The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-25
Conunued.N

that this statement was meTciy dh idle compliment to themselves, for the eyes of Fleming Stone had never yet missed a clue, however obscurely hidden.
 But Kitty, ignorant of the princi- ples of professional etiquette really thought that Fleming Stone was de- pending on his two companions for assistance.
 Tom Willard had gone out. and Miss Morton was looking after her aIl-important housekeeping, SO the three men and Kitty French were alone in the library.
 In his quick, quiet way Fleming Stone went rapidly round the room. He examined the window fixtures and curtains, the mantel and fireplace, the furniture and carpet, and came to a standstill by the library table. The dagger. which was kept fin a drawer of the table, was shown to him. but though he examined it a moment, it seemed to have little in terest for him.
 There's not a clue in this room" :" he said almost indignantly. ''There probably were several the morning after. the murder. but the thorough sweepings and dustings since have cbIiterated every trace"
 Somewhat abruptly he went into the large hall. Here his proceedings in the library were duplicated. Nothing at all," he said, "but what could be expected in room which is a general thoroughfare? ?"
 Then he went into the drawing room The other three followed feel ing rather depressed at the hopeless outlook, and little disappointed in the great detective.
 Stone glanced around the large apartment
 Swept. scrubbed. and polished 9 he declared.
 And indeed it was quite neces- sary." said Miss Morton, who entered just then. After all those vines and flowers were taken away. and as a good deal of the furniture was out, I took occasion for a good bit of house cleaning"
 well" said Fleming Stone quietly, there's one clue they didn't sweep away. Here is where the assassin entered.''
 As he spoke MT. Stone was leaning against the mantel and looking down at the immediately brushed hearth.
 ''Where?" cried Kitty darting for ward, and though the others gave no voice to their curiosity, they waited breathlessly for Stones next utter ance
 The hearth and the whole fire place were tiled. and in the floor til- ing. under the andirons, was a rec ing closed by an iron cover. This cover. was hinged, and could be rais- ed and thrown back to permit ashes to be swept into the chute. The iron plate was sunk flush with the hearth and cemented into the brickwork. and. the cover fitted into the rim so closely that scarce seam showed.
 He came up through this hole in the fireplace" said Stone, almost as If talking to himself, very soon after Miss Dupuy went upstairs at half past ten. Before MT. Carleton arriv- 6d at quarter after eleven the mur. derer had finished his work, and had Departed by this same means"
 While the others stood seemingly struck dumb by this revelation, Kitty excitedly flew to the fireplace and tried to raise the lid, but the and Irons were in the way. Rob, set them aside for her; while Stone said quietly, These andirons were prob ably not there that night
 ''No." exclaimed Kitty; "they had been taken away, because we expect sd to fill the fireplace with flowers next day.
 But how could anybody get in the celIar?" asked Miss Morton, looking bewildered
 'aThe cellar is never carefully lock ed," said Fleming Stone. 'I came downstairs early this morning, and before breakfast Harris had showr me all through the cellar. He admit: that several windows are always Jeff open for the sake of ventilation, and claims that the carefully locked dool tn the hall at the head of the cellar stairs precludes all danger from that direction"
 "But I don't understand" said MT Fairbanks perplexedly. eff that open. Ing is an ash-chute, such as I have In my own house. it is all bricked uI down below, with the exception of z small opening for the removal o1 ashes, and it would be quite impossi, ble for any one to climb up through it."
 "But this one isn't bricked up, said Fleming Stone. 'It was original. Nv intended to be enclosed: but i Eeefns this fireplace is rarely used Harris tells me that the late MT. Var Norman used to talk about having khe chute completed, and having z