Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-11-30

chased us up Broadway!"
lie nodded.
Eyes, but our horses weren't good
enough. Where did he take your"
ITO the Studio-Sixth avenue"
"Of Counsel" he cried, sapping his
leg. 1--WE might have known Boys,
we'd better go back to podunk."
"Wcll, at least Mr. Lester" spoke IN
smother, you oughtnt to give Godfrey
SCOOP"
but I didn't give him a SCOOP.
didn't even know who he was"
Didn't you tell him what was in the
note?"
mot a word OF 1t. told him only
one thing"
"And what was that"
"That the person who wrote the note
didn't know that Rogers was color
blind. You are welcome to that state
ment too. You see, I'm treating you all
.:ikc"
They stood about me staring down at
me. silent with establishment.
But" I added IL think Godfrey sus-
poets what was in the note"
"Why"
"Well, his theory fits it pretty close.
IT,"
Ills theory. What is his theory, Mr..
LESTER"
"Oh come" laughed. That's tell
ing. It's a good theory too
They looked at each other, and. I
fancied. CRASHED their teeth
"IIe seems pretty clever fellow" I
added, Just to pile up the agony. II
fancy you'll say so. too. when you see
his theory in tomorrow's paper
"Clever!" cried Rankin. why. he's
very fend Of cleverness when Il
comes to a case Of this kind We're not
IN the same class with him. He's
fancy fellow-just the Record kind.
You're sure you didn't tell him any.
thing else, Mr.. LESTER" he added anx-
iously. "Godfrey's capable of getting a
story out Of fence post"
"No, I'm quite sure didn't tell him
anything else. only listened TO his
theory with great interest"
"And assented 70 it?'
~ said I thought 1t plausible"
around the room.
That's 1t" cried Rankin That's
what he wanted. Now. it isn't his
theory any more. It's yours. Oh,
can see his headlines. Won't you tell
us what it was?"
/ looked up at him.
Now, frankly, Mr.. Rankin" asked.
'if you were In my place would you
tell?"
He hesitated FOR a moment and then
held out his hand
"No," he said as took it, Il
shouldn't. Shake hands, sir; you're all
right. Come on, boys: we might as
we'll be going"
They filed ont after him. and l heard
them go singing up the street. Then
I sank back into my chair and thought
again Of Godfreys theory. 1t seemed
to fit the case precisely. point by point
overland I started at the thought
to Miss Holidays reticence as to her
whereabo bouts the afternoon before. The
whole mystery lay plain before me. In
some way she had discovered the ex-
istence OF her half sister had secured
her address: she had gone to visit her
and had found her away from home
it was probable. even. that the half
sister had written her. asking her to
come--though. in that case, why had
she not remained at home to receive
her? At any rate. Miss Holiday had
awaited her return. had noticed her
agitation; had. perhaps, even seen GER
tain marks of blood upon her. The
news of her fathers death had pointed
all too clearly to what that agitation
and those blood spots meant. She had
remained silent that she might not be-
smirch her fathers name and also.
perhaps. that she might protect the
other woman. felt that held in my
hand the key to the whole problem.
Point by point-but what snarl Il
was. That there would be n vigorous
search for the other woman l could
not doubt. but she had long start AMI
should easily escape. Yet perhaps she
had not started. She must have re-
manned in town. else how could that
note have been sent to us? She had re.
NAMED. then-but why? That she
should feel any affection for Frances
Holiday seemed absurd. and yet how
else explain the note?
felt that l was getting tangled W
in the snarl again. There seemed nc
limit to its intricacies; so, in very de.
spar put the matter from me as
completely as l could and went to
bed.
The mornings Record attested the
truth of Rankins prophecy. had
grown famous in a night for Godfrey
had In measure made me responsible
for his theory, describing me with a
wealth of adjectives which | blush to
remember and which | have even yet
not quite forgiven him. smiled as
read the first lines:
A Record representative had the pleas
ure yesterday evening of dining with Mr..
Warwick Lester. the brilliant young at
torney who achieved such a remarkable
victory before Coroner Goldberg ysster-
day afternoon In the hearing of the Hol-
laday case. and. of course. took occasion
to discuss with him the latest develop
ments of this extraordinary crime Mr..
Lester agreed with the Record in the
DRY which is the only one that fits the
facts of the case and completely and sat-
isfactorily explains all its ramifcations.