Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-26
CHAPTER XIX.
At the Table Next.


would hold OF with his right hand,
and alight at the proper time, on his
right foot. OF course"
Il imagine, although I don't know"
interrupted Mcknight, that man
either ambidextrous or one-armed,
jumping from the Washington Filler,
would be more likely to land on his
head"
Anyhow" I interposed, what diff
ference does it make whether Sullivan
used one hand or the other? One pair
of commission"
AS usual when one of his pet the
cries was attacked, Hotchkiss looked
aggrieved.
"My dear SIR he expostulated,
don't you understand what bearing
this has on the case? How was the
murdered man lying when he was
found?"
ION his back" said promptly.
head toward the engine
very WE'LL" he retorted, "and what
then? Your heart lies under your
fifth intercostal space, and to reach it
right-handed blow would have struck
either down or directly in.
But, gentlemen, the point Of en-
trance for the stiletto was below the
heart, striking up! AS Harrington
lay with his head toward the engine, a
person in the aisle must have used
the left hand"
Meningitis eyes sought mine and
he winked at me solemnly as i unos-
tentatiously transferred the hat 1 was
carrying to my right hand. Long
training has largely counterbalanced
heredity in my case, but still pitch
ball. play tennis AID carve with my
left hand. But Hotchkiss was too busy
with his theories to notice me.
We were only just in time for our
train back to Baltimore, but Nc
knight took advantage Of a seconds
delay to shake the station agent warm.
ly by the hand.
81 want to express my admiration
for you," he said beamingly. ability
of your order is thrown away here.
You should have been city police
man. my friend"
The agent looked tribe uncertain.
"The young lady was the one who
told me to keep STILL" he said.
Mcknight glanced at me, gave the
agents hand a final shake, and
climbed on board. But ] knew per-
fectly that he had guessed the reason
for my delay.
He was very silent on the way
home. Hotchkiss, too, had little to
say. He was reading over his notes
intently, stopping now and then to
make penciled addition. Just be-
fore we left the train Richey turned
to me. 81 suppose it was the key to
the door that she tied to the gate?"
Probably. I did not ask her"
Curious, her locking that fellow
in," he reflected.
"You may depend on 1t, there was a
good reason for it all. And / wish
you wouldn't be so suspicious of mo-
tives, Rich,", said warmly.
"Only yesterday you were the sus-
picious one," he retorted, and we
lapsed into strained silence.
It was late when we got to Wash
ington. One Of Mrs! Klopton's small
tyrannies was exacting punctuality at
meals, and, like several other things,
respected it. There are always
some concessions that should be made
in return for faithful service.
So, as my dinner hour of seven was
long past, Mcknight and l went to a
little restaurant downtown where they
have very decent way Of fixing
chicken a la King. Hotchkiss had de-
parted, economically bent, for small
hotel where he lived on the American
plan.
II want to think some things over"
he said In response to my invitation
to dinner, "and, anyhow, there's no
use dining out when pay the same,
dinner or no dinner, where am stop
ping
The day had been hot, and the first
floor dining room was sultry in spite
Of the palms and fans which attempted
to simulate the verdure and breezes
of the country.
It was crowded, too, with a typical
summer night crowd, and, after sit
ting for a few minutes in swelter-
ing corner, we got up and went to the
smaller dining room upstairs, Here it
was not so warm, and we settled our
selves comfortably by window.
Over in a corner half a dozen boys
on their way back to school were rag
ging a perspiring waiter, a proceed
ing so exactly to- Meningitis taste
that he insisted on going over to join
them. But their table was full. and
somehow that kind Of fun had lost its
point for me.
Not far from US very stout. mid
dle-aged man, apoplectic with the
heat, was elephantinely jolly for the
benefit of bored-looking girl across
The table from him, and at the next
fable a newspaper woman ate alone.
The last edition propped against the
water bottle title before before her her hat. for
GOODNESS. on the corner OF the table.
It was motley Bohemian crowd.
looked over the room casually.
while Mcknight ordered the meal:
Then my attention was attracted to
the table next to ours. Two people