The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-02-01

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NO" said the doctor, who talked
more at his ease with the detective
than he would have dreamed of doing
with any Of his fashionable patients.
Hes the goods'"
Well" reioined the sleuth. I'm
glad to hear you say so. don't mind
Yelling you he made me a little sus.
piclous this evening. I must say that
for an honest man his attitude was a
little queer"
I'm what way?"
well said Britt, he wouldn't let
me see bit Of paper that might have
helped me whole lot in this matter;
ana just Tor a moment began to won.
der whether he was as eager to have
the Missioner mystery solved as he
pretended to be"
"Iheres no pretense about Bruxton
Sands" said Fitch very positively.
lie Goes want this thing straightencd
out, and he wouldn't do anything in
any way, II he could help IT. to hinder
you"
Britz then told the physician more
fully how stubborn Sands had been
In regard to the note the millionaire
himself had taken from one OF the
Hindoo burglars.
III admit II seemed strange" said
Fitch. But II you so on the assump.
tion there is anything wrong behind
IT, youll lose your point. Sands is as
square as they make EN-"
You don't think, then" asked tho
detective, "it Is possible his infatua.
tion for Mrs Missioner would lead
him to do anything to queer his rlv.
alsT"
Most assuredly not" replied Fitch.
In the first place, he is not infatuat.
ed. Bruxton Sands is genuinely in
love with Doris Missioner and he is
the Kind of man who knows the sort
OF woman he wants. In the next
place he wouldn't dream Of doing any.
thing underhand even n he saw that
the other fellow was undoubtedly win.
ming out. He always plays the game"
We'll. maybe he does" said Britz;
but, from what I've observed in my
journey through life, this love game
is one that is played without any
rules. I've known men who would take
O million II 1t were handed to them on
platter, yet who'd go pretty close to
a mix-up with the Grand Jury 10 cut
out fellow who was after the same
girl"
You talk as II your experience in
the heart line were all secondhand"
said Fitch, smiling.
Never been in love in my life and
never expect to be-" said Britt. But
I have eyes in my head and ears be.
hind them. also know what women
can do to mans common sense evoa
when they don't know they're doing
1t. The lady who gets the loot isn't
always party to the crime
We'll" responded Fitch. T won't
undertake to pit my experience
against yours; but there's nothing OF
that sort In this case Sands loves
Mrs. Missioner about as much as a
man can. He was fond Of her before her
marriage, and most Of us thought bed
win her then. don't know why he
didn't, but / do know that from tho
day he learned OF her husbands
death, he had been twice as attentive
TO her as before, and even in the days
when she was the star bud OF Auntie
Paran's beauty show, his fondness for
her was pretty noticeable. | remem-
ber particularly one Patriarchs' Ball
when he grabbed every dance on her
card and got her to sit out most Of
| them"
But he knows Griswold is trying
TO win her, too" said Britz, land II he
has any reason to think the other fe!-
low has a good chance he might be
tempted to put him down and out,
even II he had to go to such lengths
as taking the Missioner diamonds, and
then throwing suspicion on Girls
wold?"
mot bit OF IT," exclaimed Fitch.
'I tell you, the man is dead square.
He wouldn't do anything of that kind
If Mrs. Missioner were the only wom-
an in the world. as she really is, so
far as he is concerned. You don't
know Bruxton Sands the way do. He
may be short on conversation, but
he's long on honor. He plays the
game right out on the gridiron with
out any monkey business on the side
lines, and You can Just bank on thatl"
Britz raised his glass and drank
slowly medltatively. until the ice
chilled his nose. Then he sat the
tumbler firmly down on the bar, faced
Fitch, and said with an air OF finality:
"If that's the case, Griswold's the
man! He may have had assistance
from Blodgett but l doubt It, He's
too foxy TO trust his neck to serv-
ant AS for All. thought he might
have turned the trick, but he didn't,
because II he had, he and all the rest
of that Calcutta bunch would be well
on their way toward their heather
temples by this time. There is now
only Mr.. Curtis Griswold to consider"
Fitch looked at him with a per-
picked air He had his own thoughts
in regard to the identity Of the thief.
but he recognized the detectives SUI
perior ability In solving the mystery
and, being scientist, he had an open