Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-05-30
Mr.. Lamm7" questioned Mr.. MICA.

Mr.. Lamm?" questioned Mr.. NlcA.
ard Fetridge.
THAT is my name, sir"
| Excuse me. l know you. I need
your services at once. | have unlimited
money at my disposal. You have been
recommended to me by trusted friends
as most discreet in your calling.
Come with mel"
The two were in Mr.. Fetridge's pri.
vate office. and the door secured
against intrusion before Detective
Lamm's vis-a-vis declared himself.
Pardon my .abruptness,' said Fet-
ridge. Pressing business must be my
excuse. Not to waste time in pream-
bles. Detective Lamm, want to retain
your services in matter Of vital in
terest to me. You shall fix the amount
OF compensation yourself. Now will
you undertake this service?"
Mr.. Lamm looked at him calmly.
"That depends somewhat upon the ma
ture of the business in hand" he said,
dryly.
"Oh, it's perfectly legitimate" went
on Mr.. Fetridge. "It's this terrible
murder in Marlboro street.-the killing
| of, Paul North. He was my friend; ;
/ am On intimate terms with the fam
lily, and wish to be kept fully posted
on the progress of the work Of detect
| ing the guilty party"
"Umha! You have keen interest
IN this matter, sir!'
why, detective" said Fetridge, edg-
ing his chair closer, Il have good rea-
son to be eager in this matter. AS
man to man, l tell you here that I
believe the guilty man in this case to
be Paul North's partner!"
The detective remained utterly I'M
moved, but grave and attentive.
Mr.. Thornton Stackhouse?"
"Of course" said Fetridge, quickly,
81 make this statement absolutely in
confidence. I wouldn't condemn the
man publicly on my simple suspi-
cions."
"oh. of course not
"But / tell you, SIR" Fetridge re-
sumed, pacing the floor excitedly, II
know the man to be villain. know
him for a scoundrel, and-good heav.
ems! Poor North! Poor Marion!
What misfortune!"
"You will, of course, acquaint me
with the reasons for your suspicions?"
Mr.. Lamm mildly suggested, by way of
bringing his now motionless client to
a realization of his surroundings. Fet-
| ,;I, l..
start.
"Reasons?" he echoed. mo! Ger
tsinly not!''
"Umha" (the detective had habit
of prefacing his discourse with this
reflective grunt), North had quite a
family?"
HE has two daughters, sir"
young? Unmarried"
What? Don't you know? The cid.
est, Marion, is Thornton Stackhouses
wife. The younger, Stella, is IT,"
And Mrs. North?"
Dead lnese Is years. Her sister
Comfort Harwood, is the houselseeper
The family are at the beach al
Swampscott-still, presume, in igno-
rance of the awful cloud which is
hanging over them. Poor girls! Poor
old Aunt Comfort! l say, Lamm
you'll undertake the case, won't you?
If there's any disgrace can save this
bereaved family, am bound to do it.
I want to employ you to hunt up evil
report to me as rapidly as possible
In fact, l wish to know, If it can be
done, all the evidence the police have
when the inquest is called. I won't
conceal from you that the attitude
shall take on that occasion may be
governed largely by what you tell me. y
We'll, Mr.. Fetridge, no man can
make fairer offer than you've made
and under the circumstances I'll be
very glad to take up the case and see
what can make of it. Count upon me
to let you know when have found
anything of the slightest value"
81 certainly shall, detective" re-
turned Fetridge, whose face expressed
the satisfaction he felt at securing
such an ally. And so the conference
ended.
Detective Lamm, now turning his
steps towards his own Office, not fal
away, bethought himself that this man
Stackhouse, whom he knew very well
by sight, would be likely to occupy
large share of his time and attention
for many days to come.
1t came as a surprise, even to his
imperturbable nature, to find that the
first face to look intohis as he entered
his Office was the face Of Thornton
Stackhouse. But Detective Lamm was
quite equal to the occasion.
Continued in Next Issue).
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