The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-01-05

ton. but II you viii think for = mo-
ment, you'll recall that we've been
having pretty damp weather for a
week or more"
''Weu2"
Here il perfect uaze Of fresh
scratches. such marks a. might have
been made by a man erouehing here
IA the spot farthest from your win
dow. They're bright and shiny. and
every other mark On the platform IL
ruSted over"
Grafton drew IN iiis head. and some
OF the doubt had disappeared.
'Im-weI I'm almost Inclined TO
believe that you're right about that"
I'm almost inclined 10 belle=e that
I am laughed the detective good
natuTediy. Therefore. we hive added
another fact TO our information. Our
man was hsre when first you came. he
went out and closed the window when
you arrived. opened It again and came
back after ycu mad turned out the
lights and departed. You were very
rear to him FOR a time. Mr.. Grafton
Nearer than I'm likely 10 be again.
] fear sighed Grafton
'Oh, that's hard telling. Now, We
come down to the other question-just
what did he do in here"
Burleigh's hands were damned deep
in his pockets.
Perhaps he had finished when you
came the first time. His being IN
here when YOU saw the lights tells US
nothing except that he found escape
by the ladders impossible and was
forced 20 leave By the stairway when
his sob VAS done NOW / am strongly
Inclined to believe that he had finished
before your first visit, and was very
likely on the point OF leaving when ne
heard you coming up.
Possibly"
And reasoning on that line" con-
Guided BurleIgh, cit remains for us 10
learn just what be did here
"Poeketed my papers" suggested
Grafton gloomily. That's all we need
70 know OF that Dart.'
ooh. but It is not-not by any man
ner Of means. we need to know
great many more little details. The
desks the place for a start. You have
no objection to my turning things
over, Mr.. CraftOn?''
Not the slightest"
Grafton sat back and lighted a cigar.
cycling the detective with small conf
dence even nov, despite what he hsd
already done
Burleigh began systematically at the
top of the pile Of papers and worked
his way downward. Every envelope.
every scrap of paper, was held TO the
light for its close scrutiny; each one
was deposited upon the desk again
without comment of any sort.
When the last had been gone over,
Burleigh shrugged mis- shoulders
'weIl-he left no trace there, at any
rate" he observed. II should almost
have suspected that he would have,
but"
He gathered the papers carefully
and. laid them together on the top Of
the desk. He drew the pen-rack and
the blotters toward him and st,sdied
them attentively.
And after a moment he held up a
red penhOlder and smiled.
Our friend did some writing. Mr.
Graftonr'
What"
You haven't been using a pen in
the last hour have your"
NO
"Then he did, you may be sure.
See? Here's a stub. with the ink hard
" dry even now. Tie was hurried. for
he did not even take the time to dry
the point"
"But-what on earth could have set
aim to writing"
That's our next problem, Mr.. Graf
ton"
He looked over the blottely once
more; black and worn as each of them
was, the thief might have dried a doz-
en- pages with any one and left no
trace whatever. He tossed them aside.
Nothing to be learned there. either,
I fear However-
Burleigh bent low over the big pad
OF biotting paper that covered Graf
tons desk, and a very few seconds
later his head came up again and he
was smiling broadly.
There's our confirmation Of the
writing. he said, one finger pointing
to the pad.
Graf on hurried 10 Ills side and
xyVAT - ~ nav $500