Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-02-01

| probable that Tremaine never made
these marks at all; even if he did, they
probably have no significance But in
any event it won't do any harm to
make sure; and, besides, I'd like to see
a sample Of his handwriting, just for
It's own sake-the handwriting of a man
like that ought to be interesting. All,
here is Thomas"
Here's letter, sir" said Thomas.
Godfrey opened it and glanced at the
contents.
Hes good penman," he said; "see,
Lester" and he handed me the sheet,
| ''but it's quite different hand from
the one on the blotter-much broader
and more masculine-just such hand
as one would naturally expect man
like Tremaine to write.'
He explained it again for moment,
then folded it up and handed it back to
| Thomas.
Perhaps Mr.. Delroy will want it
| again." he said.
Now, let us see Mr.. Drysdale's
room"
AS he got up from the table no.
ticed that he still held the blotter in
his hand, and saw him place it care
fully i'll an inner pocket. After all,
then, he did attach some Importance
to 1t.
| The room which had been occupied
by Drysdale was the counterpart Of
Tremaine's, but it was in great dis
order. An open trunk stood in the mid
die of the floor, with clothing strewn
about it; the bed had not been made.
I'VE was ordered not t do anything
toward settin' this room to rights" ex-
planned Thomas apologetically, "till
the coroner sent us word we might.
He amt sent no word yet"
1t was evident that Drysdale had
been packing very hastily when he
was interrupted by the arrival Of the
officers. The clothing which was in
the trunk had been crammed in care
lessly-though, of course, that might
have been done by the coroner after
searching it.
"Drysdale evidently didn't spend
much time In bed that night" observed
Godfrey and indicated pile of ciga-
rette stubs heaped high on an ash
tray on the table. HE must have had
some knotty problem to wrestle with
to need SO many"
He walked slowly about the room,
looking at everything keenly, but
touching nothing. He stood gazing at
the bed for long time. Then he
turned again to the table.
Here's the diary" he said, picking
up a little book which lay there. $50
Heffelbower didn't get it. Well, I
guess I'd better see he doesn't have
another chance
He weighed it in his hand, and 1
could see how it tempted him. Per-
haps here lay the very key which he
had been seeking in vain!' But in a
moment he slipped it unopened into
his pocket.
IA man is fool to make promises"
he observed, with a wry smile, and
sat down ut the table. Hello, what's
this?' he added suddenly, and, stoop-
ing, he tished from the wastebasket
beside him the fragments Of cane.
1t was a cane certainly of at least
ordinary strength, and yet it had been
broken into half dozen pieces and
hurled into the basket.
| Whistling softly to himself, Godfrey
surveyed it a moment; then he bent
over the basket and examined the re-
mainder Of its contents piece by piece.
There were scrdps Of letters, torn
envelope, a crumpled sheet of paper
He sprang to his feet with cry of
triumph and waved it in the air.
"1've found it!' he cried, his face
beaming. "I've found it, Lester!'
Found whatY I questioned, more
and more astonished, for Godfrey was
usually master of his emotions
"Ah, Lester" he continued more
calmly as he smoothed it out carefully
on the table, this takes lot of con-
ceit out of me. Had 1 been really
clever I'd have deduced the existence
of this message long before 1 entered
the room. AS it is, it's lucl-pure
luck! I'm glad to win on any terms,
but I'd rather win by scientific deduc-
ton. c. !Auguste Dupin would have
come straight upstairs, walked straight
to that basket and selected unerringly
this sheet of paper; he would have
known that it was there, while I-well,
one can only do ones best, and this
point was little too fine for me. Take
look at it."
1t was sheet of the ordinary Edge
mere note paper. Across it two lines
were written:
| Be at the pergola at 9. If I am late
wait for me. g.
"Well," I faltered; "well"-
ooh, don't you see, Lester, it's the
key to the whole problem? It's the
light we've been looking for-with our
eyes shut. And to think that instead
of coming straight here for it should
have stumbled about in the dark for
SO long! It's the only possible explana-
ton, and yet l didn't think of it. 1t
was inevitable from the first, and yet
couldn't see it. 1t disgusts me with
myself-it's what | get for being SO
cooked up over finding that bottle
down there. Even after l saw that
blotter didn't guess it."
He had taken out card, and as he
lspoke lie wrote Il rapid sentence on it.
"Hcre," he said to Thomas, "take
this to Miss Croydon at once, please"
ITO be continued)
A linuid cold relief with q Laxative