The Washington times., 1908-02-02
His Chief Clerk
Questioned
But Is Ignorant
Concerning
Fate of Package
And Then
COISOn Suddenly
Disappears

leigh smiled slightly at the reoollso-
ton. The man 1 sent was slawson-
an entirely new addition to my forcs-
He came on from the East only last
week and he's not known about town
at al. Tt occurred 70 me that the key
was Of no particular value to US. now
that the papers were gone. and that
something might be learned when It
was returned"
see-on the assumption tf at Il vac
the same Brady lost. we Don't know
tiaL"
we didn't know fl q few hours
ago, ar Grafton. I instructed slaw-
son TO fet a private interview with
f"lbs and 70 say that he came from
Brady He obeyed quite accurately.
lie was downstairs when I came In.
something over hsIf If hour ago"
And what did be have TO reportY'
That Dobbs was Intensely relieved
az seeing the thing again That was
natural, but nc put IN a queer remark
quite unconsciousIy. he said, why
the devil didn't ne send Il back as ne
promised, without soaring my wis out
by that note this morningg eIawsou
the one stating that he had lost the
key, Of course replied our friend
Dcbbs"
Grafton whistled in establishment
That was an unexpected bit OF con
ArmatioH, wasn't it?" he crfsc. 1T
seems pretty well to establish the fact
uat we found Brady's key and no
other"
AS well as It could be done without
direct evidence. That seems to oDsa
up new train OF thought. does "a
not?"
Several Of them" confessed thu
other. But what do you make OF il
exactly, Burleigh?'
Nothing very positivS, sxeept that
II establishes Brady's Old oonueoton
with the affEir pretty hrrIly. 7 5snevs
that be was the man we chased fazt n
dawn this morning, the naAu vIo trssd
10 break in here twice within the
hour"
Very little question Of that sssuss "a
remain" unused Grafton. '"Tst. why
did he 90 itP"
Because he wanted 70 open fb.s
box alone and get the letter. And I'D
ne know what was "a il or Old he mis-
take it for something else CT tmDor-
lance 10 himself, or whRtq Done aelr
sir-thst's brought me to a standgrfI
every time I tried % reason II sut.
You didn't tell Brady the nature OF
the papers,"
'Of course, ala notf'
You did not even hint at ftrs
4 aid not. AL he knew vza that
they were OF the utmost importance "a
ne. ] tried to tell him that Il wsa
something that 7 had addrssEsd bv
mistake and you remember how. cheer
fully and truthfuIly he called me 4
Harp
I do. sir. And since he knew that
you were not telling the truth, all I
can conceive IS that he was acquainted
with the thiefs handwriting or your
own, or both. What II at leads to.
can't say"
We'll. youu have to say soon, Bur
leigh said Grafton, somewhat
sharply.
I shall hope to. sir-rm taking
steps in that direction at this moment
and I'm going 20 try Few longer ones
III a little while"
What sort OF steps7"
In regard TO Brady. Whatever be
knows, I wan. 90 know. To hope for
the information from him personally
is absurd, but I have another little
plan. sent another man to watch his
Office and learn when he goes out.
Should Brady leave during the after
noon I'll know OF Il az once. Then Z
mean TO so there and-weu. see what
there Is to be seen"
Grafton's mouth had opened Il
speak, when a knock came upon shs
door Burleigh opened It upon his own
Office boy, standing there with a folded
note.
The detective read the line and
smiled.
Speak OF the devil, siri'' he chuck
led. turning o Grafton. My man has
just phoned IN that-the coast Is clear.
II can hurry"
And you're going to try"
TO Do That may be done" said
Burleigh softly, holding up a warning
finger as he stood I'm the oPen door OF
the outer Office. "Wiu you stay here
until I get back. sir? Z won't be later
than O'Clock. perhaps not 50 late
as that Good-by, sir"
He hurried ont and Grafton turned
back 10 his dosl. with a sigh. He felt
that he was doing an abnormal
amount OF signing nowadays. and tbs
notion impressed him most unpIeas-
antly. Why under the sun was be
incoming around in such fashion, even
with the desperate situation to face
He had a rush OF other business. reg
ular business. TO manage BE set his
teeth resolutely. The whole Internal
series OF weird complications should
he banished together: Grafton would
return to HIS accustomed duty OF man
3 ging a large part Of Kenyonville
lie rang for his stenogra pher and his
mail and set about the task OF answer
ing the most pressing letters. In twen-
~ minutes, strong effort had mastered
the harassed mind; he was giving full
attention TO other affairs
His letters disposed OF, he ran over
some law business. called I'D Collins
and gave a number or directions. He
sent for JennisCn, and readjusted Ger
tain matters OF rent ard taxes in con-
1ectiau with the apartment houses and
astonished tie chief clerk by not mem
tioning or even limiting az the great
mystery.
ITO Re Continued Nexf cun6azA