Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-06-26


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 rose colored
beads that formed the flowers. and
farther on near the hall door there
were some green beads,
Interested now. be slipped to his
hands and knees and followed the trail
of the dropped beads. He brought his
light and his magnifying glass into
constant play as be 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 a drop
ped bead. sometimes green or white or
pink, on a stair and along corridors.
sufficiently numerous to give him a
definite clew to follow. Up a second
fight of stairs he followed the trail
OF the beads until a group Of several
brought him to standstill at the foot
OF the ladder leading to the trapdoor
in the roof.
THAT was the weak point In MY
theory Of the flying machine" he MUIR
INJURED to himself as he climbed the
ladder. 81 couldn't understand how
the dickens that chap knew the trap
door would be unlocked from within.
It's clear enough noww He chuckled
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
"Ahp smiled Detective Fem, shad-
ing his eyes with his hand and looking
away or to the blue haze which mark
ed the rural district where he had
planned to have a home some day.
Looks as if that home isn't so far OF,
Elizav'
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
beads led Fem in a zigzag line to the
foot Of one Of the four chimneys OF the
house. This chimney. unlike the others.
was topped with a large galvanized
iron hood that effectually prevented
any drafts from entering the unused
fues. 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
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 long drawn sigh OF relief and
a parting wave Of his hand at the dis
tant country. Detective Fem scurried
down the stairs and stopped before the
library door to regain his breath and to
appear as nonchalant and cool as a
detective is supposed to feel at critical
moments. Then he pushed the door
open and entered the room.
Mr.. Raddason looked up with a slight
smile that broadened to laughing dis
may when he saw the parcel that Fem
carried.
Caught me, eh % he chuckied, hold
ing out his hand for the jewel case.
"Well done, Fem. / thought l had
you fairly puzzled. used to read
detective stories until got tired of
their plots. so l invent 'em myself now
and watch some sleuth like you work
'em out before my eyes. It's worth
thousand easily to me. Tell me why
you abandoned your flying machine
theory"
ut really wasn't theory, Mr. Rad
dason. / just mentioned 1t because 1
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 1 found the beads
that you lost from your slippers. BY
the way. sir. you did wear the slippers
last night when you went up on the
roof to conceal the jewels?"
Mr.. Raddason nodded. az didn't
So l left trail of evidence as l went
along, eh, straight to the chimneyT
Yes. sir"
The millionaire wrote a check for an
amount that covered generous fee as
well as the thousand dollars special re-
ward and gave 1t to the detective.
'Pll confess I ought to have found a
better hiding place. Fenn,' he said
THE next time / set you a
problem it'll be one that keeps you
guessing for awhile. Come out now
and have some luncheon with me-"
Thanks. Mr.. Raddason. but I've got
TO meet Mrs. Fem. We're going to
look at a little place in the country
we're thinking of buying" And as the
detective hurried away he looked far
happier than the millionaire who had
planned this fictitious jewel robbery TO
afford himself some hours OF amuse-
mont