Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-06
CHAPTER XIV.
At the Station.

So II ndd been tfle Tiger HUt tHt iduS
Well. l had held to that theory al
through. Jennie suddenly became valu-
able person: if necessary she could prove
the connection between Sullivan and the
murdered man. and show a motive for
the crime was triumphant when
Hotchkiss came in When the girl had
produced photograph of Mrs. Sullivan,
and ! had recognized the bronze-haired
girl of the train, we were both well salts
fied-which goes to prove the ephemeral
nature of most human contentments.
Jennie either had nothing more to say,
or feared she had said too much. She
was evidently uneasy before Hotchkiss.
/ told her that Mrs. Sullivan was recov-
ering in Baltimore hospital. but she al
ready knew it. from some source and
merely nodded. She made a few prepare
tons for leaving. while Hotchkiss and I
compared notes. and then. with the cat
in her arms, she climbed into the trap
from the town. l sat with her, and on
much.
IF you see Mrs. Sullivan" she 'ad-
vised. land she is conscious. she probably
thinks that both her husband and her
father were killed in the wreck She
Will be in a bad way, sir
You mean that she-still cares about
her husband?"
The cat crawled over on to my knee
willingly. Jennie stared at the undulating
line of the mountain crests, a colossal
surf against blue ocean of sky. Yes.
she cares" she said, softly. Women
cats. but Peter there in your lap wouldn't
come back and lick your hand If you
kicked him. Tiff you have to tell her
the truth. be as gentle as you can. sir;
have played the spy here all summer.
It's a thankless thing, spying on people.
1T is that l agreed. soberly.
Hotchkiss and j arrived in Washington
late that evening, and, rather than arouse
the household, / went to the club. ! was
at the Office early the next morning and
admitted myself. Mcknight rarely APP
peared before half after TO- and our mod
est office force some time after 9.
looked over my previous days mail and
waited. with such patience as 1 possessed.
for Mcknight. In the interval / called UP
Mrs. Klopton and announced that l would
dine at home that night What my
household subsists on during my numer-
Gus absences / have never discovered
Tea, probably. and crackers. Diligent
search when have made a midnight ar
rival never reveals anything more sub
Stantial. Possibly / imagine 1t, but. the
announcement that / am about to make
journey always seems to create gen.
eral atmosphere of depression through
out the house. as though Euphemia and
Eliza. and Thomas. the stableman. were
already subsistng. in imagination, on
Mrs. klopton'S meager fare.
So j called her up and announced my
arrival There was something unusual
IN her tone. as though her throat was
tense with Indignation. Always shrill
her elderly voice rasped my ear painfully
through the receiver.
Il have changed the butcher. MIR. Law
renee. she announced, portentously. The
last roast was d pound short, and his
mutton chops-any self-respecting sheer
would refuse to acknowledge them
AS said before. can always tell from
the voice i'm which Mrs. Klopton conveys
the most indifferent matters, if something
of real significance has occurred. Also
through long habit, l have learned how
quickest to bring her to the point.
You are pessimistic this morning."
returned What's the matter, Mrs. Klop'
ton? You haven't used that tone since
Euphemia baked pie for the iceman
What is it now? Somebody poison the
dog?'
She cleared her throat
The house has been broken into, Mr.
Lawrence" she said II have lived in
the best families. and never have / stood
by and seen what j saw yesterday-every
bureau drawer opened. and my-my most
sacred belongings-" she choked.
Did you notify the police?" 1 asked
sharply.
Police she shifted. Police, 1t was
the police that did 1.-two detectives with
search warrant IL wouldn't dare
tell you over the telephone what one OF
them said when he found the whisky
and rock candy for my cough"
Did they take anything" j demanded
every nerve on edge.
They took the cough medicine" she
returned. Indignantly. land they said
''Confound the cough medicine I was
frantic. Did they take anything else;
Were they in my dressing room?'
Yes. | threatened to sue them. and
told them what YOU would do when you
came back. But they wouldn't listen
They took away that black sealskin bae
YOU brought home from Pittsburg with
Nou.
I knew then that my hours Of freedom
were numbered. To have found Sullivan
and then. in support of my case against
him, TO have produced the bag. mimi!