The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-06-29

tagging below was hardly more thar
10 or Is feet. But the yard, which
was Of diminutive size on account Of
the space allotted to the garden or
the street, was inclosed by an I'M
usually high fence. protected by 4
row Of sharp and closely set spikes
These looked 40 formidable that thu
thought Of anyone attempting tc
scale the fence instantly suggested
visions OF impaled wretches writing
in oriental tortures. The only pos
slble exit from the yard, therefore
seemed to be through the basementl
that is to say, past the kitchen and
the servants department.
All these thoughts flashed through
the reporters brain in small frac.
ton Of the time which is required to
record them. They occurred to him
unbidden, while his conscious efforts
were centered upon discovering how
Chatham had managed to escape from
Ahe rear Of the Manhattan Chemical
compsny's building.
This sturgis recognized without
much difficulty. 1t was directly in
line with the house In which he now
was, and Its yard did not differ from
the neighboring ones, the fences Of
which could be scaled without much
trouble. Chatham evidently might
have passed into any one of several
buildings which lacked the protection
Of the formidable spikes that SO eff
fectually guarded the approach to
Murdock's house from the rear.
One point. however, was puzzling.
Why should Chatham take the trou.
Bile and the risk of scaling fences in
broad daylight, only to return u few
hours later by the street door under
the very noses of the detectives from
whom he had presumably wished to
escape? There seemed to be no plaus-
ible answer to this question.
But Sturgis was not given much
time in which to consider it; for MUIR
dock, who had waited for him to
breach the subject of his interview,
now coldly remarked:
perhaps, Mr.. sturgis, you will be
good enough to inform me to what
! owe the honor Of this visit ~
Sturgis took as pretext the first
subject which came into his mind.
Doctor" said he, II have been told
that you were engaged in series Of
brilliant chemical researches; that
You had proved, or were on the point
Of proving, that several, at least, Of
the so-called elementary metals are
compounds; thus ushering in the
realization Of the dream Of the al.
chemists.--the transmission of met
ais"
"You have not come here to inter
view Inc on the subject of my chemical
ressarches?" laughed Murdoch.
why not?'
Because ! gave you credit for pos
sessipg the scientific spirit. A man
spends years in making series of ex-
haustive experiments, and refrains
from advancing any theory until he
has built up an elaborate monument Of
cold facts; and you ask him to make
q premature report, to be spread broad
cast In sensational sheet, with all the
embellishments which an unbridled re-
portorial Imagination can add to it.
No, sir, my report, when It is ready,
will be made through the proper chan
nels. am surprised that one who
passes for a NAH of science should be
willing to make such a request"
, II Murdoch intended to gall the re-
porter, he succeeded; for, modest as he
was, sturgis prided himself above all
things upon the scientific value Of his
work in all Its aspects. He manifested
no external sign OF annoyance, how
ever, as h6 answered. with a smile:
II ain not q man of science now, but
only reporter"
I'm that case" replied Murdock "lct
Us talk Of something else. Ishould be
pleased to discuss my chemical re-
searches with Mr.. Sturgis, the scientist;
but with Mr.. Sturgis, the reporter,
should prefer to talk about something
In his line of knowledge; let me see,
shall We say the Knickerbocker bank
mystery, for instance?"
The reporters ear detected the ven.
omous sarcasm to which he was now
accustomed from this strange man.
He raised his eyes to those of the chem
list, and for the space of few seconds
the two men looked steadily into each
others souls.
Then a sudden light flashed across
Sturgls' brain, and he started percepti-
bly,. At the same time he thought he
saw shadow cross Murdock's impas-
sive features; but in this he might have
been mistaken, for when he looked
again the chemist was regarding him
with an air of mild curiosity.
us anything the matter, Mr.. Stur
sis?" he asked.
"only q sudden thought carelessly
replied sturgis, who to all appearances
had completely recovered from the mo-
mentary shock produced by the sud
denness Of the suspicion which had
crossed his mind. "Your mention of
the Kniekerbocker bank mystery re-
minded me OF something. that is all"
Ito BE eoNTINUED.l
Nat