The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1911-01-19
CHAPTER xvll-csntImusd.

an0 opf4lne0 his ankle. He otAye0 0o0ID
time At the Carter place.
CHAPTER xvll-centInved
was the name Blakeley?" I asked.
TT might have been-I can't say.
But the man wasn't there. and there
was . lot Of noise. I couldn't hear
WELL Then In half IN hour down came
the other twin to say the gentleman
was taking on awful and didn't want
the message sent"
"Hs's gone. Of course?'
Yes. Limped down here in about
tAfee days and took the noon train for
tAs city"
II seemed q certainty now that our
man, having hurt himself somewhat
In his Jump. had stayed quietly in the
farm house until he was able to trav.
sl. But. to be positive. we decided to
visit the Carter place.
gave the station agent . five-dol.
lar bill. which he rolled up with 4
couple Of others and stuck in his
pocket turned a. we got to bend
In the road, and he was looking curl
ously after US.
It was not until We had climbed the
hill and turned onto the road to the
Carter place that l realized where we
were going. Althos Oh we approached
It from another direction, 1 knew the
Sarm house at once. 1t was the one
where Alison West and had break
tasted nine days before. With a new
restraint between us. did not tell
Mcknight. I wondered afterward II
he had suspected It. I saw him look.
ing hard at the gatepost which had
figured in one of our mysteries, but he
asked NO questions. Afterward he
grew almost taciturn, for him, and let
me do most Of the talking.
We opened the front gate of the
Carter place and went slowly up the
walk. Two ragged youngsters, alike
even to freckles and squints, were
playing in the yard.
''Is your mother around?" asked.
I'm the front room. Walk in." they
answered in identical tones.
As We got to the porch we heard
voices, and stopped. l knocked. but
the people within, engaged in animat.
ed, rather one-sided conversation, did
not answer.
I'm the front room. Walk in.' "
quoted Mcknight, and did SO.
In the stuffy farm parlor two peo
pie were sitting. One. pleasant.
faced woman with a checked apron,
rose, somewhat embarrassed, to meet
US. She did not krow me, and l was
thankful. But our attention was riv.
eted on a little mln who was sitting
before q table, writing busily. It was
Hotchkiss!
He got up when he saw US. and had
the grace to look uncomfortable.
Such an interesting case" he said
oDrvously, II took the liberty"
M Look here" said Mcknight sud.
,aenly, did you make any inquiries
at the station?"
"A few" he cvnfessed. 81 went to
the theater last night felt the need
of little relaxation-andt the sight Of
a picture there, cinematograph af
fair, started q new line of thought
Probably the same clew brought you
gentlemen. learned good bit from
the station agent"
"The son-of-a-sun." said Mcknight
And you paid him. suppose?"
81 gave him five dollars" was the
apoloEetic answer.
Mrs. Carter, hearing sounds Of
strife in the yard, went out and
Hotchkiss folded up his papers.
II think the identity of the man is
established" he said. What number
Of hat do you wear, Mr.. Blakeley?"
Seven and a quarter" replied.
well, It's only piling up evidence
he said cheerfully "On the night ol
the murder you wore gray silk under
clothing, with the second button oi
the shirt missing. Your hat had L
B. in gilt letters inside. and there was
. very minute hole in the toe Of one
black sock"
"Hush," Mcknight protested. III
word gets to Mrs. Klopton that Mr.
Blakeley was wrecked, or robbed, OF
whatever 1t was, with button miss
ing and hole in one sock, she'll re
tire to the Old Ladies' home. I've
heard her threaten It,"
Mr.. HotchkAss was without sense
Of humor. He regarded McKnigh
kfavely and went on:
@Tve been up in the room whera thu
INan >w'ii'e ,e was unable to ge