The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-05

hunt up the detective. / decided to think
no more about my strange adventure.
1 was rather late in leaving the hospital
that afternoon, and when l reached my
nome my boy told me that several patients
were already waiting for me. / hurried into
my office and sat down at my desk. on
which number of letters had accumu-
lated. | was looking these over when L
heard the door open, and, glancing up. my
eyes fell upon-Argot! | stared at him for
a moment in silence. Could this reserved
and highly respectable person be my visitor
of the night before? Never. / concluded.
He stood respectfully near the door till l
down on the very edge of the chair, and,
laying his hat on my desk, pulled out
handkerchief and mopped his forehead. l
waited for him to begin, which he seemed
10 find some difficulty in doing. AT last he
said:
'Meestair. 1 come about a vera Fad
zing."
"Yes?' 1 inquired.
You ave seen my yife?
L did not answer at once; then, as | was
uncertain how much he knew, L decided
that 1t would be safest to confine myself
''She is a vera fine woman, not?" he de-
manded, with visible pride.
Very much so,'' L assented. What could
he be leading up to, / wondered?
But, helas," he continued, "she is
little" here he touched his forehead sig
nifcantly, while he gazed at me less keenly
from under his bushy brows.
.'She quite wild some time he insisted.
"Indeed?'
Yes; she do some strang zings; she vera
good vife-sough-verra good cook" He
paused.
What are you telling me all this for?
What do you want me to do about it?' L
inquired.
'Eh bien, meestair; it is because she want
to come TO see you, and she like you to be
sorry, so she ave trowed herself down and
ave 'urt 'ersef She lika re mems too
m rRh Hah raDlxr hill. lilo
nant expression fitted across his face.
1t no longer seemed TO me impossible that
this middle-aged butler and the apparition
of the night before could be Identical and
there and then l determined that in future
pistol should repose in the top drawer of
my desk.
Perhaps your wife is slightly hysteri-
Now, for the first time my eyes left his
face and happened to fall on his hat, which
was lying brim upwards at my elbow: My
astonishment, when L noticed that the mi
tails A. Il. were printed in large letters on
the inner band, was so great that / could
hardly control myself. l looked for the
makers name-Halstead, Chicago | made
out. Could this be the missing hat? 1t
seemed incredible. Argot would never dare
display so openly such a proof of his guilt
But If he were demented (Which | firmly
believed him to be- would not this Haunting
of his crime be one of the things one might
expect of an insane man? / had been so
startled that 1t was some minutes before 1
preston would betray me. l have abso-
lutely no idea what he was talking about
during that time, but the next sentence I
caught was: "She will, she will come, but
you just say, nonsense, Eat is Messing, and
zen she CO.
VERY WELL" 1 assured him, anxious to
get rid of the fellow. Il quite understand
and, rising from my chair, dismissed him
with nod.
My office was still full of people, and ]
think that seeing those other patients was
about the most difficult thing L ever did.
But at last even that ordeal was over, and
i was able to start out in search of the
detective. 1 had a good deal of difficulty
in finding him, and. after telephoning all
over creation, at last met him accidentally,
not far from the Rosemere. / was so ex-
cited that hailed him from long way off
pointing significantly the while to my hat
BY Jove, you should have seen him sprint
/ had no idea those short legs of his could
make such good time. We met almost di-
rectly in front of my door.
What is it?'' he painted
Without answering l took him by the ell
bow and led him into the house. He sank
exhausted into one of my office chairs.
whats up?" he repeated.
enjoy my small triumph to the full, II only
wanted to ask you if you have yet found
the missing hat.
mo; l can't say j have His face fell
perceptibly. But l know where straw
hat bearing the name of Chicago halter
and with the initials "A. B. stamped on the
inside band can be found 1 added.
You don't say so? Where is it?' He
spoke quietly. but l noticed that his eyes
glistened.
moment but when 1 last saw it it was or
this desk
ION this desk, and you allowed it" He
paused speeches. with disgust.
Certainly, i allowed it to be taken away
If that is what you mean. However, yol
can easily get 1t again. 1t Is not far off
But assure you have no intention of ap
pearing in the character of the corpse In
another sensational tragedy"
who brought it here?' demanded Mr.
| Merritt.
well, do you think that Argot would b.
a likely person. 1 asked
"Argotn' He was evidently surprised.
Eyes, Argot." And / told him all that
had lately discovered about the couple, and
of their separate visits to me. Neither die
fail to mention the strange apparition Of
the night before, which had caused me Sc
much uneasiness.
He seemed much impressed and stared
| gravely before him for some minutes.
You are really not at all sure that the
| white face belonged to Argot, are your"
NO" l acknowledged.
'Well, DOCTOR he continued after &
| slight pause, Its queer thing that, JUS
| as you have succeeded in persuading me
| that hatpin is hardly masculine weap
| on, and that, therefore, 1 ought to look fol
| a murderess, and not a murderer, you, OF
| the other hand. should have come to the
| conclusion that a man is the perpetrator Of
| this crime
'Ah, but you see, Mr. Merritt, 1 dom
! believe the victim was killed by hat pin
| 1 think he was pierced through the hear
| by a skewer, which, in a kitchen, Argo
would have found under his hand
well, doctor, you may be right. Live
| and learn, / always say. L shall call a
| once at the Argots and have look at thi.
| hat"
Don't you think you had better have
| him arrested first and question him after
| wards? | am convinced that he is insane
| and likely to become violent at any mo-
ment; We don't want any more murders
| you know"
THAT is all very well, doctor, but / cam
| have the fellow arrested till 1 have some
| thing to go on. The hat you saw may mo-
| be the one We want; or, again, Argot may
| have found it,"
well, il you insist on boarding him le
| me go with you"
"Certainly not You are young, and
| we'll, not .uncalculated to arouse his mari
| ital jealousy, while l., patting his portly
| person, lam not likely to cause him an,
| such anxieties. Even age and fat hav,
| their uses sometimes.
But he may try to cut your throat"
| objected
Zone of my men will be just outside, anC
will probably get to me before he has quit,
| finished me-" He had risen, and stood will
his hand on the door knob.
Look here, doctor, I'd like to bet yol
| that Argot Is innocent, and that woman
and mighty pretty woman, too. is tn
| guilty party.
| bet you $50 that a man committed thi
crime
| "Done." exclaimed the detective and
/ pulling out his pocketbook, he recorded tn
| bet with great care. He looked at me 70
| a moment longer with one of those quie
4 of hic and caraor tod