Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-23

quick they learn Great country for Holy
smoke! what's that"
Hartley had started from his scat with
his eyes fixed on the slowly opening door.
A look OF absolute terror was on his face.
The others instantly followed his gaze and
behtld tall man with a grey mustache,
who stood Just within the door and greeted
them with nervous little laugh. Douglas
gave a jump that shook everything on the
table. while the doctor simply stripped the
back Of his chair Groscup alone remained
unmoved until Douglas found his voice.
Paul Maynard BY all that's good and
holyl'
The new arrival advanced into the room
with his hand extended lust in time
see" he said. How do, Douglas? Hello,
Hartley" As the two men stood there,
their mouths open, their hands trembling
with fright. Maynard turned to Or. Ramie,
"A friend Of YOURS doctor" he said, nod
ding toward the lawyer May ! have the
pleasure?'
After the introduction which Groscup
seemed TO look upon as some unexplained
Joke. Maynard sat down at one OF the
vacant places at the table and tried to
appear at ease, although it was evident
that he was very nervous The silence for
a minute was painful
Nothing wrong, | hope?" he asked,
looking around at them ali and tossing off
a cocktail.
Hartley and Douglas finally summoned
courage enought TO sit down again, stu
staring at the unexpected guest Hartley
was the first to recover himself,
80 you're alive. ehg Lost your money
but saved your life"
How about that >ring?" biurted Doug
las, assured that he was not talking to
ghost.
you will have TO ask some one else
about that my dear fellow" said May
nard, with the same nervous little laugh
He had evidently not quite recovered his
eauanimity. i'm spite of his efforts to CON
troll himself
But where on earth have you been and
what happened TO you?"
why, my dear fellow, I've been down in
the West Indies Had to take a boat home
that got here on Thursday, so as to be in
time for tonight you know. SO ] ran down
to Atlantic City until this afternoon. New
York is just the same old place. l See"
And then he gave another nervous little
laugh.
But what about Fletcher, and the cab.
and the Hartley stopped suddenly, and
winked at the others as the walter en-
tered the room. When the waiter had dis
appeared again, Hartley repeated his ques-
ton. adding, "And the stolen pocketbook?"
why YOU see, the fact is. there was
some delay in getting started. And theh
Fletcher had some explanations to make
in the cab before proceeding As these
were perfectly satisfactory, gave him the
pocketbook, and We went on to the dock
where the cab was found. I supposed he
would bring the pocketbood here as
agreed"
so he did" remarked the doctor II
have It in my pocket now
But the body in the river and the blood
in the cab, and all that" demanded Doug
las, almost below his breath.
That was all put-up Job, my dear fell
low You see Fletcher had an idea that
perhaps some might give the thing
away to the police" Hartley turned
shade paler, and toyed nervously with his
fork. But he said that II II looked like
a murder, no matter what financial inter-
est any one might have in the result.
he would probably keep his mouth shut
after he had consulted lawyer"
"Egad! That fits mel" remarked Doug
las ''Eh, oid MANI" slapping Groscup on
the back. Hartley was gradually becom-
ing livid. and was conscious that the doc
himself to speak.
Most interesting remarked Groscup.
But may / ask, Mr.. Maynard, how the
cab came to be all bloody and how the
body came to be found In the river at that
precise spot?'
I'VE had the blood with US IN a demi-
John, and as for the body, believe there
were only parts of body. We threw them
In the river after we had soaked the cab"
Yes, egadl" exclaimed Douglas, inter-
rupting And that reminds me of some-
thing that have lain awake nights think
ing about. Who drove that cab? Why could
not the police find him, even IL they didn't
catch any one else?"
Maynard gave another little laugh. THE
driver supplied the demijohn and the limbs,
I believe" and he looked hard at DR..
Ramie, who was turning very red in the
face as he found every one at the table
gazing at him.
81 may as we'll own up, gentlemen"
said the doctor smiling. ~ drove the cab"
Groscup relieved the situation by bursting
into loud laugh, and before any one
could say another word the waiter entered
the room with the fish. When he disap-
peared again, the doctor resumed:
Yes, stole the cab from in front CT
my own door, after confederate had
coaxed the driver inside to have a drink.
II cost me fifty to fix that up with the
stable; but when I collect that hundred
from Hartley, l shall still be fifty ahead.
] changed the number on the lamps. as
directed by my confederate, and just there
made big slip, which thought at one
time would spoil the whole thing. The de-
tectives said the numbers were changed
with a mixture of liquid glue and ink II
they had examined It carefully they would
have found It was collodion and ink and
they would have known that II was a doc
tor that had done it, BY tracing the cab
TO the house in front of which II was stolen,
they would have had me dead to rights.
especially as still had some OF the mixture
on the mantel. But the smartest detectives
sometimes overlook important clues"
"of course they do" interrupted Doug
las. That's what was betting on"
by a fortunate chance" continued the
doctor, I'VE had an amputation that after
noon at the hospital. Arm and leg run
over close to the hip and shoulder After
taking off the limbs, | had an idea and I