Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-04-05
CHAPTER XIII.
MARGARpT's SECRET.

The waiter managed 70 remove
the most obvious traces OF Brett's
escapade in the gutter. and incl
dentally cleaned the stick.
1t was n light. tough ashplant. with
silver band around the handle The
barrister held It under gas jet and
examined f. closely. Nothing es-
capped him. After scrutinizing the
band for some time. he looked at the
ferrule. and roughly estimated that
the owner had used II two or three
years. Finally. when quite satisfied
he handed 1t 10 Winter.
do YOU recognize those
scratches?" he said. with a smile,
pointing out rough design bitten
into the silver by the application Of
aqua regia and beeswax
The detective at once uttered an
excla nation OF supreme astonish-
ment
The yer. th'ns!" ne cried THE
same Japanese motto az that on the
Ko-Katana"
Hume now drew near
So" he growled savagely, the
hand that struck down Alan was tho
same that sought my life an hour
ago"
And your cousins this morning"
said Brett.
The cowardly brute! n he has a
grudge against my family. why
doesn't he como out into the open?
He need not have feared detection,
even week ago. could be found
easily enough Why didn't he meet
me face TO face ! have never vet
run away from 'rouble or danger"
You are slightly in error regard
Ing him. observed Brett. This man
may be fieud !ncarnate. but he Is
no coward He means to kill. TO
work some terrible purpose, and he
takes the best means towards that
end. To his mind the idea Of giving
victim fair pla: is sheer nonsense.
1t never occurs 20 him. But a cow
ard no Thlnk of the nerve re-
Quired to commit robbery and muir
der under the condition that OBJ
tanned at Beechcroft on New Years
Eve. Think OF the skill, the ready
resource, which made SO promptly
available the conditions of the two
assaults to-day. Our quarry IS
genius. Poe among criminals.
Look to II, Winter, that your hand
cuffs are we'll nXed when you arrest
him. or he will slip from your grasp
at the very gates OF Scotland Yard"
II I had my fingers around his
wfndpipe-" began David.
You would be a dead man a few
seconds later" said the barristsr.
III we three, unarmed. had him in
this room now, equally defenceless.
! should regard the issue as doubt
full"
There would be terrible dust
up" smirked Winter.
Possibly; but It would be a fight
for life or death, No half measures.
A matter OF decanters, fre-irons.
chairs. Let us return to the hotel"
Whilst Hume went to summon the
others, Brett seated himself at a ia
BILE and wrote:
"A curious chapter OF accidents
happened in Northumberland Ave-
nue. yesterday Early In the morn
Ing, Mr. Robert Hume Frazer quit
ted his hotel for stroll in the West
End, and narrowly escaped being
run over In Whitehall. About s
pm, his cousin. Mr.. David Hume
Frazer, was driving through the
Avenue In a hanson, when the We
hicle upset, and the young gentle
man was thrown out. He was picked
up In a terrible condition. and Is re
ported to be In danger OF hts life"
The barrister read the paragraph
aloud
1T is casuistic." he commented,
but that defect is psrdonable. AZ
ter all, It Is not absolutely menda-
cious, like War Office telegram.
Winter. 90 and bring Joy TO the
heart OF some penny-a-liner by CIV
ing him that item. The coinci
dence Will ensure It's acceptance by
every morning paper in London, and
you can safely leave the reporter
himself to add details about Mr.,
Hume's connection with the Stow
market affair"
The detective rose.
"W0N ZOE. he hsrp-Vh6n ! come