Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-15

| uouOFeQ luS VIII all these QlSClUSurSS
almost with his thoughts. Now l saw
He desired something in return.
You were on the scene at this yer.
moment" he proceeded, after brie1
contemplation Of my face, "and yor
must have seen this man when he
lifted the jewel and handed'i back te
Mr.. Grey. Did you remark his fea
tures?"
mo, sir; I was too far off; besides
my eyes were on Mr., Grey"
"That is a pity. was in hopes you
could satisfy me on very important
point"
What point is that, Inspector Dial
zell?p
Whether he answered the follow
| ing description" And, taking up an
other paper, he was about to read II
aloud to me, when an interruption oc
Cured. A man showed himself at the
door, whom the inspector no sooner
recognized than he seemed to forget
me in his eagerness to interrogate
him. Perhaps the appearance of the
| latter had something to do with it;
he looked as II he had BEEN running
or had been the victim of seine extra
| ordinary adventure. At all events
the inspector arose as he entered, and
was about to question him when he
remembered me. and, casting about
for some means of Kidding himself O.
my presence without injury to m.
feelings, he suddenly pushed open the
door Of an adjoining room and re
quested me to step inside while he
talked moment with this man.
OF course went, but cast him an
appealing look as did 50. It evident
ly had Its effect, for his expression
changed as his hand fell on the door
knob. Would be snap the lock tight
and SO shut me out from what con
! cerned me as much as 1t did any one
in the whole world? Or would he
recognize my anxiety-the necessity
was under of knowing Just the
ground I was standing on-and le,
me hear what this man had to report
watched the door. It closed slow
ly, too slowly to latch. Would HI
catch 1t anew by the knob? No; he
left 1t thus, and, while the crack was
hardly perceptible, felt confiden,
that the least shake of the floor would
widen 1t and give me the opportunity
| ! sought. But did not have to wall
for this The two men in the office
had Just left began to speak, and tc
my unbounded relief were sufficiently
ineligible, even now, to warrant me
IN giving them my fullest attention.
AFTER some expressions Of astonish
ment on the part of the inspector as
to the plight in which the other pre
sented himself, the latter broke out:
| I've Just escaped death! I'll tel
you about that later. What want te
tell you now is that the man we wan,
IS In town. saw him last niglE. O,
his shadow, which is the same thing
II was in the house In Eighty-Sixtf
Street.-The house they all thinl
closed He came in with key and
Wait! You have him?"
NO. It's long story, sir"
Tell it,"
The tone was dry. The inspecto,
was evidently disappointed
| Don't blame me till you hear. saif
the other. He Is no common crook
This is how it was: You wanted The
suspects photograph and specimen
OF his writing. knew no better place
to look for them than in his own room
in Mr.. Fairbrother's house. I accord
lngly got the necessary warrant ant
late last evening undertook the Job
| went alone-I was always an ego
tistical chap, more's the pity-ant
with no further precaution than 6
passing explanation to the officer
met at the corner, l fastened up the
block to the rear entrance on Eighty
seventh Street. There are three door,
to the Fairbrother house, as you prob
| ably know, Two on Eighty-sixtf
Street (the large front one and 6
small one connecting directly with
| the turret stairs), and one on Eighty
seventh Street. It was to the latte,
had a key. l do not think any one
saw me go in. 1t was raining, ant
such people as went by were more
concerned in keeping their umbrellas
properly over their heads than il
watching men skulking about in door
ways.
II got in, then, all right, and, beins
careful to close the door behind me
went up the first short flight of steps
to what knew must be the main hall
| had been given plan of the inter
Tor, and | had studied 1t more or less
before starting out, but knew tina
should get lost if I did not keep to
the rear staircase, at the top of which
expected to find the stewards room
There was faint light in the house
In spite of its closed shutters anf
tightly drawn shades; and, having {
certain dread of using my torch, know
ing my weakness for pretty things
and how hard it would be for me t.
pass so many fine rooms without
looking In, l made my way up stairs
with no other guide than the hand
rail. When I had reached what
took to be the third floor I stopped
Finding it very dark, first listened
a natural instinct with us-then I Ii
up and looked about me.
Il was in large hall, empty as ,
vault and almost as desolate. Blanl
doors met my eyes In all directions
| with here and there an open passage
way. felt myself in a maze. / hat
no Idea which was fha door coNoh :