Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-20
CHAPTER XIV.
TIE THING HAS A DARK LOOK.
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| WdS WcICOullu6 LIS 1TlcuO, inc reporter.
| "Yes," said Thomas, unaware of the
! peculiar expression with which his as
sociate regarded him. your note, left
at the Office, seemed to be urgent"
"You are right. 1t was urgent Sit
down."
John Lamm locked the door and put
the key in his pocket. And standing
with his back against it, said, serious
ly:
Thomas have always considered
you as an excellent detective. l have
changed my mind"
We'll, what now?" asked Thomas,
uneasily, glancing keenly at his frieSd,
and thereafter avoiding his gaze
This" said Lamm, measuring his
words; the man who allows himself
to be side-tracked in an important case
by pretty face and a pair of blue
eyes has a cardinal weakness that
sooner or later is sure to tell against
him in business"
Thomas started, flushed, but con-
trolled himself.
did you go clear to New York to
find that out?'
ri have not been to New York" said
Lamm, quietly. 81 have been here in
Boston, hard at work upon the latest
and most curious feature of the North
case
Come" said Thomas, desperately,
"say what you mean. Don't talk in
riddles"
II mean that I know all about it.
Thomas. l know that Kingman F.
Thomas, who has done in his day as
excellent detective work as anybody in
the state, has at last fallen into the
snare of the siren, and forgotten mis-
duty. In other words, he is in love
with one of the principals Instead of
arresting her he guards her. While
the police are searching everywhere
for her, he has her secretly hidden in
his own house. right under their very
noses, and comes to his best friend
with GOODNESS that might Gf he were
little less wary) have ruined his
work on the CASE
John. you presume on your friend
ship" said Thomas, holly. He had
been nervously lingering his watch
charm, and alternating between white
and red, throughout Lamm's quiet
speech but he now started I'D and
faced the detective squarely. "You
have no right to assume that there is
any sentiment in the matter. You go
too far when you charge me with let
ting my personal feelings run away
| with my sense of duty. You don't
know what my object was-is."
"Ah but pardon ms, Kingman; as
sumo that do. If it had been in the
ordinary course Of your professional
business, you would have come to me
with it for advice or assistance, Just
as you have always done when we have
associated ourselves on case before
There is only one reason why you
didn't come; you were more than
afraid that l would never approve of
so rash proceeding on your part, and
you were resolved upon taking the step
at all hazards In other words King
man, you were little ashamed"
Thomas had regained control of him
self. He drew himself up.
See here, John Lamm, we will leave
my motives out of the question, If you
please. have protected the girl. I
| propose to continue to do So She was
IN hard place-a harder one than
| you know anything about. l should
nave been less than man If had neg
lected to do what did. To have given
her up under the circumstances would
! have been the height of cruelty. You
wouldn't have done it yourself. Every
bit OF circumstantial evidence was
overwhelmingly against her l deter
mined to conceal her till could dis
cover at least proofs of her innocence
sufficient to prevent her from the
| lgnominy of an arrest. Since you have
discovered the fact there is no help
for it. You must aid me to keep the
secret"
only upon one condition, Kingman.
| l must know all the facts"
/ And, If 1 tell you everything, will
you give me your word of honor not
to use it against her or hers?" asked
| Ihomas, with peculiar emphasis on the
second pronoun.
But isn't that rather broad?" Lamm
hesitated.
Thomas compressed his lips tightly.
This girl has confessed everything
to me, Lamm; and in return have
given her my word to do everything in
my power to protect her family from
disgrace. There's no way out of it.
You must promise me-"
What do you mean?" demanded
Lamm, sternly. "Do you mean if l
find that the murderer of Paul North
is in her family am to keep 1t to
myself"
| Decidedly not" said Thomas. "But
you must have proof, not appearances .
"Oh, certainly" said Lamm. 81 agree
to that. Hang the appearances in a
case. They are seldom right. use
appearances only to enable me to get
at the facts. But once l get at the
facts Thomas, understand me, it Will
make no difference whose family it is
| in +"