Rock Island Argus., 1907-01-19
--Yes:I saw you 90 mat"

yes; saw you 90 tnat."
1--WE then went into the bedroom and
had a look around, leaving the body
alone
with Miss Croydon" said Godfrey,
completing the sentence.
There's another thing" continued
Simmonds after a mopent. Here's
the piece of pipe we found on the floor.
Do you know where it came from?
"No-I was going to look that up
"It came from the radiator. The
connections were defective, and a
plumber was replacing them. This Is
a piece of pipe he had removed and
left lying behind the radiator. He re-
members it distinctly. Do you recall
the position of the radiator?'
Yes; opposite the bedroom door.
Exactly Then the person coming
from that door must have crossed the
room to get it. More than that he
must have hunted for it or known it
was there. Miss Croydon knows more
than she's told us. l don't think she's
been square with U.S."
well, perhaps she hasn't" Godfrey
said slowly. Anyway, we've got to
work at the case from the other end.
We've got to identify Thompson first
Yes" agreed Simmonds. You'll
let me know if you find out anything"
"Of course" said Godfrey. rising.
and with a curt nod he went out and
down the steps TO the street.
At the office he found two reports
awaiting him. One was from the men
he had sent along the dOcks-they hGd
found no one who could identify the
photograph of Thompson. The other
was from Delaney. the head of the
Records intelligence department. At
= O'Clock that morning. just before re-
tiring. Godfrey mad phOned & message
to the office:
Delaney-I want all the information OBJ
tainable concerning the history of the
Croydon family. to which Mrs. Richard
Delroy and Grace Croydon belong.
This was the result:
Gu>tave Croydon. notary and money
lender, Il Rue d dAntin, Paris. removed
with wife and young daughter about 1873
to Beckenham, just south of London.
England. Why he removed from France
not known. Rue d Antin has been COM
pletely rebuilt within last thirty years.
and only person there now who remem-
bers Croydon is an old notary named
Fabre. who has an office at the corner of
Rue st. Augustin. He has vague MEM
ory that Croydon left France to avoid
criminal prosecution of some sort.
Croydon bought small country place
near Beckenham and lived there quietly in
serni-retirement. Fortune apparently not
large. In 1891 mortgaScd estate for &2.000.
mortgage paid in 1897. Religion. Catholic.
Excellent reputation at Bcckenham.
Eldest daughter. Edith, born in France
Aug. &c. 1874. Educated at school there,
but broke down from overstudy and re-
turned to Beckenham, where she became
interested in social settlement work.
There met Richard Delroy. New York.
who was making investigation of London
charities. Married him June 6, 1900, and
went Immediately TO New York.
Only other child. younger daughter.
Grace. born at Beckenham May l., 1850.
Educated at home. No unusual incidents
in life so far as known.
Croydon and wife died typhoid fever.
1901. Delroys came to England and after
selling property and settling estate took
Grace home with them. Estate left who'll
ly to younger sister. paid inheritance tax
on $500.
Godfrey read this through slowly,
dwelling upon it point by point.
1.-THE skeleton" he said to himself
sis pretty plain-it lies concealed some
where behind Croydon's departure
from France. There must have been
some unusual reason for that-a rea-
son even more serious. perhaps, than
this threatened prOSecution-the clip
pings would tell the story.
But is 1t worth while trying to dig
it up? 1t wouldn't be n difficult thing
to do if the newspapers handled it at
the time. but 1 don't know" and he
stared out through the window with
L.. a.,
believe I'll let it rest-for the present,
anyway" and he whirled back to his
desk.
He wrote the story of the days de-
velopments and turned it in.
We've been lucky" said the city
editor. with Il gleeful smile as he took
the copy. We've got photographs of
all the principals"
"Have we?"
"Yes-they cost $500, but they're
worth it. No other paper in town will
have en-
That's good" said Godfrey, but it
was Il half hearted commendation, and
he left the office in a frame of mind
not wholly amiable The methods of
Il popular newspaper are not always
above reproach.
Thank heaven" he added to him
self, his face clearing 4 litsle, there's
nothing in my story to implicate either
Miss Croydon or Mrs. Delroy-there's
no hint of the skeleton! took care of
that-which," he concluded, with
grim smile, sis mighty forbearing in
yellow Journalism
What further tests there were to be
of his forbearance not even he sus-
Dectedi
,.ro Do C,on+;nuo5A