The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-23


 smile.
 ''I'll have to have another steak if Pm to settle that" he said. 'I can only solve one murder on one steak But disappearances are my speciality, per haps, if have piece of pie and some cheese''-
 But got him away at last, and we walked together down the street.
 T can't quite see the old lady in it," he confessed.
 Burton, who do you think was in | the Fleming house last nightY' said.
 ..Lightfoot," he said succinctly. He stopped under street lamp and looked at his watch.
 T believe I'll run over to the capital tonight. While I'm gone-I'n be back l tomorrow night or the next morning I wish you would find Rosie O'Grady or whatever her name is, and locate Carter. That's probably not his name, but it will answer for awhile. Then get your friend Hunter, to keep him in sight for awhile until come back any, how. I'm beginning to enjoy this. We are going to make the police depart ment look like Kindergarten playing l jackstraws.
 "And go to Bellwood and find out a few things" he added. "Its all we'll enough to say the old lady was meek and Hmid person, but if you want to know her peculiarities go to her neigh 1 bors.'
 We separated at the station, Burton off to Plattsburg, to take a taxicab and armed with a page torn from the classified directory to inquire at as many of the twelve Anderson,s drug stores as might be necessary to locate Delia's gentleman friend, "the clerk ? through him Della and through Della the mysterious Garter.
 had checked off eight of the An dersons on my list without result, and the taximeter showed something over $19 when the driver drew up at the curb.
 "Gentleman in the other cab is hail. ing you, sir-the one that's been fol- lowing us.''
 A duplicate of my cab stood perhaps fifty feet behind, and from it a famil- far figure was slowly emerging. The l figure stopped $p read the taximeter, shook his fist at the chauffeur and ap- preached me. It was Davidson.
 'That liar and thief back there has got me rung up for $19." he said, ig- noring my amazement. Nineteen dol lars and forty centsw
 He surveyed my expense account at the drivers elbow, then hit the meter a smart slap, but the figures did not change.
 Nineteen dollarsp he repeated; 1 dazed. Nineteen dollars and-look here," he called to his driver, tits only 30 cents here. Your clocks 10 cents fast" He borrowed $s' and crawled in with me.
 '"The next address on the list is the right one," he said. "Pm going to tell you something. There were eleven roundsmen as we'll as the sergeant who heard me read the note I found at the Fleming house that night You may have counted them through the window. A dozen plain clothes men 1 read it before morning. When the news of Mir. Fleming's mur-death came out thought this fellow Carter might know something, and I trailed Della through this Mamie Brennan. When I got there I found Tom Bran nigan and four other detectives sitting in the parlor and Miss Della in a blue silk waist making eyes at every moth CTS son of them"
 I laughed in spite of my disappoint. ment Davidson closed the window at the drivers back.
 Understand me, MT. Knox," he said "Mr. Fleming killed himself. You and 1 are agreed on that. Even if you Nren't just convinced of it Pm telling you, and-better let it drop, sir" Un- der his quiet manner I felt threat. It served to rouse me.
 "I'll let it drop when I'm through with it," asserted and got out my list of addresses.
 You'll let it drop because it's toe hot to hold," he retorted, with the sus picion of a smile. If you are deter. mined to know about Carter can tell you everything that is necessary"
 The chauffeur stopped his engine with on exasperated jerk and settled down in his seat. every line of his back bristling with irritation.
 II prefer learning from Carter him self"
 He leaned back in his seat and pro | duced an apple from the pocket of his J coat.
 You'll have to travel some to do it | son." he said. Garter left for parts unknown last night, taking with him enough money to keep him in comfort for some little time"
 Until all this blows over," said bitterly.
 ''The trip was for the benefit of his l health. He has been suffcsing and still