The Elbert County tribune., 1908-10-08

"Oh, of course 1t is always well to
make these things strong when talk
ing to one of the chiefs caliber, but
here is the case as l seea it. 1t may
need several revisings before we come
to the end. / admit, when confronted
with the evidence of the knife through
the table, the blood stained slipper and
the mysterious telephone call, to say
nothing of the drugged wine and the
servants carefully rendered hors de
combat. / couldn't see a ray of light
from them. 1t was evident Hopping
ton had been entertaining a man and
woman; that either he disposed Of
the servants himself in order to carry
out some criminal design of his own or
else that he was tricked into doing 1t
as part of the plot that was his un-
doing.
The knife thrust through the table
seems to suggest either pure bravado
or an excess of murderous passion
that is not borne out by any other evi-
dence of struggle in the room. The
satin slipper and the telephone call are
the points of evidence added by the
woman. She may have stepped into
the blood and shaken of the slipper,
not to avoid being tracked, for she
thereby left dangerous clew, but be-
cause it would be easier to explain a
lost slipper than one soaked with
blood. But here l was faced by a
stone wall and / could go no further"
Absolutely nothing" said blankly.
"Of course not; but read this and
see If II throws any light on 1t. l
clipped 1t from this mornings paper"
1t was an item from the personal in
telligence column and it said: Capt
Fitzhugh Graham. the famous 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" said
Clarke to the clerk at the desk, ten.
| dering our cards.
The captain hastily cleared two
chairs for us. Mr. Clarke under
/ stand then is a fancier of orchids" he
said as his eyes wandered inquiringly
from one to the other of us.
The captain hung over the back OF
his chair with boredom written on his
face. There was no flaw in his acting,
If acting it was, as he carelessly re-
| piled:
You have been well informed, Mr..
Clarke, but I 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 l had deter
mined not to spoil Hoppingtons col
lection with 1t, even If he had not been
murdered, and this morning I had the
slavey throw 1t out. If that is all you
will kindly excuse me and l will con-
tinue my packing as l am leaving for
London this afternoon
Clarke glanced quickly from Graham
to me, and 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. l 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 led
The metamorphosis to the tiger was
sudden and complete. Full half the
length of the room the captain leaped.
knocking over two chairs in his flight
through the air, while his long sinewy
fingers closed around the throat of
Clarke. 1t WIS so sudden that / 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 I saw Clarke's hand 20
up and encircle the captains straining
wrist recognized one of Clarke's ia
vorite tricks of ju 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 1t
easily and gently to the floor. then
reaching for the other hand, clicked on
the beautiful little pair OF nickelsteel
handouts. dainty as lady's bracelet,
that he always carried In his hip
pocket
Then the coming of the chief re.
lieved a situation that was becoming
| tense.