Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-21
MARATHON MYSTERY
BY BURTON E. STEVENSON
Author Of "The Holiday Case
Copyright, 1904. by Henry Holt and Company.
"You think those marks have som'
J,,~ r cc1xoJ
| Story. of Manhattan


value?" asked.
Godfrey drummed absently on the
table and stared out OF the window.
II don't know" he answered. "but
In an investigation of this kind no
point IL too small to be- important.
| We've got to examine everything,
weigh everything, pile up every little
atom Of evidence, if we expect to tip
the scale In our direction. It's very
| probable that Tremaine never made
| these marks Mt NIL; even IL 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
sample Of his handwriting, just for
its own sake-the handwriting OF man
like that ought TO be interesting. All,
here is Thomas
Here's n 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 1t again for moment.
then folded it up and handed 1t back to
Thomas.
Perhaps Mr.. Delroy will want it
again." he said.
Now, let us see Mr.. Drysdale's
room."
AS lie got up from the table l no
ticed that he still held the blotter In
his hand, and saw him place 1t care
fully In an inner pocket After all.
then, he did attach some Importance
to it.
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.
ave was ordered not t do anything
toward settin' this room to rights" ex-
planned Thomas apologetically, It'll
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 wrestie 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 a long time. Then he
turned again to the table.
"Here's the diary" he said, picking
up little book which lay there. $50
Hefelbower didn't get it. Well, l
! guess I'd better see he doesn't have
another chance"
He weighed it in his hand, and l
could see how 1t tempted him. Per-
haps here lay the very key which ne
had been seeking in vain! But Ia q
moment he slipped 1t unopened Into
his pocket.
"a man is a fool to make promises, :
he observed, with a wry smile, ana
sat down ut the table. Hello, what's
this?" he added suddenly, and, stoop-
Ing, he fished from the wastebasket
beside him the fragments of cane.
1t was cane certainly OF at least
ordinary strength, and yet it had been
/ broken into half a dozen pieces ana
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 scraps Of letters, torn
envelope, a crumpied sheet Of paper
He sprang to his feet with cry OF
triumph and waved It in the air.
give found ity' he cried, his face
beaming. eve found it, Lester!'
Ground what?" 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 been really
| clever I'd have deduced the existence
Of this message long before ! entered
the room. As it is, It's luck-pure
luck! I'm glad to win on any terms
but I'd rather win by scientific deduc
ton. G. Auguste Dupin would have
come straight upstairs, walked straight
to that basket and selected unerrlngly
this sheet Of paper; he would have
known that it was there, while well
one can only do ones best, and this
point was little too fine for me. Take
q look at it."
It was a sheet Of the ordinary Edge
mere note paper. Across it two lines
were written:
Be at the pergola at .. II I am late
wait for me. "
"Well.', I faltered; "well"-
"Oh, don't you see, Lester. it's the
key to the whole problem? It's the
/ light we've been looking for-with oul
eyes shut. And to think that instead
of coming straight here for it I should
have stumbled about in the dark tol
io.., 1910 tho only nOssihle eXDlana