The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-11-16
Copyright, 1907, by Thomas Fl. Mckee.

four years ago. as | remember distinctly, that
this unusual ENHANCEMENT to light Rand
and were In the company of General and Mrs. Ed
ward Blasheld chatting In the box after the
second act when usher up behind Rand and
said:
Mr. Lawrence Rand? There is gentleman in the
next box who wishes to you for moment"
With an apology Rand left u.s. and almost imme-
diately | heard the sharp click of rubber band
against the palm of his hand. little innocent-ap-
pearing signal which often used. and supposing
that hea wanted me, too left the box and entered
the next
With his chair hitched up close to the one in which
sat Rand man of remarkable appearance. OF
medium height and slender, with dark olive skin,
flashing black eyes and wealth of straight black
hair splendid teeth and extremely fine features, he
was easily recognized Oriental of high caste.
His forehead and certain facial lines indicated fine
mind a delicate, romantic sensitive nature. His
age was about thrty-eight
Rand endeavoring to repress an excited out
pouring of narrative, evidently until l could
hear it also.
"Mr. Duncan this is the honorable Khan Nadan,
whom you will recall the importer and expert in
Persian rugs. His place is just around from the
club He has difficult problem for us. and as he
speaks italian better than English need you badly.
Otherwise should not have called away from our
friends
So intent the noble Persian relieving him
self of his burden OF perpexy that he cut short his
acknowledgment OF the introduction and plunged
into vertable torrent of Italian, strongly favored
with the Neapotan dialect he was so wrought up
that he nearly frantic. Reducing his statement
to important facts in their proper proportion, the
story follows:
For years he had occupied the second and third
floors a house in East Sxty-third street subettng
it from the owner Mrs Terrence Malvern. Her nus
band mining engineer absent in foreign lands
the greater portion Of each year. At present Mrs.
Malvern had been gone from the mouse for period
of four months on visit TO married daughter,
leaving the establishment in charge of her brother,
midde-aged person named John Coughlan. He
had been clerk in bank until he thirty, but
after siege of typhoid had become helpless, de-
pendent sort of individual, likely 70 do the most
childish and foolish things. Nothing criminal had
been observed in his make up. and he had never
evinced any unusual cunning curiosity.
The first floor of the house occupied by
bachelor surgeon, Dr. Justin Huntley, specialist in
gunshot wounds The doctor had been in the house
five years when Nadjian took up his abode in it.
There an old coiored maid-of all work Who
above the first floor each morning to care for the
apartments OF the two bachelors. She never left
basement after ten O'Clock each day, unless sum
I'D. and NaGian left the house until after
eleven
For his apartments had been entered
Il As absence By some unknown visitor as regularly
he eft the house, the unknown nearly always dis
turbing very slightly OF the small objects in his
library. as if looking for papers among his private
documents. Several times he had returned in fifteen
minutes with the OF catching the intruder,
only to find that the unknown had come and gone.
There but two means of entrance to the house,
the basement door opening the areaway at the
street. and the door the doctors floor, approached
by the steps from the street. There a
lot the east side of the house, and air shaft
feet wide the west side, between the house
towering apartment structure, which shut off
to the roof.
The skylight door was secured with a strong
Yale lock- the key to which lay among many others
in a locked drawer of Nadjans desk. The back of the
house barred at all apertures with iron trellis
work
Fo week a trusted clerk from the rug store
had one coming or going from either of the
from, Yet signs of visitation apparent
when Nadjian returned each day. 1t proof
elusive, therefore, that either Dr. Huntley John
Coughlan were candestnely endeavoring to get pos
session of something valuable which they knew or
imagined, Nadjian to have among his effects. There
were many rare tapestries, pieces of Damascened
plate, paintings on ivory, antique Jewels and other
articles, both large and small. Of high virtu, yet
nothing had ever been taken away
And now, you see, gentlemen Nadjian concluded
u have told you everything. I have absolutely moth
ing that either my dear friend, the doctor, or the
miserable Coughlan could want that they have not
had every opportunity for taking, but or the
other persists in coming to my rooms secretly. II
Coughlan-poof! he is slow fool, and do not care
If Dr. Huntley, l grieved; l am hurt l am morti-
fed to the depths. / should to live for he
is more to me than my brother Such q friend as
the heart of man could hope to find only in a million
OF these human wretches-so 1 will give up my
Contradiction Deu but l must know, or | shall go
mad. must know at once!'
Rand and exchanged glances. Nadjian.s sincerity
and feeling evident On the face of things the
not important In the least save as Nadiian's
peace of mind depended its solution and as ii
presented most alluring mystery us. Before
passing, / should add that Nadjian having heard OF
Rand, had been his track since five that after
noon and had only caught up with him at the opera
IF returned home with you tonight Khan
Nadjian, should reach your house after twelve
Where would John Coughan be in the natural course
CT eyents?"
I'm bed In the basement"
md Dr. Huntleyo"