Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-15

seen Ile boy, loIC OuISlue III tue LuUtOT
car. Atkins, SO he said, had pretended
that the boy was tool of some enc
mics Of Keatcham's, whose secretary
he was, trading, not for the only time,
on his past position. In reality, Bird
sail had come to believe Atkins knew
that Keatcham was employing Mercer
In his place.
why, he knew the old gentleman
was just off quietly with Mr.. Mercer
and some friends; knew they were
all friendly, just as well as you or
me- declared Birdsall He had seen
Archie on the train, for, as the colonel
remembered, he had been In the Win
ters car on the night of the robbery
Somehow, also, Atkins had found out
about Archies disappearance from the
hotel
II can't absolutely put my finger on
his information" said Birdsall: "but
suspect Mrs. Melville Winter; I know
she was talking to him, for one of my
men saw her. The lady meant no harm,
but she's one Of the kind that is al
ways slamming the detectives and be-
Ing took in by the rascals."
He argued that Mrs. Winter and
Miss Smith knew where the boy was;
for some reason they had let him go
and were pretending not to know
where he was. "Ain't that so?" the
detective appealed to Aunt Rebecca,
who merely smiled, saying: You're
wonder, Mr.. Birdsall!" According
to Birdsall's theory, Atkins was puz-
lied by Archie's part in the affair.
But he believed could he find the
boys present hosts he would find Ed
win Keatcham. 1t would not be the
first time Keatcham had hidden him
self, the better to spin his web for the
trapping of his rivals. That Mercer
was with his employer the ex-secre-
tary had no manner of doubt, any more
than he doubted that MERGERS scheme
had been to GUST him and to build his
own fortunes on Atkins ruin. He
knew both Tracy and young Arnold
very we'll by sight. When he couldn't
brighten Archie into telling anything,
probably he went back to his first
plan of shadowing the Winter party
at the Palace He must have seen
Tracy here. He penetrated his dis
guise. Giles as sharp as the devil,
[ tell you, Colonel.") He either fol-
lowed him himself or had him fol-
lowed; and he heard about the tele-
phone. ("Somebody barking In the
next room, most likely.") Knowing
Tracys intimacy with Arnold, 1t was
not hard for so clever and subtle a
mind as Atkins to jump to the con-
clusion and test it In the nearest tele-
phone book. cat least that is how l
figure it out, Colonel.") Birdsall had
traced the clever mechanic who was
Intercepted by the eastern gentleman
about to build; this man had given the
lavish and inquisitive easterner a plan
Of the secret passages-to use in his
own future residence. Whether At
kins went alone or in company to the
Casa Fuerte the detective could only
surmise. He couldn't tell whether his
object would be mere blackmail, or
robbery of the cipher, or assassination.
Perhaps he found the insensible man
In the patio and was tempted by the
grisly opportunity, victim and weapon
both absolutely to his hand; for it
was established that the dagger had
been shown Tracy by Mercer as 9
curio, and left on the stone bench.
Perhaps he had not found the dag
ger, but had his own means to make
an end of his enemy and his own ter
ror., Birdsall believed that he had &C
completes, or at least one accomplish,