Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-15
CHAPTER I.
I Go to Pittsburg.

/ liked it, and since the strange case OF
the man in lower ten 1 have been a bit
! squeamish. Given case like that where
you can build up network of clues that
| absolutely incriminate three entirely diff
| ferent people. only one of whom can be
guilty. and your faith in circumstantial
evidence dies of overcrowding. | never
see a shiverng. white-faced wretch in
the prisoners dock that | do not bark
back with shuddering horror to the
strange events on the Pullman car On
tario. between Washington and Pitts.
6burg. on the night of September last.
Mcknight could tell tie story a great
deal better than l, although he cannot
spell three consecutive words correctly
But. while he has imagination and hu.
NOR he is lazy.
1T didn't happen to me. anyhow" he
protested. when l put it up to him. And
nobody cares for secondhand thrills. Be.
sides, you want the unvarnished and un-
garnished truth, and I'm no hand fol
that. I'm a lawyer
So am l. although there have beer
times when my assumption in that par
ticular has been disputed 1 am unmar-
| ried, and just old enough to dance with
| the grown-up little sisters of the girls
used to know. I am fond of outdoors
| prefer horses to the aforesaid grown-ur
| little sisters, without sentiment tan
| crossed out and was substituted.-Ed.)
and completely ruled and frequently
routed by my housekeeper, an elderly
| widow.
| In fact, Of all the men of my acquaint-
| ance. l was probably the most proSaic
| the least adventurous the one man in d
| hundred who would be likely to go with
| out deviation from the normal through
| the orderly procession of the seasons
summer suits to winter fiannels, golf to
| bridge.
| So it was a queer freak of the demons
| of chance to perch on my unsusceptible
thirty-yearold chest. tie me up with a
| crime, ticket me with a love affair. and
start me on that sensational and not al
| ways respectable journey that ended sc
| surprisingly less than three weeks later
| In the firms private office. 1t had been
the most remarkable period Of my life.
would neither give it up nor live it again
under any inducement, and yet all that
| lost was some twenty yards off my drive
| 1t was really Meningitis turn to make
| the next journey. l had a tournament
at Chevy Chase for Saturday, and a
| short yacht cruise planned for Sunday
and when a man has been grinding al
statute law for week, he needs relaXa-
| tion- But Mcknight begged off. 1t was
not the first time he had shirked that
summer in order to run down to Rich.
y
| time he had new excuse.
Il wouldn't be able to look after the
business If l did co. he said. He has
| a sort of wide-eyed franknesS that makes
| one ashamed to doubt him. I'm always
car sick crossing the mountains. It's a
| fact. Lollie. Seesawing over the peaks
| does it. Why, crossing the Allegheny
mountains has the gulf stream to Ber-
muda beaten to a FRAGILE"
So / gave him up finally and went
| home to pack. He came later in the
| evening with his machine. the Cannon.
| ball, to take me to the station, and he
| brought the forged notes in the Bronson
| case.
/ Guard them with your life." he
| warned me. They are more precious
than honor Sew them in your chest
| protector, or wherever people keep valu-
abies. I never keep any. I'll not be
| happy until ] see Gentleman Andy doing
the lockstep."
| He sat down on my clean collars. founG
| my cigarettes and struck a match on the
| mahogany bed post with one movement.
where's the Pirate?" he demanded
| The Pirate is my hOusekeeper. Mrs. klop-
| ton, very worthy woman. SO labeled
and libeled-because of a ferocious pair
of eyes and what Mcknight called a
buccaneering nose. / quietly closed the
| door into the hall.
Keep your voice down. Richey."
said "She is looking for the evening
paper to see if 1t is going to rain. She
has my raincoat and an umbrella wait
| ing in the hall"
The collars being damaged beyond re-
pair. he left them and went to the win
dow. He stood there for some time.
staring at the blackness that represented
the wall of the house next door.
ITS raining now he said, over his
shoulder. and closed the window and the
shutters. Something in his voice made
me glance up, but he was watching me,
his hands idly i'll his pockets.
who lives next door," ne inquired.
In a perfunctory tone, after a pause.
was packing my razor.
House is empty" l returned, absently.
III the landlord would put it in some
sort of shape
Did you put those notes in Your
pocket?" he broke in.
Yes" | was impatient. Along with
my certificates of registration baptism
and vaccination. Whoever wants them
will have to steal my coat to get them. =
Well / would move them. if l were
YOU. Somebody in the next house was
confoundedly anxious to see where YOU
put them. Somebody right at that win
dow opposite
l moved the papers. putting them in my
travelling bag. we'll down at the bottom.
Mcknight watched me uneasly.
II have bunch that you are going to
have trouble" he said. as l locked the
alligator bag. 'Darned if / like starting
anything important on Friday"
You have cOngenital dislike to start
anything on any old day." | retorted.
still sore from my lost Saturday. And
if you knew the owner of that house. as
/ do you would know that If there was
any one at that window he is paying rent
for the privilege"
Mrs. Klopton raped at the door and
spoke discreetly from the hall.
Did Mr.. Mcknight bring the evening
paper?" she inquired.
Sorry. but l didn't, Mrs Klopton.'
Mcknight called. THE Cubs won. three
to nothing" He listened. grinning. as
she moved away, with little irritated rus
ties of her black silk gown.
l finished my packing, changed my
cautiously we put out the light and
opened the shutters. The window across
was merely a deeper black In the dark
ness. 1t was closed and dirty. And yet,
probably owing to Richey's suggestion.
had an uneasy sensation of eyes staring
across at me. The next moment We were
at the door. poised for flight.
We'll have to run for it," said. in a
whisper. shes down there with pack
age of some sort sandwiches probably.
And she's threatened me with overshoes
for a month. Ready now.
| had Kaleidoscope view of Mrs.
Klopton in the lower hall. holding out an
armfui of such travelling mpedimenta as
she deemed essential, while beside her
Euphemia. the colored housemaid. grim
ned over a whit;-wra pped box.
''AWfully sorry no time - back sun
day." / painted over my shoulder. Then
the door closed and the car was moving
away.
Mcknight bent forward and stared at
the facade of the empty house next door
as we passed. 1t was bl1ck. staring.