Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-12
CHAPTER VI.
A Tran for Tremaiue.

A Trap for Tremaine.
We'll" / said, at last, 1T seems to me
we're weaving pretty strong chain about
our friend Tremaine. But why should he
have waited this long to look for the a.
mond?'
Perhaps he's just discovered its loss
suggested Godfrey.
"Or perhaps this is the first opportunity
he's had. I've never before left him alone
here. and 1 keep the snap on so that the
door locks itself whenever It's closed
Godfrey sat for full minute motonless,
his eyes fixed on the door.
OF course" he said. Mt last. lit may not
have been the diamond he was looking for.
though / can't imagine what else II could
be. But I've theory l want to test. Sup
pose we take look at your bed room
L followed him In and turned up the light.
He glanced around keenly and went finally
to the closet. which was almost opposite
the door leading into the sitting room. He
entered the closet and closed the door be-
hind him. After moment. heard scrap
ing noise. and perceived a knifeblade
working back and forth in crack OF the
door, Finally the blade was withdrawn.
the door opened. and Godfrey came out. He
examined the lock. tried it once or twice
with the key. which was in II; then he
turned to me.
What time do you leave in the morn
ing?' he asked.
About 100"
Seven thirty-very we'll Now I must be
going. Look for me in the morning"
In the morning."
Yes-I'n explain afterward. Now let me
out softly"
Wait l said, for I too had sudden
idea. ~ GU have photograph of Thomp
son, l supose?''
Yes. at the Office
Bring it up in the morning with you. l
n
All right" he said. and after had made
sure that the coast was clear, he stole
away upon tiptoe
For long time after he had gone l sat
and thought over the evenings events. In
the first place, he had given me complete
and succinct story of the crime; l felt that
I held in my hands all the details of the
tragedy-all the threads that led toward its
solution. AS Godfrey had pointed out, the
foundation yet too weak to support
theory-we needed more facts to build
upon. The strands of circumstance we had
woven about Tremaine were really mere
cObwebs-any breath of wind might blow
them away. Was there really any connec-
ton between him and Thompson? That they
had both lived In the tropics proved nothing;
and they could hardly have come to New
York together, since the Tremaines had ar
rived at the Marathon fully three weeks
before Thompson appeared there
At least, l told myself, l could find cut
on which boat the Tremaines had come,
since / knew the approximate date of Their
arrival If Thompson proved to be fell
low passenger of theirs we had taken
important step forward; if not some other
bit of evidence might possibly be stumbled
upon. That should be my task for the
luncheon hour tomorrow: till then, | would
permit myself to consider none of the other
details of the mystery--I knew how easy
it was to get inextricaby tangled in a
maze of conjecture-and with this resolve
1 went to bed.
But, as it happened, my noon hour was
to be differently occupied. Scarcely was
out of bed next morning, when there
came a light tap eon my door and Godfrey
slipped in the instant l opened it.
Il had a few properties to arrange he
explained smiling, and so thought I'd
best come early"
He went on into the bed room and opened
the closet door. Then he took from his
pocket stout bolt. with screws and a
screw driver, and proceeded to affix 1t to
the inside of the door.
Now. my dear Lester he said, rising
when the task was finished. I'll have to
ask you to run up this noon and let me
out"
Let you out of where?"
"Out of the closet You see. unfortunate
ly, this lock works only from the outside.
you'll have to lock me in before you
go. I've put on tie bolt as an extra pre-
caution"
You mean you're going to spend the
whole morning in that cioset?"
That's precisely what l mean
But you'll suffocate'
.No-you see I've cut a hole through
That will let in the air; besides, through
it one can get an admirable view of the
outer room"
'Ahr' 1 said. beginning to understand
IT'S a trap
Eyes. trap. Maybe Wen catch some
thing and maybe We won't. What time do
you usually go to lunch?'
About l o'clock
THAT ought to bring you here by 1870
Very we'll; lock me in and take the key
with you
1 did as he babe me, though not without
some reluctance, and l confess that
thought of little else during the morning
How the hours dragged-and 1 pictured to
myself Godfrey standing in that narrow
space, cramped. half-suffocated, counting
the minutes. Yet perhaps he did not ma
the time so long; perhaps before his eyes
some drama was enacttng.
One o'clock came at last. and l hurried
out and took the elevated uptown as the
quickest way of getting there. 1t was Just
1 30 when 1 opened my door; with little
SILVER of apprehension, / inserted the key
in the lock of the closet and threw back
the bolt Godfrey walked out on the in
slant. He was smiling, out pale with
fatigue.
"If you've got such thing as nip of
brandy anywhere. Lester" he said, s nk-
ing into the nearest chair. I'D be infinite
ly obliged for it. / feel rather shaky In
the knees"
/ brimmed a glass for him. and he set
II down empty, with sigh Of satisfaction
That's better. Do you know. l thought
for a time, toward the last, that l was
going to collapse One little crack Is
scarcely ventilation enough for an active
pair of lungs. However, l was repaid.
you were?"
yes" and he smiled at my impatience
..Ill tell you the story anG see what you
make of it. First came the chamberlain,
who performed her duties with neatness
and dispatch. Then a dreary hali-
passed. had about come to the conclusion
that | might have spared my pains when l
caught the sound of a key in the lock of
the outer door. l heard the door open ana
close and an instant later our friend Ire
maine appeared within my range of vision.
.aTremainei" 1 exclaimed. Then he had
key!
$50 it seems. Stole it most probably.
But why?"
"Ah, il we knew that we should know
everything. I'm glad you didn't have the
lock changed"
$50 am Its added another link to the
chain"
eyes" agreed Godfrey. land strong one.
But my story's only begun. Tremaine took
a look through the rooms to assure himself
that there was no one here. He tried the
closet door, but didn't seem surprised or
suspicious when he found it locked. Then
he went back to the outer room, dropped