New-York tribune., 1909-10-31

ton had been repeatedly asked by the insinu-
ating prosecuting attorney and this Stil further
convinced Menlo that it was of first Importance.
TT often seems as if Fate mercilessly withholds
the dawning of the day of promise until the
shriveing threads of hope are about TO slip from
the enfeebled grasp of the stricken. On nlght
of fearful depression, when he had fully made
up his mind to seek no further, TO give up the
fight and enjoy at least the dull comfort OF
acquiescence, revelation came to h1m. Tie
remembered!
Alice he had Just finished his evening expert
ments when the telephone in his private Office
gave an inSiStent ring. The instrument was
one of those ingenious modern cOntrlvanCeS
that NAV be shut within the desk OF an up to
date business man. He had gone into ms pr1-
vate office to answer the call with the poison
vial in his hand. He had Just COrked and her
meticallV sealed it with hot wax As 1t had
been necessary to roll back the flexible top of
his desk to get at the telephone he had placed
the vial for the moment on the broad top The
telephone message had puzzled him at the
time and now he remembered 1t, 1t took
on new significance y strange voice had
asked him if Alice was there. He had replied
no, and when about to ask who had made the
inquiry communication had been percmptOr1ly
cut off. In some impatience and considerable
preoccupaton he had slammed down the top
of the desk, only vaguely conscious that the
vial had been upset by the impact, and had
fallen between the wall and the desk He was
now certain that unless his former place of buSI-
ness had been thoroughly rearranged the vial
must still be there
For the rest of the night he dwet long over
the discovery of the vial and sought TO ex-
plain the secret of the mysterious telephone
message. Menlo'S faculties We're fully
awakened He came to the conclusion that
Baxter had telephoned fearing that Alice was
on her way to reveal to her husband some in
suit that Baxter had placed on her. This belief
grew to a conviction. To prove this, he knew,
would not clear not only his name, but hers.
X/ITH the dawning of the next day and the
w resumption of his work at hard labor, the
degradation of his lot seemed less overpowering.
Yet with his full awakening the practical OBJ
StaCleS IN his path became hourly more ap
parent. He knew his first step was 10 COM
municate his discovery to his solicitors. The
utmost secrecy was necessary. lie knew that
every letter prisoner wrote was scanned by
prison warden. and that often through those
mysterious understandings and channels which
exist between prison officials and newspaper
offices private cOmmuniCa lions made by priS-
oners to lawyers found their way into the morn
ing editions Made dOubly cautious by his dis
trust of mankind, Menlo set about to devise
to get his message outside OF prison TO the
proper persons. He knew that the safest way
was by word of mouth He also realized tha.
conversation between prisoners was dungeon
otfense. For many days he sought a way.
men kHlulN rate once more IN lnt restless
hours of the night pointed his path. The means
he had devised We're SO simple and so safe vet
SO tedious and peculiar, that he feared for their
success. Their efficiency depended primarily
upon finding at the other end of his line of COM
munication prisoner of quick and divining in
telligence, possessing acute powers of diSsinu-
latIon. imagination, and above all persistence
and honesty. He must also find a prisoner
whose term of imprisonment was soon to ex-
pire. What Menlo now hoped to do was to send
his whole story to his as vet undiscovered as
sistant on the disks of leather which in his
prison shop passed through his hands one at a
time. He realized that II was TO be a long and
difficult undertaking The novelty of 1t awak-
ened once more his love of experimentation,
and stimulated his powers of ingenuity
The morning after his Sunday of idlencss and
intense reflection came at Last.
He took his place in the long line of Sullen
convctS, and felt none of their disgrace nor his;
for his heart was lighter than it had been in
months. His machine was number one in the
long line, and he looked swiftly along the row
of palid faces. The glance threw chill over
him. for none of the faces seemed responsive;
| none bore the look of intellectual understand
ing OF which he stood SO sorely in need