The representative., 1901-04-25

himself alone in the hall. He was
glad of short respite during which
he might collect his thoughts; for,
having been taken by surprise, he had
not had time to select plausible
topic for the interview which he had
solicited from Murdock. Not know
ing that the house was that of the
chemist. his sole object had been to
gain admittance, so that he might be
able to observe the Manhattan Chem
ical eompaDy's Offices from the rear,
and II possible to ascertain how Chat
ham had managed to give the detec-
tives the slip the arst time he ap-
peared to 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 pnr-
pose. This would not have been a
difficult matter had the inmates of
the house been total strangers; but
he felt that it would be by no means
SO easy to offer an explanation which
would be satisfactory to d man Of
Murdock's keen perception. And 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
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 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. It occurred to him that a
library is a 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 folding doors over which
hung heavy portieres.
Sturgis was a lover Of books; his
interest was at once aroused in the
collection before him. 1t was ad-
mirably selected from the standpoint
of 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 curiousiy enough. po-
etry and art were but meagerly rep
resented.
One section specially attracted
Sturgis' attention. It 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 we'll 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
cluded every book imaginable con-
cerning criminals and their deeds.
Many rare and curious volumes were
there-some of them so rare that they
could be found in only 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
professions; 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 to them; but, in
stinctively. 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 higher key, un-
til occasional words began to reach
Sturgis' ears. The reporter was not
the man to wantonly play the part
of eavesdropper; therefore, although
the isolated words which reached him
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 it's
shelf the book which he had been ex-
amining, he started toward the hall
door. AS he did SO. he heard the
now thoroughly excited individual ex-
claim in loud tones:
81 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 | 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 hands upon them.
Quick as thought he opened the
door and glided out into the hallway.
He had not time to pull the door
quite to behind him when the folding
doors opened and he heard Murdock
say in his calm. frigid tones:
Perhaps you have done that al
ready with your dulcet voice."
Had Murdock seen him? The re-
porter asked himself the question.