The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-09-12
TIE MARATHON MYSTERY
"A STORY OF MANHATTAN.
EY BURTON E. STEVENSON
Author of "The Holiday Case" Cadets of Gascony," Etc.
"A o OF MANHATTAN.
/.


CHAPTER I.
A CALL IN THE NIGHT.
A sudden gust of wind wrenched the
door from Godfrey's grasp n slammed
1t with a bang that echoed through the
building.
Anything doing?" he asked, as he
Tapped the rain from his coat.
Simmonds. the grizzled veteran of the
Central office, now temporarily in
charge of the devious business of the
.Tenderloin." shook his head despond-
emily.
mot a thing. Only" he added, his
eyes cleaning suddenly with apprecia-
ton, you We're right about that De-
! anne abduction case. 1t was all q
taked-up story on the mothers part.
She confessed this evening"
II thought she would if you kept at
her" said Godfrey, sitting down with
! quick nod Of satisfaction. She
hasn't nerve enough to carry through
white How does 1T happen you're
hlcne?"
"%Johnston's gone down to Philadel-
2hia to bring back Riggs, the forger.
Flelning's got the grip. Bad night.
hint it?"
s A1pI JIG dSlSSa SodiiCS. AlSlSll
10 that, now"
A gust of extra violence howled down
fhe street, rafting thew windows, Shrek
ng around the corners, tearing Town
signs, and doing such other damage as
lay in it's power.
There was a certain similarity in the
aces of the two men, especially in the
Expression Of the eyes and mouth. Age,
However, had given to Silnnond's fea-
lures a trace of stolidity which was
wanting in those of his companion. He
lad been connected with the Central
tftlce for many yearS-waS lean of the
'orce, In fact-and though he had de-
'eloped no special genius in his deal-
ngs with crime, he possessed a matter
IT fact industry and personal courage
which had frequently achieved success.
IN the end. his chief had come TO trust
pi1n greatly, probably because the bril-
liant theorists Of the force made so
many fortunate mistakes.
Godfrey was q brilliant theoriSt and
tomething more. He was not so pat
ent as Simmonds, but then he was
much younger. He a more magma
ton, and perhaps his greatest weak
less was that he preferred picturesque
solutions to commonplace ones. Dur
ING his three years connection with
The force he had won four or five no.
table victories-so notable, indeed, that
hey attracted the attention Of the Rec
~ SHoAAAoSAAASAAks - Sllo VI IL "dS
hat Godfrey resigned his badge and
uttered the Record office as criminal
expert, climbing gradually to the posi-
hon OF star reporter. Since then, the
Record had no waited on the police;
indeed, 1t had been rather the other
way around.
It was with Simmonds that Godfrey
had long since concluded an alliance
offensive and defensive. The one sup
J plernented the other-the eagle gave
Eyes to the mole; the mole gave the
Eagle the power of working patiently In
he dark. simmonds kept Godfrey In
souch with police affairs; Godfrey en-
Abled Simmonds to make a startling ar
rest now and then. Godfrey got the
story, Simmonds got the glory. and
both were satisfied. 1t may be added
that, without in the least suspectinp It.
the mole was considerably under the
influence of the eagle. Brains naturally
cad industry; besides, the blind must
have guidance.
They listened until the gust of WIND
lied away down the street, then God
Trey arose and began to button I'D his
coat.
Nevertheless he said, i've got tc
pc moving on. I can't stay loafing here
[ wouldn't have stopped at all but FOL
the chance of seeing YOU"
oh, don't 60" protested Simmonds
I was mighty glad to see you come
IN. l was feeling a little lonesome
Walt till this squalls over,
and have a smoke"
Godfrey took the proffered cigar anc
relapsed into his chair.
IN only he said, as HI
struck a match, land, besides, there.
4 fascination about you, Simmonds-
there's always a chance Of getting
good story out of YOU. You know NOR
about the criminal history of New
York than any other man living,
think"
Simmonds chuckled ~complacently.
Il have been in on most Of the bis
cases." he agreed.
Come. now continued the othe,
persuasively, IF 1 consent, to stay
you've got to produce a story. TAX,
those big caSes-which do you thinl
was the best of the lot %
The best?"
"The most intricate, / mean-the mo
puzzling-the hardest to solve"
We'll" and Simmonds rolled hi
cigar reflectively, the hardest to solve
OF course, were those that We're eve
solved at all. There was the shootin,
Of old Benjamin Nathan, in the sum
mer of 10, at his house on West Thirty
third street, and there was the stab
bling of Harvey Burdell. 1 never hat
the least doubt that Burdell was kille.
by Mrs. Cunningham, the woman he.
secretly married. The stabbing wa
done by a left handed person, and sh
was left handed; but we weren't able t
convict her"
Yes" nodded Godfrey; land tn
Nathan case?'
II There wasn't anybody in the house
SO far as known, but the two sons.
said Sinmonds slowly, land both O
them managed to prove an alibi. Blu
I've always thought Hello. What
this?"
The door flew back with a crash an,
: q man rushed ina heavy set mar
with red cheeks, who stopped. gaspine
clutching at his throat.
Godfrey had a flask to his lips in a,
I instant. !,
Come. brace up." he
sternly, slapping the stranger on tn
back. Take a swallow of this-that'
tt"
I ut seems to me 1 know him." re
marked Simmonds, looking at tn
flushed countenance with contemplativ
eye
"of course you dol" gasped tn
stranger. Pm Higgins-th' Marathon,
and he jerked his head toward the doc
"Oh, yes aid Simmonds. Your
the %jalitor Of the Marathon apartmer
house, just across the street"
Well, what's happened at the Mar