El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-01-18

This last question, It seemed to me,
was answered. In some way the
woman had learned of the substitu-
ton, and had tried to use her knoWl-
edge for blackmail Nina CarrirgtOn's
own story died with her, but, however
it happened, it was clear that she had
carried her knowledge to Halsey the
afternoon Gertrude and I were look
ing for clews to the man l had SHOT
on the east veranda. Halsey had been
half crazed by what he heard; ii was
evident that Louise was marrying Dr..
Walker to keep the shameful secret,
for her mothers sake Halsey, al
ways reckless, had gone at once to
DR.. Walker and denounced him. There
had been a scene, and he left on his
way to the station to meet and notify
Mr. Jameson of what he had learned.
The doctor was active mentally and
physically. Accompanied perhaps by
Riggs, who had shown himself not
everscrupulous until he quarreled
with his employer, he had gone across
to the railroad embankment, and, by
jumping in front Of the car, had
caused Halsey TO swerve The rest
of the story we knew.
That was my reconstructed theory
Of that afternoon and evening; it was
almost correct-not quite
There was a telegram that morning
from Gertrude.
Halsey conscious and improving. Prob
ab!v homo in dav
GERTRUDE
With Halsey found and improving
in health, and with at last something
to work on, began that day, Thurs
day, with fresh courage. As Mr.
Jameson had said, the lines were
closing up. That l was to be caught
and almost finished in the closing was
happily unknown to US all
It was late when I got up lay in
my bed, looking around the four walls
of the room, and trying to imagine be-
hind what one OF them a secret cham
Der might lie. Certainly, in daylight,
Sunnyside deserved its name; never
was a house more CHEEKY and open,
less sinister in general appearance.
There was not corner apparently
that was not open and above-board,
and yet, somewhere behind its hand
somely papered walls believed firmly
that there lay hidden room, with
all the possibilities it would involve
l made a mental note to have the
house measured during the day to dis
cover any discrepancy between the
outer and inner walls, and l tried to
recall again the exact wording of the
paper Jameson had found.
The slip had said chimney" It
was the only clue, and a house as
large as Sunnyside was full of them.
There was an open fireplace in my
dressing room, but none in the bed
room, and as 1 lay there, looking
around, 1 thought of something that
made me sit UP suddenly. The trunk
room, just over my head, had an open
fireplace and a brick chimney, and
yet there was nothing Of the kind in
my room l got out Of bed and ex-
amined the opposite wall closely.
There was apparently no iue, and 1
knew there was none in the hall lust
beneath The house was heated by
steam, as 1 have said before. In the
living room was huge open fireplace,
but it was on the other side
Why did the trunkroom have both
radiator and al open fireplace?
Architects were not usually cratic.
It was not Is minutes before was up-
stairs, armed with a tape-measure IN
lieu Of foot-rule. eager to justify Mr..
Jamieson's opinion of my intelligence.
and firmly resolved not to tell him of
my suspicion until 1 had more than
theory to go on The hole in the
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