The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-10-11

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After breakfast Mr.. Hunt came over
duced to Fleming Stone.
| / was present at their interview, and
1 was glad to see that the two men
at once assumed cordial attitudes and
a vague sense of an impending disaster
seemed prepared to work together har-
mcniously.
/ think Hunt may have felt a natural
professional jealousy of the city detec-
tive, but If so he showed no trace Of 1t.
Besides, Mr.. Hunt was quite at the end
of his resources-completely bafred by
the case. If Gilbert Crane were not the
| guilty man, neither our local detective
nor myself knew where to look for the
criminal.
Our discussion in the library did not
last long, but it was exceedingly bust
ncss-like and to the point. Without los
ing a shade of his graceful politeness,
| Fleming Stone showed also the quick
| working of his direct, forceful mind. He
| approved Of all that Hunt and / had
done. In Few words he commended
our methods and accepted our results.
Then In silence he scrutinized the IL
brary. | think nothing in the room es-
capped the swift, thorough glances of
those dark eyes. He rose to examine
the rng and the window casing, and
then stepped out on the balcony to
look at the footmarks of which ! mad
told him. These latter were very faint,
but with large magnifying glass which
ne took from his pocket he examined
them carefully and seemed satisfied with
what he found.
Returning to the library. he took the
Waste-paper basket from under the desk
and examined its contents. 1t was
empty save for few scraps of torn
paper which / had thrown there my
self the day before, but l saw his action
with sudden shock of disn:ay.
Neither Hunt nor l had thought of
looking in the waste basket. and,
though l had no definite hope OF any
thing to be found there, it was a chance
We ought not to have lost.
did Mr.. Philip Maxwell ever write
letters in this room?' asked Dir. Stone.
Sometimes he did" I replied, but
more often he wrote down in his uncle's
study"
But he might have opened letters and
read them here?"
Yes; he used this Cesk great deal"
Where are the papers from the
MASSACHUSETTS thrown"
Il do not know, Mr.. Stone, but the
servants can tell you. Shall / call the
maid who attends to the cleaning OF
this room?"
Il wish you would do so; then we will
consider this consultation at an end. l
nave ITO WISH 10 De secret dDOul
my plans but l mus. work uninter-
ruptedly today, for | think develop
ments will come thick and fast"
Mr. Hunt and / left the library, and
at once sent the maid to Mr.. Stone as
he had requested.
Less than Is minutes later ! saw him
coming up from the cellar.
Seeing that l was alone, he said:
Il found a paper that Is most i'm
portant link in our chain Will you
look at 1T moment?"
He drew from his pocket paper
which had EVIDENTLY been Smoothed out
after being much crumpled, and turned
down the top of the sheet 20 that did
Philip Maxwelrs handwriting. is it,
not?" he said
Yes" 1 replied. and in Philips
well-known characters | read:
AT last have discovered the truth. |
and 1t has broken my heart. Even now
| could not believe II, but your"
The writing stopped abruptly, and the
letter had evidently been thrown aside
riosity and did not ask to see the name !
at the head of the letter, but appar- |
emily Fleming Stone OWNED my
thoughts.
said with that sad note in his voice
that always thrilled me. Now 1 am
going TO see Miss Leslie
The doctor had permitted a short in
/
Edith Whiting that. though Mildred had
dreaded 1t, she was at once put at her
ease by Mr.. Stones gentleness and gave
a brief but coherent account of the at
fair.
It was shortly before noon that 1
went for a walk with Irene Gardiner.
AS we went away / saw Mr.. Stone and
Miss Miranda Maxwell in the music
room. Miss Maxwell was knitting some
neecy white wool thing, and, though |
CHI Gha
cited. They seemed to be chatting coZi-
ly, and yet / felt sure that Fleming
Stone was learning some details about
Philips life or character which he con-
sidered important.
I sighed to think thai the net was GER |
tainly closing in around somebody, and
The amazing part was that [ had not
the remotest idea toward whom Flem- |
ing Stones suspicious were directed.
Miss Gardiner and I walked down the |
path to the river. AS was inevitable, |
we talked only of the all-absorbing |
topic, and especially of Fleming Stone. !
Isn't he wonderful?, she exclaimed
He is certainly the ideal detective"
HE is in his methods and his intel |
lect," l said, but his personal appear. |
ance is far from any preconceived no.
tons of the regulation detective. l had |
always imagined then. grim and SIMS |
positively sunny"
He is fascinating" declared Irene |
Il have never met, any one who seemed |
so attractive at first sight
1 quite agreed with her, but 1 was
suddenly conscious of an absurd pang |
of jealousy. / was beginning to think
that Irene Gardiner was pretty nearly |
necessary to the happiness of my life. |
and this avowed interest of hers in an
other men spurred me to a sudden cor
clusion that I cared for her very much |
indeed.
Continuation of This Story VIII BE |
Found I'm TOmOrrOw's Issue