Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-05-11

i hope so; l am pretty nearly deS-
perate," l said, doggedly. 1--WE got
mental toothache, and the sooner it's
pulled the better"
Tut, tut" sadi Mcknight, think
of the disgrace to the firm if its senior
member goes up for life, or" he
twisted his handkerchief into moose,
and went through an elaborate pan
tomime.
Although jail isn't so bad, any
how" he finished, there are fellows
that get the habit and keep going
back and going back" He looked at
his watch, and I fancied his cheerful
ness was strained. Hotchkiss was
nervously fumbling my book
did you ever read the Purloined
Letter, Mr. Blakeley?" he inquired.
Probably, years ago. said. "Poe,
isn't it,"
He was choked at my Indifference.
1T is a masterpiece" he said, with
enthusiasm. 81 re-read it today"
"And what happened?"
"Then l inspected the rooms in the
house off Washington Circle. II
made some discoveries, Mr. Blakeley.
For one thing, our man there is left
handed" He looked around for our
approval There was a small cush-
ion on the dresser, and the scarf
pins in it had been stuck in with the
left hand"
Somebody may have twisted the
cushion" | objected, but he looked
hurt, and / desisted.
There is only one discrepancy" he
admitted, "but it troubles me. Ac-
cording to Mrs Carter, at the farm
house, our man wore gaudy pajamas,
while found here only the most Sc
verely plain night-shirts."
amy buttons OFF," Mcknight in
CURED, looking again at his watch.
"The buttons were there" the anna
teur detective answered gravely, "but
the buttonhole next the top one was
torn through"
Mcknight winked at me furtively.
IT am convinced of one thing"
Hotchkiss went on, clearing his
throat, ''the papers are not in that
room. Either he carries them with
him, or he mas SOLD Lnem.
A sound on the street made both
my visitors listen sharply Whatever
it was it passed on, however. I was
growing curious and the restraint was
telling on Mcknight. He has no
talent for secrecy. In the interval we
discussed the strange occurrence at
Cresson, which lost nothing by Hotch-
kiss dry narration.
"And so,'' he concluded, "the WON
an in the Baltimore hospital is the
wife of Henry Sullivan and the daugh-
ter of the man he murdered. No won
der he collapsed when he heard of
the wreck"
"Joy, probably" Mcknight put in.
"Is that clock right, Lawrence? Never
mind, it doesn't matter. By the way,
Mrs. Conway dropped in the Office yes
terday, while you were away"
What" l sprang from my chair.
"Sure thing. Said she had heard
great things of us, and wanted us to
handle her case against the railroad"
81 would like to know what she is
driving at" I reflected. Us she try
ing 20 reach me through you?"
Richey's fippancy is often a cloak
for deeper feeling. He dropped it
now YES" he said, 'she's after the
notes, Of course. And I'll tell you
felt like q poltroon-whatever that
may be-when I turned her down.
She stood by the door with her face
white, and told Lac CONTEMPORARY
that could save you from murder
charge and wouldn't do it. She made
me feel like a cur I was just as
guilty rs if could have obliged her.
She limited that there were reasons
and she laid my attitude to beastly
motives"
Nonsense" I said, as easily as |
could. Hotchkiss had gone to the
window. "She was excited. There
are no reasons whatever, she
means"
Richey put his hand on my Shout
der. We've been together too long to
let any reasons or 'unTeasons' come
between US, old man." he said, not
very steadily.
Hotchkiss, who had been silent.
here came forward in his most i'm
pressive manner. He put his hands
under his coat-tails and coughed.
"Mr. Blakeley," he began, 'by Mr..
Meningitis advice we have arranged
a little interview here tonight. If
all has gone as / planned, Mr.. Henry
Pinckney Sullivan is by this time un-
der arrest. Within a very few min
utes-he will be here"
II wanted to talk to him before he
was locked up Richey explained.
He's clever enough to be worth
knowing, and, besides, I'm not SO
cocksure of his guilt as our friend the
patch on the seat of government No
murderer worthy of the name needs
six different motives for the same
crime, beginning with robbery, and
ending with an unpleasant father-in-
law"
NY -~a-o o{Io~@ 60, Mo.