The Mena weekly star., 1909-04-29

NSt o"H HNeilnood. yet, somehow as birdsail marshaled the facts. there was an insidious, malarious hint of the adventures, banded from place to place. hawking her attractions about wneediing, charming for hire. entrap ping imbecile young cubs-Larrs Hastings wasn't more than 22-some. now he felt revolt against the pIc. lure and against the man submittinS
 t-and, confound Millicent!
 The detective changed the manner of his questions a little. q suppose your aunt is pretty advanced In years shough she is as well preserved an old iaay as l have ever met, and az shrewd- Say, wouldn't she be likely 10 leave the boy a lot of money?
 I dare say" The colonel was con 'cious of an intemperato impulse to KICK Birdsall, who had been such 2 aseIul fellow in the Philippines.
 IT anything was to happen to him. who would get the money?''
 Well, Mrs. Melville and I are next of kln," returned the colonel dryly.
 Do you suspect us?"
 T did look up Mrs. Melville" an swered the unabashed detective. "bu guess she's straight goods all right But say, how about Miss Smithc"
 The colonel stared, then he laughed.
 Birdsall' said he, there's somewhat too much mention of ladies' names to suit my Virginian taste. But If yor mean to imply that Miss Smith is go Ing to kill Archie to get my aunt's money. can tell you you arc way oHl Your imagination is too active for your profession You ought to hire out to the yellow journals"
 His employers satire did not even flick the dust of Birdsall's compla cency; he grinned cheerfully. "Oh, I'm not so bad as that; I don't suppose she did kill the boy; think he's alive. all right. But say, colonel. I'll give it to you straight; I do think the sonora coaxed the boy of. You admit, don't you, he went off. We'll then he was coaxed, somehow. Now, who's got in- fuence enough to coax him? You cross out the maid; so do I. You cross out Mrs. Melville Winter; so do I. | guess we both cross out the old lady. Well. there's you and the senora left l don't suspect you. general"
 Really? I don't see why I stand to make more than anybody else, If you are digging up motives. And how about the chambermaid ?"
 
 Birdsall flashed a glance of reproach on his companion. Now, colonel, do you think ain't looked her up? First thing. Nothing in it. Decent Vermont girl, three years in the hotel. Came for her lungs. She ain't in 1t. But let's get back to Miss Smith. Did you know she is Cary Mercers sister-in- law"
 He delivered his shot in casual way, and the colonel took 1t stoniiy; nevertheless. it went to the mark Birdsall continued: Now, question is. was Mercer the secretary? You didn't see the man in the elevator. except his back. Had he two moles?"
 T couldn't see He had different clothes; but still there was something like Mercer about the shoulders"
 "Rurney didn't get a chance to take a snapshot, but he did snap the stove man. Here 1t Is. Pull that book out of my pocket"
 Obeying, the colonel lifted a couple of small prints which he scrutinized intently, at the end admitting: "Yes, it is he all right Now. do you know what I think?'
 Birdsall couldn't form an idea.
 q think the Keatcham party is in 1t; and think they are after bigger game than Archie. Maybe the train robbers were a part of the scheme although I'm not so sure of that"
 "Oh. the robbers were in 1t all right. But now come to Miss Smith, where does she come in? Or are you as sure of her as Mercer was in Chi cago?"
 If he had expected to get spark out of the Winter finder by this scra- ping stroke, he was mistaken; the sol dier did not even move his breeding gaze fixed on the hills beyond the house roofs; and he answered in a level tone: Did you get that story from my aunt. or was 1t Mrs. Melville? I'm pretty certain you got your bi- ography from that quarter. My aunt might have told her"
 That would be betraying a lady's confidence. I'm only a detective, whose business Is to pry. but I never go back on the ladies. And think, you, that the lady in question Is a real nice, high-toned lady; but cant disregard the evidence. I never give out my system, but I've got one, all the same. Look here, see this paper ?"-he had replaced the envelope In his pocket; he pulled it out again: Dr. rather, so the colonel fancied. until Birdsall turned the envelope over, re- it to be blank. There's sheet of paper inside; take 1t cut. Look at the water-mark, look at the pattern; then compare 1t with this the colonel the orig nal envelope. Same exactly. ain't they?"
 Sure. Didn't you get an answerY
 q did" The colonel extricated him self from his wrappings enough to finC a pale blue envelope. which he handed to Birdsall, at the same time takinf the motor handle. You see; type written. very polite, chilly sort of let. ter, kind to make man hot under the collar and swear at Keatcham's heart