Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-25
XV-Continued.


that this was the end of the matter. but
before Calden could find quite decent
way of leaving Beckwith's irritation
under opposition. which he was ordinarily
able to ride down. found voice:
"Trafford knew already when he met
you here that you were there that night.
I've no doubt he knew you for the guest.
Now he is certain twas you called Grim
bleshaw, and / can't tell him it wasn't.
It's only his id inscrutable way Of
working that leaves you at liberty this
long
'Liberty.' exclaimed Calden. L feel
that he knows if I breathe an extra
breath in twenty-four hours!'
That's simply because he saw You
come out of Grimbleshaw's and then
played that telephone trick sneered
Beckwith.
Calden had come direct from his en-
counter with Grimbleshaw at the Alien
burg house to tell Beckwith Of this new
development, and the result had been the
break Of relations between them, which,
for the moment at least, Beckwith
seemed to resent more than did Calden.
1T isn't that alone" said Calden. slow
1y. land, in fact, l don't know as It's tnat
mainly. He creates the sense In me tna1
he's at my elbow, and that I've only got
to turn round at any time. day or nlght'
to come face to face with him.
Just then the office boy came in with
slip of paper, which he handed to Beck
with. who read it and gave 10"
whistle.
speaking of the devil" he began, and
then interrupted himself to say 20 the
boy, ''pll see him in five minutes.
''Trafford?" asked Calden.
Beckwith nodded and the other reacned
Hold on" said Beckwith. whatever
am / to say to him?"
.'That you're out of the affair
other side of the hall and wait. I'm not
going to see you run your head into a
moose, il / can help it!'
II don't see the good" said Caiden;
sharply. AFTER what's happeheo'
..Do as tell you." said Beckwith.
brusauely, and with just shade OF hesl-
fancy Calden obeyed, going OUT OF tne
one door only a second before iraHoro
AM mr. u Reckwith.' said Trafford, coming
at once to the point, I'm here only 10
say two things and then go. FIRST, Try
and bring your client to some gliihnlei
ings of sense Second. II there's peen any any
implied agreement that 1 wasn't to taiK
SASSHS-o
release myself from 1t.
"Mr. Trafford,'' said Beckwith. gravely.
II tell you that, honestly. l think you're
working on wrong lines.
Il didn't know that you knew ON "i"e
lines I am working. 49, ~,
Beckwith flushed. He was as little IKE.
Nv as any man to feel unduly fepuIse
Of this kind, but it seemed to him par
~ admit. of course" he FASTENED to
say, "the possibility that !! am deceived,
hut YOU ought to know that Wnats on
| the face of this affair is too clearly
there to be its solution" 49,.
Therefore, / am to understand tnat
Won conclude that I'm working along the
| lines of what's clearly on the race OF TINS
AFFAIR.""
ut does seem little that way" Beck.
with admitted, "but that isn't just what
perhaps" Trafford suggested. you
think the fact that your client was at tne
house almost at the moment or tne inuI ,
der, assuming that murder mas Deei'
ment, is one of those facts SO clearly on
| the surface as to be meaningless. II 30;
| 1t isn't nearly SO clear why Doth you anu
| he carefully withheld 1t when l ihv1,eu
absolute confidence on your part. Tt
must have known that its smallest weight
would have been in its coming TO me
| through his voluntary statement. But ne
hasn't told me even yet. what am ~
conclude? That he would have me at
taeh an sa doesn't ee that in itself
point to something that isn't quite SO
Clearly on the surface? He couldn't nave
| thought l wouldn't find 1t out: 1noeeu'
I'm not certain but ne tnouSht al Tie
| time that I knew 1t.
How could such a fact be given undue
Importance" Beckwith asked. MS IN
stinct making for aid to the man WHO
quarter of an hour before he had refused
| further to serve.
Trafford replied, leaving it to Beckwltn
| to give the remark a negative or posi-
| tive interpretation, as he saw NJ, OF as
his knowledge inclined him. I'm put
ting to you phase OF the n,a. o,;a,t as
showing in its clearest iisiI Soui S'e
positive folly
| And that means?
| "That I've given your client his chance.
From this time deal with him witnou'
thing. save finding out what I want tc
| know-what I'm going to know;
| Sharply it came TO Beckwith that what
ever had been his purpose. Whatever
were the demands of rigid proIession "a.
rules it had been made impossible foI
him to desert Calden. Whether he wished
to or not he must stand by him now, un-
less Calden himself dismissed him.
Isn't the warning trife formal ana
solemn?'' Beckwith asked. with hall
smile.
"Oh. If YOU want to ask isn't 1t part
OF my plan, of course 1t is. I'm after
Altenburg's murderer. il there was a
murderer. I have been ever since the
case was put in my hands. | shall Dc
until / get him. or prove that there
wasn't any. I've no royal road TO the
end. and above all, I'm not making a
mystery of everyday, logged hard work
Your client can help me, and at the same
time hurt himself less than by not help.
ing. If he doesn't want to, it's part OF
nv plan to find out why. You have my
hand"
"Oh. no, I haven't" retorted Beckwith
eve part of your scheme of play: just
| so much as for some reason of your own
Won want to show me at this time. The
| cards aren't even held SO that l can
count 'em, let alone seeing their faces"
card No L." said Trafford. quietly
"Calden was at the Altenburg house al
| mr. near the moment the blow was struck
card No. 2, he telephoned GrimbleshaW
an accident had happened. Card NO )
he carried Altenburg upstairs. cara NO
T. he ransacked the bedroom. cara NO
; it took him longer than ne had ex-
nscted SO that Grimbleshaw got there he
fore he was through Card No. 9. he was
the ghost that frightened Barber. CARD
| No Z he locked up the house and finished
the lob while Grimbleshaw went after the
lantern. Card No. 8. there's at least nifty
thousand dollars in money missing.
..Do YOU think that card belongs TO the
same pack?' asked Beckwith, carelessiy
Trafford smiled at the suspicion that the
man hoped to trap him by such simple
means as this.
|