Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-01
CHAPTER II1.-(Continued.)

Were you waiting to see me?" he
asked, in his most matter-of-fact tones.
A quick look had assured him that the
banker, though less excited in manner
than his recent client, was certainly
not positively free from agitation.
eyes," said Mr. Stackhouse, taking
. chair In response to the detectives
reckoning invitation. "My name is
Thornton Stackhouse. 1 have come al
most directly from the house of my
partner, Paul, North. You know, OF
course, about his death-his murder?"
Mr.. Lamm bowed, twirling pen be-
tween his fingers, and waited for his
companion to continue.
Perhaps 1 need not recount all the
circumstances, detective, that combine
to make this very difficult and deli
cate case. You will readily under
stand, without my saying anything
further, that the very best and most
confidential advice is requisite. And
that il precisely why came here, Mr..
iLamm, to enlist your services in get
ting at the facts-all the facts-of this
mysterious crime. Now, can l secure
your There will be handsome COM
psnsatton-you will have all the time
and money needed to carry on your in
vestisatisn."
Detective Lamm, looking at the wall
and still twirliug his pen in his hands.
seemed to be considering what engage
iments he had made with which this
new commission might conflict. At
least, such was the impression Of
Thornton Stackhouse.
II don't know" the detective said
slowly, at last. II have great deal
Of business Just now-more than I can
properly handle, in fact. It depends
upon what you want. Was there any
particular point you wished to present
to my attention, Mr.. Stackhouse, or
was It simply that you wished me to
ascertain facts and report to you?"
Mr.. Stackhouse looked at the door
with some vague apprehension.
1--WE shall not be disturbed" said
the detective; 81 sprang the lock as
came in
Mr. Stackhouse brought his chair
close to the detective. When he spoke
1t was in very low tones, hardly above
a whisper
Mr.. Lamm, you may have read in
the afternoon papers that a name was
written on the wall close to where my
partner lay dead"
A nod and renewed twirling of the
pen.
"That name, Mr.. Lamm, was meant
to be mine-waS mine!"
The detective raised his eyebrows
and seemed about to speak.
You are going to ask me how 1
know" said Stackhouse. why, I
read it with my own eyes. Yes, the
papers said the scrawl might have
meant Stick or Stock or Stockholm,
and so on; but had a keener and
truer sight than the officers there.
Now, detective, that name was
written by some enemy of mine, who
seeks to implicate me in this terrible
affair. I am convinced of the fact.
And, being SO convinced, a man of
your experience does not need to be
told that dismiss the idea that Paul
North wrote that name on the wall as
utterly out Of the question:
y The grave, listening face near his
wore no look of surprise, as Mr. .Lamm
nodded his full understanding of his
visitors thought.
North being put aside, we must
look for the guilty. party in another
quarter. Mr.. Lamm, you don't hap
pen to recollect who Mt wss at the
meeting OF Nicaragua directors, of
which the papers published an account,
testifed that he parteu with Paul
North late yesterday afternoon"
Mr.. Lamm did not appear to recol-
lect, for he pursed up his lips, shrugged
his shoulders slightly and said moth
ing.
well, detective, that man was Mr..
Richard Fetridge, of whom you may
have heard-a young lawyer of CON
siderable property who has had deal
ings with our firm
Richard Fetridge," repeated the de-
tective slowly; "well?"
Mr.. Fetridge stated, after consider.
able hesitation, which I couldn't help
noticing, that he left Mr.. North about
Aye o'clock, after business interview
with him at our Office. What the ma
ttre Of that conference between them
was can't say. Mr.. Fetridge and I
did not like each other I'm free to say
1t, and latterly fancied that he grew
even more curt and unpleasant in his
manner toward me than before. Not
that cared for that, you understand;
would not have given the matter a
moments thought but for this terrible
affair. Nor even now, If Fetridge's
strange conference, and his hesitancy
about saying where he left Mr.. North,
were not put in more peculiar light
by certain other facts that have come
to my knowledge"
New facts?"
'.Yes. Fetridge and North were seen
together at much later hour than five
o'clock the afternoon of the murder"