CHAPTER XIX.