The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-20
CHAPTER III.-(COntinued.)

n two cabs drew up He saw
n several men step out Among
them he recognized the CLISA
Of notice. -Four bicycle poilceIIeI. !, - %
lowed the group ana iedneo eHS-. .
wheels AGAINST the wall eAactly -
- - where q Jew hours before
Re had swept aside the IVY N O1oei
10 read the number 80 ,,...;.s..5
For q moment the chleL a, =
re nulIeC the bell and waited Do ~
sfs1ned up. smiled amicably ana re-
M "a hsrfllv believe that any one wiz
answer. The house Is empts1,, 49, -
least there IS no one VINO VIII h0Si
'.Tvho are your haven't asked you
for any advice. .s--. ~
Perhaps 1 ought % tLlt+ T 49, =
self. Victor Barton OF the EL1AAS'' -
I'm glad TO meet yOu," replied the
chief Of police Your paper mas ! -
Tsbed some very astonishing re" ;
Erf I'm afraid that vel nave 10 as
count II a bit Let me ask you ma
investigation you could posslDIy ~
conducted, given Ine seppoSsS1 - - =
at which THIS SUPPOSE
"ohI a newspaper has Its own way
Of getting news z,
iousIv- he rang the bell 2 second
perhaps 10 one may be living
here" said the chief. There IS just
iH .:Euf fil some one does live here"
How do you kno" ., =,
4aYou hardly expect ne to reveal Z
professional secret shan De os-
Trbfed to help YOU in any way Dll
- moi ask me more than 1 can tell
The chief looked straight into Bar
tons eyes
II done see how you can, II ooIl
choose TO tell But / prefer 20 De On
good terms with you ana 50 " ~
say that 1 do Lot Know ne ne - TsnJ-
our fnformcr, nor his age, nor ms Iali -
-rofhfnz except the sincerity OF MS
TCice and the truth OF his story
81 repeat that where the chie sz o.
notice knows nothing of such a crlrls
only the murderer OF his victim couto
tgye revealed it. The victim Is cieaFiy
cut of the question 1t must have been
..Exactiv what have told YOU
s.Fsefter and better This is the queer
est murderer I have ever heard OF N
All nv long service have heard nOtLi-
ing Ike IL II he IS one OF your IIlenoS
produce him"
Il am afraid Barton smihngly re
pIied- 7 am afraid that he does noS
share your desire TO make mis- aCQua1nJ-
ance. Besides. the he have men
toned is not the murderer but my m
former IF I were really certain that
he committed this crime my respect for
the law would compel me 10 produce
him As a matter Of fact, I believe
that we ere dealing with an amateur
detective Of rare talent man VINO
ferrets out crimes more for pleasure
than
A policeman in plain clothes stepped
I'VE can't get in from the other end.
This is the only door"
VERY weIl,' replied the chief.
Where's the loCksmith? OH we chant
need him The door is unlocked
NAV i aCrDr0rauE EOII INQUIRED
NO. The police first Besides. your
infOrmer probably knows now as much
as VII know when am through
No doubt he could furnish few de-
tails IF he were asked
Barton bit his lip
He saw the chief. his secretary. and
an inspector enter the house, shrugged
his shoulders, and waited at the door
Attracted BY the arrival Of the police,
q crowd began to collect. Little groups
were formed Queries passed from
mouth to mouth At first Barton was
amused Soon he ceased to listen az
all Curiosity preyed upon him He
followed the chief il his mind He saw
hesitating ar the first story between
two doors. following, perhaps, a few
tracks % blood that could not be seen
a. night suppose the murderer had
left q bloody trail down the stairs2 All
his labor would be lost That fear
was soon dfspeIed- The chief would
EQlaIelE ma the FlElT room and
the sound Of his voice would be heard
Probably he was fumblinE around in
tfe dark rooms The window which
opened on the boulevard at the end OF
the hall was protected by blinds which
he had closed himself n order not q
he disturbed Never had ne lived such
eeEse minutes never had he though 50
quickly He looked UP al the four win
dOws and wondered which would be
opened frst
Suddenly the crowd surged forward
Then there was deem silence. broken
thrown open against the walls A head
appeared at the open sash and then
vanished Barton looked at his Itch
II was O'Clock. Justice knew at least
part Of what had occurred on The pre-
viOus night He was exactly eight hours
ahead OF the police. Not a second Of
that time must be lost Above all. he
must ascertain the chiefs first impress
sion
The crowd was now so large that
more policemen were summoned to pre-
serve order A clear semi-circulaF space
was kept open, in the middle OF which
Barton and the other reporters who had
arrived kept I'd a lively conversation
One Of the representatives. OF an after
noon paper vas n despair. He COuld
6nd out nothing and his article had 70
be IN the composing room by noon.
Barton, the man from the Planet. was
Maturity bOmbarded with questions.
He vas waiting ike the rest II he had
the slightest mixing OF what was going
on he vowed he would cheerfuIIv teIl
everything for the benefit Of the news
paper Fraternity The time passed slow
~. iTS0ne came out Of the house.
Finally one OF the reporters remarked
that he WAS thirsty and that they might
all IS wei wait in cafe But where
was here a cafe2
a. out I'VE minutes rom here vol
unteeTed a sympathetic bystsuder-
Walk to the end Of the boulevard and
then down avenue Henri Martin and
you'll come TO the Trocadero.''
Thanks" said the thirsty one ARE
you coming BartonZ--
NO, cant just now Co on II 7
can ind out anything III let YOU
know"
In q minute Barton was alone Re
was not sorry. While they were With
him his secret weighed heavy uDon him
Twenty times he vas on the point OF
relieving the strain
Little by little his nervous funnsffeuce
disappeared. lie knew that the police
were baffed, and rejciced inwartify He
was consumed with a desire 10 know
5ust What the CHIEF thought Now and
Their he listened 70 the chatter OF the
crowd irving 70 catch an occasional
word that would throw some light on
the Identity OF the victims, his habits.
and his mode Of life He was IN the