The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-10-21
The Altenbnrg Case By GEORGE DYRE ELDRIDGE
Copyright, 1909 By George Dyre Eldridge.
tcontinued from Page IoA.

1Our-CW0.
 "Yes. and held the wire until the connection was got! It might have been any old number for all we know. Whoever did 1t knew that trick of the ssfsxsaone, anyway. The same thlng happened with Malbon. didn't there?' sxS tome one called Grimbieshaw from Altehburg's. and have no doubt aow that some one did. he was Tn saurry. and naturally held on to the wire. If it was the man who did the Job he was in a. hurry to get away. If 1. was some one else, he knew the need of quick help"
 'sNow lock here. Trafford." said Fry seating himself at last at the other side of the table. tlet's talk sense and imagine sense if we're going to take imagination. as our guide, as seems to be on the carpet. What would the -nan who did the job want to call a 4octor for?'
 SAssume it was an accident
 He'd have stayed until the doctor was there"
 "Even a man who made it a point of his coming that he was to be seen by no one?"
 He'd have forgotten that under the new condition of affairs
 Trafford. the most patient of men. gave attention to this aspect of the matter. He turned it over to see if there was any phase that had been neglected. Then he glanced up with well? Next?"
 That closes that chapter. The man who did the job didn't call Grimble- shaw What then? You assume that somebody found the man after he was done for and that he called Grimble- shaw That's only a little more ridi- culous than the other. Where did he come from. and. above all. what be- came Of him?"
 sGrimbleshaw found people there ransacking the house."
 .'So Grimbleshaw says"
 "So Phil Barber says. too"
 .sPhfl Barber says enough things to make dozen mems reputations as first-class liars When this thing is over to lie like Phil Barber will be- come proverb of Lanceboro."
 aweu?'
 .It's altogether too complicated. We know that A1tenburg had some dea1- ings with Grimbleshaw: we know that those dealings concerned some overdue notes Grimbleshaw had. given-D
 'No. we don't knoy that" inter rupted Trafford. Don't let's put it any stronger that the facts Well we guess. if that suits better for this particular phase of the busi- ness, though the Lord knows we've been talking about knowing. things that we don't know half so well. We guess that certain overdue notes given by GrimbIeshaw had come into Alten- burg,s hands and were the subject of the dealings between the two. Grim blesfaw has, a talk with Altenburg over the phone. and certainly doesn't pay the notes. for Altenburg is going to call him up again Before he can do it Altenburg is murdered. Grimble- shaw discovers the murder and tells a cock-and- bull story of being called on the telephone. He. is called on i, the telephone, but nobody knows from where. The call suggests Altenburg, whom he is expectine will call him-'' Hold on,'' interrupted Trafford. Tets have the story present as few eiff1culties as possible. Altenburg does call him and tells him he wants that money. Grimbleshaw sees his chance tells him that he will bring it. goes and murders Altenburg. That ac- counts naturally for the telephone call at least"
 "By George, Trafford.'' exclaimed Fry. enthusiastically. you've hit it! don't mind owning now that that telephone call bothered me"
 ''It's no use to own it now said Trafford. gravely. .'You should have don't it before.''
 It was one of those rebukes. the very force of which lies in their simplicity It was not often that Trafford called Sis assistants to the bar of judgment but when he did it was with words that startled by their difference to the ordinary rebuke. To Fry it was g staggering blow.
 "Yes.'' he admitted. ives, you'd have done it. It was the most abject o1 confessions that he had failed before his master.
 We'll said Trafford, kindly and en. couragingly, we've done some pretty tall guessing. now let's get at some facts.Y
 .The only thing I can't really ge round is Phil Barber"
 Another confession. Just now yo, disposed of him as a liar. Put hin on the stand and he'll go to state. prison as Grimbleshaw's accomplice and the prosecuting attorney won have to half try"
 There isn't a grain of value to any thing he says"
 Sometimes a liar proves the mos valuable of witnesses" declared Traf ford.
 What do you find valuable in thi particular liars Iying?" asked Fry.
 "That he should think he had to in vent some startling reason for beini frightened.''s answered Trafford. "I shows that he really was frightened and the cause invented shows that h was terribly frightened"
 "Humphv' grunted Fry. eT don't se as it needs lie to prove that he wa Scart. an don't see that the lie help us bit to find out why he was scart
 .Ah. but it was too silly ever to hay been invented by Grimblesf1aw."
 You're trying to shield that man. said Fry, brusque1y.
 1YaS said Ira ford 1,yi11a