The Montgomery tribune., 1910-12-02

pompously, one foot In the hall, tnat
you we're something you oughtn't to|
be, Mr.. Lawrence. They acted as
though you had committed crime"
I'm not sure that / didn't, Mrs.
Klopton," I said wearily. Somebody
did, and the general verdict seems to
point my way"
She stared at me in speechless IN
dignatiop. Then she founced out.
She came back once to say that the
paper predicted cooler weather, and
that she had put blanket on my bed,
but, to her disappointment, I refused
to reopen the subject.
At half-past eleven Mcknight and
Hotchkiss came in. Richey has
habit of stopping his car in front of
the house and honking until some one
comes out. He has code of signals
with the horn, which l never remem-
ber. Two long and short blast
mean, believe, "Send out box of
cigarettes and six short blasts,
which sound like police call, mean
Can you lend me some money! To-
night | knew something was up, for
he got out and rang the door-bell like
a Christian.
They came into the library, and
Hotchkiss wiped his collar until it
cleaned. Mcknight was aggressively
cheerful.
mot pinched yeti" he exclaimed.
What do you think of that for luck!
You always we're a fortunate devil,
Lawrence"
YES" / assented with some bitter
ness, 81 hardly know how to contain
myself for Joy sometimes. l suppose
you know"-to Hotchkiss-"that the
police were here while we were at
Cresson, and that they found the bag
that brought from the wreck?"
Things are coming to a head" he
said thoughtfully, unless little plan
that have in mind" he hesitated.
Il hope SO; am pretty nearly des.
perate," said, doggedly. 1--WE got a
mental toothache, and the sooner it's
pulled the better"
Tut, tut" sadi Mcknight, think
of the disgrace to the firm If it's senior
member goes up for life, Or" he
twisted his handkerchief into a moose
and went through an elaborate pan
tomime.
Although Jail isn't SO bad, any
how" he finished, there are fellows
that get the habit and keep going
back and going back" He looked al
his watch, and / fancied his cheerful
ness was strained. Hotchkiss was
nervously fumbling my book.
did you ever read the Purloinet
Letter, Mr.. Blakeley?' he inquired.
Probably, years ago." said. Poe
isn't it?"
r He was choked at my Indifference
!. st is masterpiece" he said, will
g enthusiasm. Il re-read 1t to-day"
ri 'And what happened?"
a "Then l inspected the rooms in the
h house off Washington Circle. l.
I made some discoveries, Mr. Blakeley
For one thing, our man there is left
handed" He looked around for ou
q approval There was a small cush
a ion on the dresser, and the scarf
a pins in 1t had been stuck in with thu
:. left hand"
a Somebody may have twisted thu
Cu5ulOu, OuJeClSu, uut uc ioohS'
hurt, and desisted.
: There is only one discrepancy" h,
- admitted, "but it troubles me. Ac
=, cording to Mrs. Carter, at the farm
~ house, our man wore gaudy pajamas
a while l found here only the most sc
- verely plain night-shirts."
- ANY buttons Off" Mcknight in
: quired, looking again at his watch.
"a "The buttons were there" the anna
"A teur detective answered gravely, "bu
A. the buttonhole next the top one wa
10 torn through"
Mcknight winked at me furtively.
81 am convinced of one thing,
- Hotchkiss went on, clearing hi
: throat, ''the papers are not in tina
~ room. Either he carries them wit
him, or he has sold them"
A sound on the street made bot
- - my visitors listen sharply. Whateve
:. growing curious and the restraint wa
:. telling on Mcknight. He has n
- talent for secrecy. In the interval W
- discussed the strange occurrence q
Cresson, which lost nothing by Hotel
20 kiss dry narration.
III "And So" he concluded, 'the won
~ an in the Baltimore hospital is tn
y wife of Henry Sullivan and the daugl
II, ter of the man he murdered. No woi
~ der he collapsed when he heard {
u the wreck"
70 "Joy, probably" Mcknight put II
l as that clock right. Lawrence? Neve
" mind, 1t doesn't matter. BY the wa.
~ Mrs Conway dropped in the office ye
terday. while you were away"
What" sprang from my chair
Sure thing. Said she had hear
great things of us. and wanted us I
handle her case against the railroad
Is II would like to know what she
81 driving atn refanfad ssIs che fr,