The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1906-01-09
-. ~. and took the seat Indicated

The new client, who had with him
a small leather bag, opened 1t, and
PRODUCED three articles, which he
placed upon the table before him.
They consisted of square, fiat pack
age a photograph and ball from
revolver.
Suppose you begin from the begin
ming and tell me all about IT, | snail
not interrupt you" said Mr.. Sharp,
as he opened the notebook ana mos
tened a stump of lead pencil with his
tongue.
He kept his word, though he made
copious notes, and for some moments
there was only the monotonous sound
of the one voice, as the new client re-
capitulated all the circumstances
which had led to his seeking Mr..
Sharps assistance, and which have
already been fully gone into.
When he had finished, i thought
the name seemed familiar to me" said
the other. ITO be sure, | remember
all the circumstances connected with
the sad affair. And SO you think you
have hit upon the guilty party"
II am certain of ii" was the deter
mined answer 81 believe | know his
name. and have proof in my own
mind that he committed the deed.
What want you to do is to trace him
for me-or, rather, put me on his
track and let me run him down"
"Phew!" whistled Mr.. Sharp, softly.
under his breath. This is something
quite out of the common, this is. Sup
pose" he said, addressing the young
man, that we examine the evidence.
This is the bullet, you say; and this
photograph you found among the
deceased gentleman's papers. Might
| inquire what this is?' laying his
hand upon the other article.
THAT is the letter | spoke Of which
made the appointment which my
father kept, and was thus, indirectly,
the cause of his death. 1t is partly
destroyed; but enough remains to
show that there was"-here he hesi-
tated for the first time-"someth1ng
of the nature of secret between
them"
Mr.. Sharp ran his eye down the
page. "Humph!" he remarked,
something vague and unsatisfactory.
It certainly seems to hint at some
thing of a suspicious nature between
the two"
Don't make any mistake" put in
Ted Burritt at this point; whatever
there may be of that nature does not
cannot apply to my father"
Probably not! Probably not! But
you must allow a certain amount OF
ambiguity-of cutting both ways II
we could prove the knowledge of some
nefarious-some"- he referred
to a sentence in the copy of the letter
-"some criminal proceedings con-
corning the writer on the part of the
-er-the unfortunate gentleman who
was shot-something which lay be-
tween those two alone. Why, then,
we should be able to see our way.
Suppose there was a strong provoca-
ton. Suppose those two to be alone
in a trst-class carriage. Suppose
that a sudden quarrel arises between
them; that the deceased, as | have
just said, is provoked to utter threats
as to what he may or may not do.
Suppose the one threatened, who car
ries a revolver, makes up his mind to
silence him once for all by the
means of a bullet through his BRAIN"
His client nodded.
Now" continued Mr.. Sharp, "be-
fore proceeding farther, just let us
come to an understanding as to what
you want me to do?"
81 want you" was the answer, "to
trace this other from the time that he
was last seen"
very good" from Mr.. Sharp.
"And to trace his history back
wards from that time"
and the party's name?"
Ted handed him the photograph and
showed him what was written on the
back.
Very good, sir. | think we under
stand each other. And you would
wish me to begin my investiga-
TONS"
cat once!"
There was a little discussion here
about terms, expenses, ETC., which, be-
ing satisfactorily arranged, the client
rose and prepared to take his depar-
ture.
"You will leave me this"-the de-
tective indicated the Photograph
land your copy of the letter."
Ted Burritt assented and replaced
the other articles.
II shall make point" said Mr..
Sharp, "of going through the report
of the inquest again to refresh my
memory, and in case there should be
I