The Wilmington daily Republican., 1902-03-20
EQUAL. =
PARTNERS
BY HoW.iRn FIELDING
Copyright. 1901. By Charles W. Hooke

Copyighf. 1901. b, Charles ". Hooke.
24->-:>I. ~.s>-a-e<.:>s.e..->s->s>.+8
"fernaps l am" the detective admit
ted. "Ihis new clew absolutely stands
my case on ITS head. II seems to prove
squarrly and fairly that everything
had figured on was not only wrong; 1t
was upside down. However, let us not
be lIasty. Let us think about the doc
tors. I'll take Il list of them"
And he produced pencil and paper
for that purpose.
"Now," said he, "weIl begin with
a."
''Tall, thin. young doctor. whose
nnnc begins with AT" said Alden.
81 don't know any; but. passing to h,
there's Blair" 3
Elmcndorf leaned back against the
wall and put the pencil and paper into
his pockets.
"Do you mean to tell nc that you
knew DR.. A. q. Blair before this case
came up!" be asked in a sort Of hope
less tone almost anglnblc.
"Why, certainly" replied Alden. I'D
met him."
"Yon showed no sign of 1t over at
Mrs. Simmons" said Elmendorf.
Didn't |? Well, the Lord knows
wha, l did there. Blair certainly bow.
ed to mc.'
II was watching you," said Elmen-
dorf. However, this simplifies mat
ters. You didn't know Blair wcil?"
Not intimately. Id met him several
times, and" he added, with smile,
II may have walked down Broadway
with him. but don't remember"
ats only small matter" said the
detective. with resumption of his
usual dciheanor. IL want TO ask Majr
question; that's ALL"
"ill go over with yon.' said Alden.
swat till have seen Kendall"
He walked toward the doctors room
aud ut the first turn Of the hall cncoan-
tered Brenda.
"ion We're going to see DR.. Kcndally'
she asked. "l'lcasc wait in his room"
She hurried by him and reached the
spot where Alden and the detective had
stood, just as the latter was upon the
stairs, for ii had not suited Elmendorf's
purpose to wait for Alden.
II Dust speak with you privately at
once" SHE said. Come
There was sol of bay window open.
ing from one of the corridors. and she
led Elmrn,lorf there They were par.
tally shielded from observation and
could speak in guarded tones without
much risk Of lring overheard.
''Mr. Elnrnlorf." she said, "how
could you do this thing! ! lave scri-
GUS wish to know"
II can do anything he answered,
the picture Of shame and woe. There's
absolutely 10 good in me. What made
you think there wasp
"Do you remember that you rose
when you saw that ! was not seated"
said she. lin ElSit's room that first ter.
rible day! That's not much, but your
manirr was fully that OF a gentleman"
II WAS trained IN II gcntlrnnan's home
IN Massachusetts" said Elnrndorf. 80
was VIZ SthllNlil''u . uoE, am WE uotu
remained bru,ts."
'YOu arranged u place to listen" said
Brenda. ''in that unused room ncxt El.
sizes. The nurse who helped you has
confessed TO IIr. Kendall 1t was she
and not you who overheard the story
told this afternoon"
She and no, z" echoed Elmsudorf !
III a voice Of the dead. "Do you think |
] ever lis,rn", there! Miss Maclanc.
there's some liinil even TO what | will |
do NO. no: | took the chance: that's /
all This nHrsr. whom | seem 10 have
got into a lot of trouble. as ] always ,
got ever. body sooner or later This
nurse islrinil when her duties would
let her knew Miss Miller would
some day tell her story to y0n."
New l!i;:, you have heard the story.
what shall you dD:" asked Errnda.
ii, seems evident" replied Elmcn-
dort. that IJr. Blair is the physician
referred TO ~ iliAl story. lie has
known her secret from the beginning.
Thai was WHY She had him here. to
plead with him Well, I've no faith in
Blur He's crooked. or I'm no judge.
Bu, he seems To have played Il fairly
crrtliiahlc part toward Elsie Miller"
( "nr. Blair" exclaimed Brenda. +
"1hink of his bcll. called to dress her
wound Think Of his standing there
IN thai room with NcaIr and ourselves
and keeping his own counsel so quiet
ly. begin to have an admiration Sor
him"
"Wv!l. wouldn't 80 so far rs that"
said F.Imrnilorf. He has had his self.
ish ends to serve. However, that is
neither here nor there now. am
going TO hil and shall make him tell
me- who that man is."
Her hushand:"
'Yrs."
"Ihen what will you do?" she
added.
Find him." said EImcnd0rf. land
zee that lie gets what he deserves.
This will afford me many different
kinds Of satisfaction. Miss Maclane.
] shall have credit for 1t in the news
papers. and they're the only friends
I've got. My job will be safe for an.
other year at least; shall beat Joe
Nenle. whom | hate devoutly. and,
lastly. slInll get square with the cow
nrd who struck down that little girl.
have lonsed for blm ever since
Iirst saw her. It's a poor thing to do
for her, but it's all ever can do. I'm
lfraid."
''It Is no service to her," said Brenda:
'far from It. You will reveal her
secret"
Nothing can save that" he replied.
ut Is a mere dream to think 1t can be
]one."
1T is not dream" rejoined Brenda.
1T shall be kept secret II possible.
She ia wise tn wish H. though of