The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1911-10-06
Britt Of Q
Headquarters
co-,-t-ht, 1910, By Noffat, Yard : Company

-br1tZ, as Mt as a fiddle after his par
boiling, walked briskly to the marble
lobby of the Holland House and Join
ed Fitch In the bar. That hotel is not
patronized by the Bright Light set,
one reason being that 1t sturdily re-
pels all attempts at such patronage.
Half dozen men of undoubted fash
ion were in the cafe when Britt and
Fitch draped themselves over one end
of the bar, and began absorbing long,
cold drinks in punctuation of their in
terested talk
We're getting warm, as the young
sters say" said Britt, and he told
him Of all that had happened since
their last meeting. Your young lady
won't have to stay in the Tombs much
longer, I'm thinking, unless we have
a stroke of bad luck I'm puzzled on
one point. however and that's what 1
wanted to see you about. What do
you know about Bruxton Sands?"
Il know he's all right" Fitch re-
piled. One of the best ever"
known him long?"
Several years. I was fortunate in
the case of brother of his, and that
made me pretty solid with the whole
family. Bruxton has done me several
good turns"
You think that square look of his
is not a front, them" inquired the de-
tective.
NO" said the doctor, who talked
more at his ease with the detective
than he would have dreamed of doing
with any of his fashionable patients.
He's the goods"
We'll" rejoined the sleuth, I'm
glad to hear you say so. don't mind
telling you he made me a little sus-
picious this evening. L must say that
for an honest man his attitude was a
little queer"
I'm what way?
Well" said Britt. "he wouldn't let
me see a bit Of paper that might have
helped me whole lot in this matter;
and Just for a moment 1 began to won
der whether he was as eager to have
the Missioner mystery solved as he
pretended to be-"
There's no pretense about Bruxton
Sands" said Fitch very positively.
HE does want this thing Strengthened
iout. and he wouldn't do anything in
anv way. II he could help it, to hinder
you"
Britt then told the physician moro
fully how stubborn Sands had been
in regard to the note the millionaire
himself had taken from one of the
,Hindoo burglars.
I'll admit it seemed strange" said
Fitch. But If you go on the assump-
ton there is anything wrong behind
1t, you'll lose your point. Sands is as
square as they make EN-"
you don't think, then" asked the
detective, cit is possible his infatua.
ton for Mrs Missioner would lead
him to do anything to queer his riv-
als?"
Most assuredly not" replied Fitch.
In the first place, he Is not infatuat-
ed. Bruxton Sands is genuinely in
love with Doris Missioner, and he is
the kind of man who knows the sort
of woman he wants. In the next
place he wouldn't dream of doing any
thing underhand even II he saw that
the other fellow was undoubtedly win
ming out. He always plays the game"
We'll. maybe he does" said Britt;
but, from what I've observed in my
Journey through life, this love game
is one that is played without any
rules. I've known men who would take
a million If 1t were handed to them on
platter, yet who'd go pretty close to
a mix-up with the Grand Jury to cut
out fellow who was after the Same
girl"
you talk as II your experience in
the heart line were all secondhand"
said Fitch, smiling
Never been in love in my life and
never expect to be-" said Britt But
] have eyes in my head and ears be-
hind them. also know what women
can do to a mans common sense even
when they don't know they're doing
1t. The lady who gets the loot isn't
always party to the crime"
We'll" responded Fitch, 81 won't
undertake to pit my experience
against yours; but there's nothing OF
that sort In this case. Sands loves
Mrs Missioner about as much as a
man can. He was fond of her before her
marriage. and most of us thought bad
win her then don't know why he
didn't, but l do know that from the
day he learned of her husbands
death, he had been twice as attentive
to her as before, and even in the days
when she was the star bud of Auntie
Paran's beauty show, his fondness for
her was pretty noticeable. | remem'
Der particularly one Patriarchs' Ball
when he grabbed every dance on her
card and got her to sit out most OF
them"
But he knows Griswold is trying
TO win her. too" said Britt, "and If he
has any reason to think the other fell
low has a good chance he might b.