Evening star., 1909-09-04
XXI-Continued.

who it was. 1 simply knew that the
second mans being there prevented my
going in, but it did not occur to me to be
curious as to who he was. L could not
foresee what interest and Importance the
matter might have a few hours later
yet when you knew it was important
you still kept the fact to yourself
II had not the slightest chance OF de-
termining who the man was. / could give
no information on that subject. There
was nothing i'm the little I did know"
That was for others to determine, not
for you said Trafford, Sternly- 1T
might have been the upraveling Of the
mystery for me to know the next day
what YOU knew, and 1t was because II
might have been. and because of what
you feared the solution was, that YOU
kept silent. Moreover, what stands out
before all else is that to have told would
have been to tell that you were OH the
ground almost at the moment the crime
tell,'
Again Grimbleshaw felt that Traffort
was driving the case home. and again ht
felt that his own course might have beer
a biunder. At the same time, he knew
why he had acted as he had, and that
given the same conditions. and the sam,
suspicious with equal lack of knowledge
he would do the same thing again. He
had accepted it as assured that judith
and Horace had ground for their fears
| and he had been willing to take the con
sequences, be they what they might, oi
standing Loyalty with them-or her, ht
more honestly amended. Perhaps tht
mere fact that there had been no ground
for suspicion was Il minor factor, SO lone
as this man was on their track.
Now" demanded Trafford, breaking il
on his line of thought will YOU tell me
what your business with Altenburs WASP
No answered Grimbleshaw. Yor
have asked me that once before, and
told YOU that it was personal business
having no possible connection with thi:
affair. 1t would have been accomplished
with him alone. if living, and he being
dead it concerns nobody, and l don't pur
pose being driven into revealing my pri
vate matters for a gossiping village te
tear to tatterS.
I'm case like this retorted Traf
ford, there is nothing personal. What
ever concerns Altenburg in those las
hours conperns the public until justice is
done. Corcealment doesn't conceal at {
time like this
Again Grmbleshaw was driven to 81
lence. and again T'rafford waited will
imperturbable patience. Convinced that nt
answer was TO be expected, he finally
said:
AT least you may be able to clear
David, for 1 take it you are willing to dt
| that Can you fix the hour, or rather
| minute, that YOU knew AltenburG wa.
alive and had some one with him?
.I don't even know he was alive.
don't even know that he was one of the
two men in that room. | saw two shadow:
and heard men talking That is all
know. If there were two men concerned
in this murder he may already have beer
done to death, and the voices [ hearc
may have been the voices of the mer
who did the job
They may have been the men you en-
countered two hours later Trafford sug
geSted
Grimbleshaw. as well under restrain
as he had held himself thus far. felt hi.
face change at this thrust. Trafford hac
his eyes on him, and he knew that hi.
confusion could not fail of detection by 81
trained an observer. Then there came t
him what he had said to Judith not al
hour before.
THAT is mere guesswork. l take it yol
are not interested in my suesses."
Unless what you choose to call {
guess is in reality a Judgment based OF
something YOU know. as, for instance, the
recognition of voice
"A thing said GriInbleshaw, not taker
by surprise. as Trafford had clearly in
| tended '.of no value whatever, in nay
opinion One hears voice and fails Il
carry the tone He hears another. unde
circumstances that suggest the first o.
perhaps is asked If he recognizes IT, ant
promptly says YES. when really IL Is SIM
utN all aSSOclaIiOu Ol ltSdS. .NotIiut,, -
seems to me. could be more baseiesS oi
| utterly worthless.
do you think that quite fair prescn
tation?''
Reforc Grimh'cshaw could answer there
was a hasty rush OF steps up the stairs
the door was thrown violently open auc
Fry burst in.
We've got Calden and he's confessed.
he cried.
.Which one?" demanded Grimbleshaw
leaping to his feet.
How did you come to arrest him?'
| asked Trafford, Sternly.
He had left the camp and was max
ing for Canada III charge of a diSreput-
able fellow named Billings
Il know" interrupted Trafford. Il aske,
about the arrest
Il went up to the sleigh and said Mr.
Calden, you're wanted. For what ht
asked The Altenburg murder. | said
You've got the right man. he said
You should have warned him.. saic
Trafford
1T was out before I had chance
"As an officer it was your duty TO war;
| him before you answered his questions
You don't seem to find this arrest &c
your taste'' cried Fry, his elatfon turneo
| to bitterness which he did not scrupie
| to show.
"rve no doubt it will prove of great
| importance" said Trafford.