Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-24

In the front room. Walk in," they an
swered in identical tones.
AS we got TO the porch we heard voices,
and stopped. 1 knocked but the people
within engaged in animated, rather one
sided conversation, did not answer.
In the front room. Walk in quoted
Mcknight, and did so,
In the stuffy farm parlor two people
were sitting One, a pleasant faced woman
with a checked apron, rose, somewhat en-
barrassed to meet us. She did not know
me, and / was thankful. But our atten-
ton was riveted on a little man who was
sitting before a table, writing busiiy. 1t
was Hotchkiss!
He got up when he saw us, and had the
grace to look uncomfortable.
Such an interesting case" he said ner-
vously, II took the liberty"
Look here" said Mcknight suddenly,
did you make any inquiries at the sta
t!on?"
"A few" he confessed. II went to the
theater last night felt the need of a little
relaxation-and the sight of a picture there.
cinematograph affair, started a new line
Of thought. Probably the same clue
brought you gentlemen ] learned a good
bit from the station agent"
''Ths son-of-a-gun," said Mcknight. And
you paid him, I suppose?"
Il gave him S." was the apologetic an
swer.
Mrs Carter, hearing sounds of strife in
the yard, went out, and Hotchkss folded
up his papers.
Il think the identity of the man is es-
tablished." he said, What number of
hat do you wear, Mr.. Blakeley?"
Seven and a quarter / replied
We'll, it's only piling up evidence" he
said cheerfully. "On the night OF the muir
der you wore light gray silk undercloth
ing with the second button of the shirt
missing, Your hat had l., b. in gilt let
ters inside, and there was a very minute
hole in the toe Of one black sock"
Hush" Mcknight protested IF word
gets to Mrs. Klopton that Mr.. Blakeley
was wrecked, or robbed or whatever II
was. with button missing and hole in
one, sock, she'll retire to the Old Ladies'
Home. I've heard her threaten IT,"
Mr.. Hotchkiss was without a sense Of
humor He regarded Mcknight gravely
and went on.
I've been up in the room where the
man lay while he was unable to get awav
and there is nothing there But 1 found
what may be a possible clue in the dust
heap
Mrs. Carter tells me that in unpscking
his grip the other day she shook ont ~
the coat Of the pyiamas some pieces Of =
telegram As | figure it, the pyiamag
were his own. He probably had them on
when lie effected the exchange"
l nodded assent All l had retained of
my own clothing was the suit Of pyjan,as
l was wearing and my bath robe.
Therefore the telegram was his, not
yours. ] have pieces here but some are
missing. ! am not discouraged, however"
lie spread out some bits Of yellow paper
and we bent over them curlously. It was
something like this;
Nan with p Get
Br-
We spelled IT out slowly
Nov" Hotchkss announced. II make
it something like this The p is ono OF
two things. pistol-you remember the little
pearl -handled affair belonging to the muir
dered manor il is pocketbook / am in
clined 10 the latter view, as the pocketbook
had been disturbed and the pistol had
not"
took the piece Of paper from the table
and scraWled four words on IT,
Nov" / said, rearranging them. 1t
happens Mr. Hotchl.lss. that ! found one
Of these pieces Of the telegram on the
train l thought II had been dropped by
some one else you see but that's imma-
teria Arranged this way II almost makes
sense Fill out that p with the rest OF
the word. as / imagine Il, and 1t makes
papers, and add this scrap and you have
Man with papers dn) lower ten, car
saven GET (theml