The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-10-19
1191411l111J1gyg11114l14ll1141
(Continued.)

Plains road at o'clock of a stormy night, to find a murdered man at the end of it'' said Trafford, taking the chair and cigar that Grimbleshaw of fered him.
 Would any one be?" 'I wish it had been me" He shot the answer at the physician as if it l were a challenge and he were turning l the tables on an assailant.
 wouldn't it have simplified the mystery so much as to rob it of its attractiveness? The doctor asked the as if he actually would like to get at 1 just what a detective thought of his own business. The matter of asking rather pleased Trafford than other wise but nothing of this was in the answer he shot back.
 '1'm employed to solve. Everybody. even Calden. wishes that"
 Has he told you he did?' Trafford read before the short sentence was completed Grimbleshaw's wrath. at his own stupidity. He was rather pleased. however. to find him too shrewd to fall into the error of leav- ing it half said.
 "No. Has he told YOU he didn't?" T haven't exchanged a word with him, on that matter" Even to Traf- ford the bald effrontery of this an swer was surprising. Still. he re- solved to give him a chance for his anti. "You haven't seen him then?" Grimbleshaw smiled: smiled in a half boyish. wholly candid way. that rather won on the detective. "Tve too good an opinion of your ability, Mir. Trafford." he said. mot to believe that you know Calden has been here. He came for a prescription for his mother-''
 T know the detective interrupted. not averse to showing the other his | own thoroughness. Tt was an order on the state agency for brandy. hope twas only to tide her over till she can get a better article from Bos- ton.''
 Your prohibitory law doesn't con- cern itself with nice determinations. . Grimbleshaw admitted. Tn it's eye liquor is liquor. and that's all there I is to it. Try this whisky"
 .'Twould take something more than your prescription to get that out cf 8 state agency" Trafford declared. ap- preciatively. after he had accepted the 1 invitation.
 l Then. after a pause. Trafford sud- ! denly spoke again. when, least of all Grimbleshaw was expecting a return l to the subject of the murder. 1 Doctor, you heard two voices that l night, one over the phorc -nd ths other from the man in the doorway or.'s as if with sudden new thought, perhaps they were the same?'' esNo,'' responded Grimbleshaw. quick l ly; absolutely different. Not the slightest resemblance between them
 "Good." exclaimed Trafford We've two people to deal with then. whief 1 always simplifies matters. Nine times out of ten it's number two that make. I it possible to find number one. Wa.
 there anything peculiarly distinctive about either voice, so that you'd re- cognize it if you heard it again?'' Grimbleshaw hesitated. but succeed. ed in giving his hesitation the, ap pearance of carefully weighing an i'm portant and new question.
 .-No. I don't think there was" h. said, slowly. .'No. I'm positive there l wasn't" He had gained firmer tom in the last half of his answer. I That's disappointing. of course Still, there's the girl at the central
 There's chance there. By the way T you knew Altenburg?"
 By sight. yes"
 You were talking with him ovel the phone two days before the murder
 we'll use the word tentatively"
 Grirnbleshaw flushed and gave
 start. which was easily explicabl
 from the sudden realization of tn closeness with which his acts had beer 1 scrutinized. A week before he would
 have said. You can put all the mel on my track you please. If it amuse
 any one to follow me, let him. It lots he'll learnt As practically ac conlplished act it set less easily b.
 far.
 "Yes"
 Trafsord looked his expectation of
 more detailed answer. Grimbleshay
 found the silence disturbing. and lack
 ed the experience and self-Doise t
 overcome the feeling.
 ''It was private matter" H
 thought to ease the tension with thi concession, and realized when he has
 made it that he was deeper in tn
 mire than before. Trafford still wait ed silent. This time Grimbleshay
 braved it through. knowing that
 was what he should have done before
 and covering his confusion. in part. b.
 lighting a fresh cigar. At least Il made it plain that Trafford could ex . pect nothing further in the way of al
 answer.
 At that the detective arose. took hi hat ard threw the stump of his ciga
 into the fireplace. His hand was o
 the door before he spoke again.
 Doctor" he said, i've already ha 1 occasion to say to one man that
 was better for him to be frank. It
 my business to find out everythin
 bearing on this matter. and it's m
 way first to give a man chance
 tell what he knows. It helps me, C | i course, but as a rule it helps him. tot 4 At any rate, until I've done so I've | sort of feeling I'm not quite playin | fai fn findi0