The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-06-30
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library"
very good, sir. /"
From cellars to kitchens and serv-
ants quarters, all through the draw
ing rooms, shrouded In summer cover
ings. prowling around on his hands
and knees, poking into dusty corners,
peering into the most unsupported
places, went Detective Fem.
It was a battling ase Detective
Fem admitted that TO himself as he
sat on the side Of the bankers bed to
rest from his labors. II he could dis
cover the thief he would receive the
$1,000 reward; and that $1,000 would
purchase the little home In the, coun-
try which be and his wife had long
planned for. James Fem was q pri-
vate detective, and the news of the
robbery had not yet gone forth to the
newspapers.
eve simply got to earn that thou
sand" groaDed Detective Fem. But
howl" He glanced wildly around the
room In which he had not discovered
the slightest clew 90 far. and his eyes
fell on a pair Of bedroom slippers near
his feet. They were large slippers and
apparently the property Of Mr.. Radda-
son; an elaborate pattern was embroid-
cred In beads on the velvet slippers,
but some Of the threads were broken
and the beads were slipping OF. In
fact. Fem noted here and there on the
light carpet some Of the ose colored
beads that formed the flowers. and
farther on near the hall door there
were some green beads.
Interested now, he slipped to his
hands and knees and followed the trail
Of the dropped beads. He brought hts
light and his magnifying glass into
constant play as he moved slowly
down the length Of the velvet carpet.
ed hall to the foot Of the stairway that
led to another floor Of bedchambers.
Now and then he came upon q drop.
ped bead, sometimes green or white or
pink, on q stair and along corridors,
sufficiently numerous to give him q
definite clew to. follow. Up a second
flight of stairs he followed the trail
Of the beads until a group Of several
brought him to a standstill at the foot
Of the ladder leading to the traploor
in the roof.
"That was the weak point In ny
theory Of the flying machine." he E;ur-
INJURED to himself as he climbed The
ladder. II couldn't understand how
the dickens that chap knew the trap
door would be unlocked from within.
It's clear enough now" He chuck:ed
softly as he pushed up the trap and
emerged to the red painted tin roof.
The noon sun glistened on something
bright, and he bent to discover another
bead.
"Ah" smiled Detective Fem, shad.
ing his eyes with his hand and looking
away of to the blue haze which mark.
ed the rural district where he had
planned to have q home some day.
"Looks as IL that home isn't so far Of.
Eliza!"
One. two. three, four, five. six. seven
beads led Fem in a zigzag line to the
foot Of one Of the four chtmneys Of the
house. This chimney, unlike the others.
was topped with a large galvanized
iron hood that erectually. prevented
any drafts from entering the unused
hues. A little hinged door on either
end made it possible to occasionally
use the chimney without removing the
iron hood. but now these little doors
were closed. Il
Detective Fenn's penknife pried open
the nearest door. and the sunshine fell
inside the opening and lighted up the
sooty cap of the chimney. There rest
ing on the narrow brick ledge was a
paper wrapped parcel which unfolded
in Fenn's hands into the Raddason
Jewel case. The Jewels were safe In.
side.
With a long drawn sigh Of relief and
q parting wave Of his hand at the dis.
tant country. Detective Fem scurried
down the stairs and stopped before the
library door to regain bis breath and to
appear as n%onchalant and cool as q
| detective Ia supposed to feel at critical
moments. Then he pushed the door
open and entered the room.
MI. Raddason looked up with q slight
smile that b%roadened to laughing dis
may when he saw the parcel that Fem
carried. s%
Caught me, eh7'' he chuckled, hold
ing out his hand for the Jewel case.
We'll done. Fem. I thoughtri had
you fairly puzzled. l used to read
detective stories until I got tired Of
their plots; 90 l invent EN- myselfsnow
and watch some aleuth IKE you work
] ,em out before; my eyes. It's worth .
| thousand easily to me-. Tell me why
you abandoned your lying machine
theory"
sit really wasn't a theory. Nj. Rad.
dason. / Just mentioned It because l
couldn't think Of anything else at the
moment. You did It very cleverly, sir.
You did leave a patch Of SCOT on the
sleeve Of your pajamas which ] could
not understand until I found the beads
TINT you host from your slippers. By
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