Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-19

ous-minded, decent woman. Out CT the
question"
This Miss Smith, your aunt's COM
panion, who is she? Do you know"
"A South Carollnian; good family;
she has lived with my aunt as secre-
tary and companion for a year; my
aunt Is very fond OF her"
THAT all you know? Well, have
found out little more; she used to
live with Mrs. Jones S. Hastings. a
rich Washington woman. The lady's
only son fell in love with her; some
how the marriage was broken OIL"
What was his name?"
Lawrence. They called him Larry.
He went to Manila. Maybe you've
met him there"
Yes. knew him: don't believe he
ever was accepted by her"
II don't know. have only had two
days on her biography. Later, she
went to Johns Hopkins hospital. One
of the doctors WAS very attentive to
her-but 1t did not come to anything.
She didn't graduate. Don't know why.
Then she went to live with Miss An
gela Nelson, who died and left her
money, away from her own family.
There was talk OF breaking the will;
but It wasn't done. Then she came to
Mrs. Winter"
The colonel was silent; there was
nothing discreditable in these details.
Iyn nod l,oown hnfor<, thot Jopot G NTH
was poor; that she had been thrown
on the world early; that she must earn
her own livelihsod; yet, somehow, as
Birdsall marshaled the facts, there
was an insidious, malarious hint Of
the adventures. banded from place to
place, hawking her attractions about
wheedling, charming for hire, entrap
ping imbecile young cubs-Larry
Hastings wasn't more than 22-some.
how he felt revolt against the pic
ture and against the man submitting
it-and, confound Millicent!
The detective changed the manner
Of his questions little. II suppose
your aunt Is pretty advanced in years.
though she is as well preserved ali old
lady as l have ever met. and az
shrewd. Say, wouldn't she be likely
to leave the boy lot Of money!
Il dare say" The colonel was con-
scious Of an incorporate impulse to
kick Birdsall, who had been such q
useful fellow in the Philippines.
IF anything was to happen to him,
who would get the money!"
well, Mrs. Melville and are next
OF kim" returned the colonel. dryly.
DO you suspect us?"
II did look up Mrs. Melville" an
swered the unabashed detective, "but
guess she's straight goods all right.
But say, how about Miss Smith?"
The colonel stared, then he laughed.
"Birdsall," said he, there's somewhat
too. much mention Of ladies' names to
suit my virginian taste But II you
mean to imply that Miss Smith liz 60
ing to kill Archie to get my a,lnt's
money. l can tell you you are way
of! Your imagination is too active
for your profession. You ought to
hire out to the yellow journals"
His employers satire did not even
flick the dust of Birdsall's conlpla.
cency; he grinned cheerfully. ooh, I'm
not so bad as that; don't suppose she
did kill the boy; think he's alive, all
right. But say, colonel, I'll give lit to
you straight; do think the sonora
coaxed the boy OF. You admit, don't
you, he went of. Well. then he was
coaxed, somehow. Now, who's got in
fluence enough to coax him? You
cross out the maid; SO do I. You cross
out Mrs. Melville Winter; so do I. I
guess we both cross out the old lady.
Well, there's you and the sonora left.
/ don't suspect you, general"
Really? don't see. why l stand
to make more than anybody else, If
you are digging up motives. And how
about the chambermaid?"
Birdsall flashed glance of reproach
on his companion. Nov, colonel, do
you think ain't looked her up? First
thing. Nothing in it. Decent Vermont
girl, three years in the hotel. Game
for her lungs. She amt in It, But
let's get back to Miss Smith. Did you
know she is Cary MERGERS sister-in-
law"
He delivered his shot in q casual
way, and the colonel took It storily;
nevertheless, 1t went to the mark
Birdsall continued: Nov, question is.
was Mercer the secretary? You didn't
see the man in the elevator. except his
back. Had he two moles?"
IT couldn't see He had different
clothes: but still there was something
like Mercer about the shoulders"
"Burney didn't get chance to take
a snapshot, but he did snap the stove
man. Here it is. Pull that book out
of my pocket"
Obeying, the colonel lifted couple
of small prints which he scrutinized
intently, at the end admitting: yes,
it is he all right. Now, do you know
what I Think"
Birdsall couldn't form an idea.
81 think the Keatcham party is in
It: and I think they are after bigger
game than Archie. Maybe the train
robbers were a part Of the scheme
although I'm not SO sure OF that"
ooh, the robbers were in 1t all
right. But now come to Miss Smith;
where does she come In? Or are you
as sure of her as Mercer was In Chi