Evening star., 1909-08-27
The A1tenburg Case. |
Bv GEORGE DYRE ELDRIDGE.
COPYRIGHT 1909 GEORGE DYRE

he had not foreseen when, at the instance
of Mrs. Calden. he had agreed to try to
persuade Calden to leave the camp. He
was compelled 10 admit that he had been
Influenced less by the fact that he was
Calden than by the fact that he was
Judith's father. But II Calden wouldn't
go home. what. in face of the clear fact
that he couldn't stay here. was he to do ?
1t appeared to be a question with which
he had no concern. but he had become so
involved in this affair that nothing con-
nected with II would quite surprise him.
or quite seem outside his interest and
least of all Ii II should turn out in the
end that he was to decide this question
and decide 1t suddenly.
HAS Bull shown any uneasiness this
evening". he asked.
For ten or fifteen minutes before you
came he had taken his post again at the
door Then, just before you drove up. he
got up and went back to the fire. Prob
ABLY ne heard you coming and stayed by
the door until he recognized Mrs. Caiden.' -
Have you taken any steps to find II
any Of the other cabins are occupied?"
The question seemed to startle Calden
to new line of thought. and at least
Grimbleshaw had no difficulty In reach
ing the conclusion that his companion had
not before thought such a thing possible
Now that 1t was suggested, however. 1t
seemed to take possession of him, and
he grew more and more uneasy.
You think. then, that they have traced
me here?''
i've no doubt of it." replied Grimble-
shaw. who had made up his mind now to
drive to a. conclusion. ''Trafford can
must be close at hand. Miss Judith has
been too closely watched for her visit
here to be unknown. and you may as
well face the certainty. or close approach
to certainty, that not only Is your being
here known, but that there are enough h
men close at hand to make certain of
your arrest II you attempt to leave here.
| If you do not make the attempt you will
probably remain undisturbed, but closely
W-tched. until you are actually wanted -
"Nanted! repeated Calden. Wanted
for wtat?'
He was pale and his lips trembled till
Grimbleshaw felt a species Of pity for a
man who. having nerved himself to do
sucf1- deed. could afterward be SO un-
strung at the thought Of detection and
possible capture
Then 1t came to him by one of those
hashes of thought that in their genesis
are unaccountable. that perhaps this man
was not the murderer after. all. A man
could scarcely fear for himself SO deeply
as to be thus unstrung. Might it not be
that 1t was because he knew the guilty
one that he was unstrung? II so. there
could be but one other. and that
Gr1mbleshaw refused to think of the
name even.
Wanted for wi1at?'' Calden repeated.
Are you determined" asked Grimble-
shaw. Ito drive me to say what / don't
want to say?"
I'm entitled DR.. Grimbleshaw." replied
the other. almost sternly, now that you
have gone thus far. to insist that you
go farther As between man and man
you have no right to stop where you
are.''
AS he spoke Bull got sup and without
growl or other sound moved with the
| noiseless tread Of a cat to the door and
stretched himself In front of it. The two
men watched him with fascinated gaze
that seemed unbreakable. At last Grim
hleshaw. with an effort which was per-
ceptibly great. turned his face toward his
companion and said in a whisper:
The cabin is watched, and watched
closely. There was a man at this very
door when we drove into the clearing,
and I've no Doubt he's there now. listen
Ing to catch any word we may speak
get at him? ?''
"No. no. nor said Calden. hastily. yet
not forgetting caution to speak under his
breath. TITS bad enough as it is. but
Bull would simply kill him. There's been
enough killing for the present.
But these men are bloodhounds.' said
Grimbleshaw. bitterly. They're on your
track, and they'll hang there with the
grinnness of death unless we can devise
some way to throw them off. Trafford is
simply merciless."
"And II he can take me he'll be satis-
fied?"
mo" said Grimbleshaw. suddenly. see-
ing deeper into the affair. as it seemed
to him. than he had done before. He
wants you to add link to the chain of
evidence he is drawing about Horace"
Horace" For the moment Grimble-
shaw feared for the effect of his rash
words .Caiden had spoken with an ut
ter abandonment OF the caution he had
shown before. His face was white and
waxen. and his hands shook with the in
tensity of his emotion. Mrs. Calden
rushed to her husbands assistance and
Grimbleshaw seized his medicine case to
find restorative blaming himself for his
utterly unprofessionaI -recklessness.
Calden, however. brushed them both
aside. and though his face remained
waxen and drawn. he gained command Of
himself almost instantly. :
do you mean,'' he demanded Of Grim
bleshaw, with pitiless insistence. shat
Trafford thinks. that Horace killed his
uncle?"
mo. no. nor Mrs Calden moaned, her
face buried in her hands.
Does he?" demanded Calden, merci-
lessly.
Brought face TO face with the question,
Grimbleshaw searched his mind for a
conscientious answer. forgetting that he
could readily shelter himself behind the
impossibility Of telling what was in Traf-
ford's mind. Calden had the air of one
waiting Tor an answer on which he mad a
right to insist and which he was as
sured would be truthful.
At last Grimbleshaw had finished his
self-analysis.
II conscientiously believe" he said.
that oTrafford at present thinks Horace
did commit the murder. AS a matter Of
fact. Horace might almost as we'll be
under arrest for all the real liberty that
is his I think the only reason he has
not been arrested is because Trafford
thinks II he delays showing his hand he
will thereby be able to secure some evil
dence that he might frighten away by too
precipitate action"
Mrs. Calden sat staring at him while
he spoke with dry eyes. but quick, catch
ing breath: He did not dare look toward
her. Calden. on the contrary, had re-
gained control OF himself, and even a lit
tie OF his natural color was stealing into
his cheeks. When Grimbieshaw finished
speaking Calden's voice was steadier than
the Doctors had been.
Then it is time for me to speak.
Horace had nothing to do with the affair
! am the only one who is guilty of John
Altenburg's DEATH
CTo be continued tomorrow
TWENTY NAKED! SHOCK TOWN.
Bare Bathers Invade Braddock,
Chased by Constables.