Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-01
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attention to me. a boarding house is
the easiest place in the world to en-
ter"
They're not always SO easy &c
leave" put in, to his evident irrita-
ton.
When I got to the third story
took out bunch of keys and posted
myself by door near the ones the
girl had indicated. could hear voice
in one of the front rooms, but could
not understand what they said.
There was no violent dispute, but
a steady hum. Then Bronson jerked
the door open. If he had stepped into
the hall he would have seen ne fittin
a key into the door before me. But
he spoke before he came out.
"'You're acting like a maniac he
said. You know I can get those
things some way; I'm not going to
threaten you. 1t isn't necessary. You
know me-
IT would be no use.'' the other man
notes for ten days
"'But you WILL Bronson said, SAY
agely. You're standing in your own
way, that's ALL If you're holding out
expecting me to raise my figure you're
making mistake. It's my last offer.
"T couldn't take it if it was for 2
Million said the man inside the room
I'D do it, expect, if I could. The
best of us have our price,
Bronson slammed the door then
and flung past me down the hall.
after a couple of minutes
knocked at the door and tall mar
about your size, Mr.. Blakeley, opened
it, He was very blond, with smooth
face and blue eyes-what think you
would call handsome man.
"I beg your pardon for disturbing
you l said. Can you tell me which
is Mr.. Johnson's room? Mr.. Francis
Johnson
"I cannot say he answered, civ
lily. I've only been here few days
II thanked him and left, but l had
had good look at him and I think
I'd know him readily any place."
sat Tor few minutes thinking 1t
over "But what did he mean by say
ing he hadn't seen the notes for ten
days? And why is Bronson making
the overtures?"
~ think he was lying" Hotchkiss
reflected. Bronson hasn't reached
his figure"
''It's a big advance, Mr.. Hotchkiss
and / appreciate what you have done
more than I can tell you," l said.
"And now. II you can locate any Of
my property In this fellows room
We'll send him up for larceny and at
least have him where we can get at
him. I'm going to Cresson tomorrow,
to try to trace him little from there.
But I'll be back in a couple of days
and we'll begin to gather in these
scattered threads"
Hotchkiss rubbed his hands togeth-
er delightedly.
That's it," he said. That's what
we want to do, Mr.. Blakeley. Well
gather up the threads ourselves; if
we let the police in too soon they'll
tangle it up again. I'm not vindictive
by nature, but when a fellow like Sui
livan not only commits murder, but
goes to all sorts of trouble to put the
burden of guilt on an innocent man
I say hunt him down, sir!"
"You are convinced, of course, that
Sullivan did it?''
"Who else?" He looked over his
glasses at me with the air of a man
whose mental attitude is unassailable.
well, listen to this" l said.
Then told him at length Of my en-
counter with Bronson in the restau-
rant. of the bargain proposed by Mrs
Conway and finally Of Meningitis new
theory. But, although he was i'm
pressed he was far from convinced.
tits a very vivid piece of magma
tion," he said, drily; "but while it fits
the evidence as far as it goes, it
doesn't go far enough. How about the
stains in lower seven, the dirk and the
wallet? Haven't we even got motive
in that telegram from Bronson?"
EYES," admitted, 'but that bit of
chain"
"Pooh," he said, shortly. Perhaps,
like yourself, Sullivan wore glasses
with q chain. Our not finding them
does not prove they did not exist"
And there I made an error; half
condolences are always mistakes. I
could not tell Of the broken chain IN