The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-03-15
ax BURTON e STEVENSON

What wcGld 8 boys description he
worth? II would be AZ the best VAGUE
and indefinite BESIDES they e not even
found the boy. Now. 70 return to the
note.
We had come to the coffee and cigars,
aud / felt i; time TO protest,
"Eefore we return 10 the note. Mr..
Godfrey / said. Ia like to ask o Two
direct questions. What interest have
you in the matter"
The interest of every Investigator OF
crime he answered. smiling.
You belong to the detective force,
tlen?'
Il nave belonged to it. AT present,
Tn in other employ.
And what was your object In bring
Ing me here this evening"
One portion of my object has been
accomplished. The other was to ask
you to write out for me a copy of the
Tote
"But who was it pursued US up
Broadway"
..Oh, I nave r~ivals.' he chuckled. II
fatter myself that was rather neatly
done. viii You give me a copy of the
rote. Mr.. LESTER"
No" l answered squarely. You'll
have to &c to the police for that. I'm
out of the case"
He bowed across the table to me with
a little laugh. AS l looked at him. his
i~nperturbable good humor touched me.
~ Z YOU o!ie tliltlS, tliOQSl, L
added. The writer of that note knew
nothing of Rogers color blindness
you're off the scent there"
Il amp" he asked amazedly. Then
how did you know it, MIR. Lester?"
Il suppose o detectives woal call
1t deductionI deduced It,"
He took a contemplative puff or two,
as he looked at me.
We'll" he exclaimed, at last. "I must
say that beats me! Deduced it! That
was mighty clever"
Again bowed my acknowledgements.
'And that's all you can tell me?" he
added.
Tn afraid that's ALL"
"Verv we'll: thank you for that
much" and he flicked the ashes from
his cigar. Now, fear that I must
leave yon. I've a good deal of work to
do. r you've opened up a very in
teresting line of speculation. I assure
you that I've passed a very pleasant
evening. I hope you've not found it
t~iresome?'
Quite the contrary" I said heartily.
I've enjoyed myself Immensely"
Then I'll ask one last favor. My
cab is at the door. I've no further use
for it. and 1 beg you'll drive home in
| saw that he really wished it.
why. yes. certainly" l assented.
THANK you" he said.
He took me down to the door. called
the cab and shook hands with me
warmly
Good by. Mr.. Lester" he said. I'm
glad of the chance to have met you.
I'm not really such a mysterious in
dfvidual-it's merely a trick of the
trade. i hope Well meet again some
time"
So 20 l." I said, and meant it.
l saw him stand for a moment on the
curb booking after US as we drove away.
then he turned n ran rapidly up the
steps Of the elevated.
The driver seemed In no hurry to get |
ire home. and I had plenty of time to
think over the vents of the evening,
but I could make nothing of them.
What result he had achieved 1 could
not imagine. And yet he had seemed
satisfied. AS to his theory, I could no
but admit that it was an adroit one:
even q mastery one-a better one, GER
tainly. tina I should have evolved I'M
aided.
oh. Mr.. lester!" she cried. "such a
time as I've had this night! Every five
minutes there's been somebody here
looking for you, and there's a crowd
OF them up in your room now. I tried
10 put them out, but they wouldn't go,"