Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-10-19

ham had managed 10 give the detec
tives the slip the first time he ap
peared 10 them.
Now that he was in the house the
reporter was confronted with the ne,
cessity of explaining his presence
there without betraying his true pur'
pose. This would not have been q
difficult matter had the inmates OF
the house been total strangers; but
he felt that il would be by no means
so easy 10 offer an explanation which
would be satisfactory TO n man OF
Murdock's keen perception. Aud Muir.
dock was the last person TO whom he
would have confided the true reason
of his visit; not only because the
chemist, as his opponent in the wager
concerning the Knickerbocker bank
mystery, was interested in thwarting
rather than in aiding his investiga.
ton, but chiefly because he felt a
strong instructive distrust of the man
AS these thoughts were passing
through the reporters mind, he slow
ly paced the long hall back and
forth, with his hands behind his back
In SO doing, he passed a door which
was slightly ajar and caught a
glimpse OF long rows of bookshelves
loaded with beautifully bound edi-
tions. The place was evidently the
library. 1t occurred to him that a
library is public room and that he
would be more comfortable in there
than in the hall.
He pushed open the door and looked
In. The room was empty. He en-.
tered
The library occupied a space be-
tween the parlor and the rear room
into which Murdoch had entered, and
it was separated from each of these
rooms by foldingdoor over which
hung heavy portieres.
Sturgis was a lover of books; his
interest was at once aroused in the
collection before him. 1t was adj
mirably selected from the standpoint
of a philosopher and man of sci
ence. Every department of history,
of philosophy and of science had its
section in which the volumes were
classified and arranged with intelli-
gent care. But curiously enough, po-
etry and art were but meagerly rep
resented.
One section specially attracted
Sturgis' attention. 1t was devoted en-.
tirely to the history of crime in all
its phases and in all ages. Criminal
statistics, criminal jurisprudence and
the psychology of crime, as well as
the biographies of all the noted Grim.
inals of ancient and modern times,
were completely represented. Almost
the only works of fiction in the col
lection were in this section, and in.
cluded every book imaginable con.
corning criminals and their deeds.
Many rare and curious volumes were
there-some of them so rare that they
could be found in only n few of the
great libraries of the world.
Here Sturgis was in his element.
He had himself collected valuable
library on the subjects kindred TO his
profession; but here were books many
of which none but Croesus could
ever hope TO own. He was soon alb.
sorbed in an examination of some rare
volumes which he had often longed
TO possess.
While thus engaged he became
aware of the murmur Of voices from
the rear room. As the words spoken
could NOT be distinguished, he paid no
special attention 10 them; but, in.
stinctiyely, he noted that one of the
voices flowed in the calm. even tones
so characteristic of Murdock's speech.
while the other, whose timbre and
modulations were unknown to him,
betrayed the repressed excitement OF
the speaker.
1t soon became evident that Muir
docks interlocutor was fast losing
control of himself: for he gradually
pitched his voice in a higher key, un-
til occasional words began TO reach
ears. The reporter was not
the man to wantonly play the part
of eayesdropper; therefore, although
brought no connected sense, he
judged that it was time to move out
of earshot of the conversation TO
which he was becoming an involun.
tary listener. Replacing upon its
shelf the book which he had been ex-
he started toward the hall
door. As he did so, he heard the
now thoroughly excited individual ex-
claim in loud tones:
al don't care a damn for the money.
l only went into the scheme because
you promised she'd have me; and, by
God, if l don't get her, I'll give the
whole cursed thing away"
Sturgis, who had reached the hall
door, pricked up his detectives ears
at these words But in another sec
ond he heard the knobs of the fold
ing doors rattle, as though some one
had placed his bands upon them.