St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-10-24

out SOu4e criminal design GU his own or /
else that he was tricked hto doing it
as part of the plot that was his un-
doing
"The knife thrust through the table |
seems to suggest either pFe bravado
or an excess of murdeross passion
that is not borne out by ant other evi- |
dence of struggle in the bonn. The
satin slipper and the telephkne calrare |
the points of evidence added by the |
woman. She may have slipped into |
the blood and shaken off the slipper, |
not to avoid being tracked for she
thereby left a dangerous clew, but be- !
cause it would be easier to explain a
lost slipper than one scaled with |
blood. But here / was facAd by a |
stone wall and could go nofurther."
Absolutely nothing" ] SAID blankly |
''Of course not; but read this and
see If 1t throws any light In it.
clipped it from this mornings paper"
1t was an item from the peisonal In
telligence column and it said: Capt. |
Fftzhugh Graham, the famoua English
orchid hunter, arrived In the city yes
terday after six months stay in the
Philippines and is registered at the
Auditorium Annex
Capt. Fitzhugh Graham, seja
Clarke to the clerk Y thsdesssy~ten-
dering our cards.
The captain hastily cleared two
chairs for US. Mr. Clarke l under
stand then is faFcier of Orchids" he
said as his eyes wandered inquiringly
from one to the other of us.
The captain Jung over the back of
his chair witt boredom written on his
face. Therewas no flaw in his acting,
II acting twas, as he carelessly re-
piled:
You have been well informed, Mr..
Clarke, but / regret to say that the
Odontoglossum stood the trip badly,
as you know they nearly always do
1t was not such a specimen as would
care to offer. In fact | had deter
mined not to spoil Hoppington's col
lection with 1t, even if he had not been
murdered, and this morning I had the
slavey throw it out. If that is all you
will kindly excuse me and / will con-
tinue my packing as | am leaving for
London this afternoon"
Clarke glanced quickly from Graham
to me, and l thought detected warn
ing in his eyes, The captain watched
him with apparent nonchalance, but
there was something in his attitude
which suggested the crouch of tiger
ready for the leap.
And so the servants threw the
Odontoglossum out? How sad. / do
not believe there are two specimens
in Chicago"
Clarke suddenly reached over and
threw open the door of the humidor.
| Within there was an orchid of sur
passing beauty.
YES, there are three, and Captain
| Graham, you have lied"
The metamorpEosis to the tiger was
| sudden and complete. Full half the
length of the room the captain leaped,
knocking over two chairs in his fight
| through the air, while his long sinewy
fingers closed around the throat of
| Clarke. 1t was so sudden that I scarce
ly seemed able to gather the thought
necessary to bring my finger to the
| trigger of the revolver in my pocket.
AS soon as l saw Clarke's hand go
up and encircle the captains straining
wrist / recognized one of Clarke's ia
vorite tricks of jiu jitsue A look of
intense pain crossed the captains
| face, the arm became nerveless and
| in a moment more his huge bulk of a
body swung around and Clarke bore it
easily and gently to the floor, then
reaching for the other hand, clicked on
the beautiful little pair Of nickel-steel
handouts, dainty as lady's bracelet,
that he always carried in his hin
pocket.
Then the coming of the chief re-
| lieVed a situation that was becoming
tense.
Captain Graham stood haughtily at
the door waiting the chiefs will
/ Whatever battle had been raging in his
mind evidently had ended in mastery.
for he quietly interprosed:
MIR. Clarke, / ask that you take nc
further steps 1t is useless. l alone
am guilty At the proper time will
tell all"
Clarke, Clarke, I've got her." / al
most shouted, thrusting the paper al
him.
The item was under the head Of
Society Notes and read: among the
occupants of the boxes at the perform
ance of Aida by the metropolitan
Grand Opera company at the Auditor
ium last night were Captain Fitzhugf
Graham and Countess Evelyn Scrym
gour of London
Quick, telephone, ordered Clarke
and the obsequious waiter set an in
| istrument ON the table and connected j
| with the vail switch. He soon had m.
old newspaper Office and asked fer tn
; society editor.3
Here" lie said, handing me the re
t ceiyer. Ash her where the counties
.. s5 = Fv'is'o'l ! believe came tn
1t was only ! step away and we pal