The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-10-27
XIX.
At the Table Next.

MCKNIGHT II HOtchklSS were
sauntering slowly down the road as |
caught up with them. AS usual, the
little man vas busy with some alb
struse mental problem.
THE idea Is this" he was saying,
his brows knitted in thought, "if a
left-handed man, standing in the po-
sition of the man in the picture,
should jump from a ear, would he be
likely to sprain his right ankle? When
a ~right-handed man prepares for a
leap of that kind, my theory is that he
would hold on with his right hand,
and alight at the proper time, on his
right foot. Of course"
Il imagine, although / don't know"
interrupted Mcknight, that a man
either ambidextrous or one-armed,
jumping from the Washington Filler,
would be more likely to land on his
head
Anyhow" | interposed. what diff
ference does Ii make whether Sullivan
used one hand or the other? One pair
of handouts win put both hands out
of commission"
AS usual when one of his pet the
cries was attacked, Hotchkiss looked
aggrieved.
my dear sir" he e~xpostulated,
don't you understand what bearing
this has on the case? How was the
murdered man lying when he was
found?"
ION his back" I said promptly,
head toward the engine"
Very WELL" he retorted, land what
then? Your heart lies under your
fifth intercostal space, and to reach it
a r~ight-handed blow would have struck
either down or directly in.
but, gentlemen, the point of IN
trance for the stiletto was below the
heart, striking up! As Harrington
lay with his head toward the engine, a
person in the aisle must have used
the left hand"
Meningitis eyes sought mine and
he winked at me solemnly as | unos
t~entatiously transferred the hat | was
carrying to my right hand. Long
training has largely counterbalanced
heredity in ms case. but | still pitch
bali, play tennis and carve with my
left hand. But Hotchkiss was too busy
with his theories to notice me.
We were only just in time for our
train back to Baltimore, but Nc
Knight took advantage of a seconds
delay to shake the station agent warm.
ly by the hand.
Il want to express my admiration
for you" he said beamingly, ability
of your order is thrown away here.
You should have been a city police.
man, my friend"
The agent looked a trifle uncertain
The young lady was the N who
told me to keep still," he said.
Mcknight glanced at me. gave the
agents hand a final shake, and
climbed on board, But | knew per-
| fectly that he had guessed the reason
for my delay.
He was very silent On the way
home. H~otchkiss, too, had little tc
say. He was reading over his notes
~intently, stopping now and then tc
make a penciled addition. Just be
fore we left the train Richey turned
to me. Il suppose IL was the key tc
the door that she tied to the gate?"
Probably. did not ask her"
Curious, her locking that fellow
IN" he reflected.
You may depend on 1t, there was
good reason for II all. And | wish
you wouldn't be so suspicious of mo
tives, Rich ! said warmly,
"Only yesterday you were the sus
picious one" he retorted, and We
lapsed into strained silence.
1t was late when We got to Wash
ington. One of Mrs. Klopton's smal
~tyrannies was exacting punctuality a.
meals, and, like several other things
/ respected 1t. There are Away.
GONE concessions that should be made
In return for faithful service.
So, as my dinner hour OF seven was
lnng nast Mcknight and ! went to {
little restaurant downtown where the,
have a very decent way of fixins
chicken a la King. Hotchkiss had de
parted, economically bent, for a small
MOTEL where he lived on the American
plan.
Il want to think some things over
Wa