The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-22

over the paper. From his frequent
glances at tho end of the room that
held the big safe, It was evident no
was making a drawing of It, The la
borious dragging of his pencil point
proved he was not accustomed to such
work-at least. so II seemed TO one
OF the three who watched him. But
the sleuth stuck to the task doggedly,
and at last he bore so heavily on q
corner Of his sketch that the point OF
his pencil broke
He laid down the pad, took out q
pocket knife, and began to sharpen
the pencil When the point was
fashioned to his liking, he looked up.
Then and then only did ho seem to
see the widow and her friends. Ho
arose instantly and bowed to Mrs.
Missioner, following that with short
nod to the men behind her.
81 told your man to let me come In,
madam. because I had no time to
spare" said uthhe sleuth.
Mrs. Missioner bowed her head in
assent.
"You wish to see NOR" she inquired.
There is something more you wish
to know2"
She was not in the mood for dis
cussion of the detectives quest this
evening. The afternoon tea in
Sherry's. the short ride homo, In.
cluding the turn in the park, with her
two most persistent admirers, this
cozy homecoming in the dusk Of
winter day, however unreasonable the
weather had made her meditative.
Even as she spoke to the detective
and sank dreamily into q conversation
chair beside the fire, her eyes strayed
from Sands TO Griswold. from Girls
void to Sands. with the vague look OF
woman trying to decide a momen-
tous question. Griswold, ever ready
TO seize the smallest advantage,
promptly occupied the other end of
the chair. Facing the beautiful
widow, he ignored both Brits and
Sands, and he threw into the glances
he showered upon the woman all tho
caress at his command.
Britt eyed Sands sharply before re-
plying. lie gripped his chin with
thumb and finger and seemed study
ing the big millionaire AS matter
of fact, he was watching Griswold.
His gaze, even as It appeared focused
most strongly on Sands, In reality was
concentrated on the clubman, who
shared the serpentine chair with tho
wealthy widow.
81 want a plan Of the room" said
Britz at length. "A sketch Of the safe,
too One Of my men was to havo
made draughts for me, but | had to
send him out of town at short notice
on another end Of the case. So" and
he smiled slowly at his poor work
manship, "I'm doing the best can"
MAY see what you have drawn"
asked Mrs. Missioner pleasantly. "Oh.
Mr. Brltz," she laughed, holding tho
paper at arms length. Pm afraid
you'll never make an artist. hope"
she added hastily, you have no pro-
fessional pride on that pcint?"
None whatever" returned the de-
tective. He liked a woman with a
sense of humor, and thero was come.
thing about Mrs. Missioner that ap.
peaied to him anyway 81 told you
was merely a substitute"
Sands, towering above the widow on
the hearth-rug, shot single, indiffHr-
ent look at the drawing. Griswold's
glance brushed It oarelessly, but the
Widows interest in 1t was echoed by
him in so for that he took the dia-
gram from her and examined II for q
few seconds. Then, with q short,
harsh laugh, he half turned to Britz,
alternately bending and strengthening
the paper In his fingers.
Ever hear of such thing as per
spective, detectlve?" he asked conde-
scendingly. Britz overlooked the air
of superiority. He shook his head
thoughtfully. There was inquiry in
his eyes as he waited for Griswolda
next words. You'd starve to death
in a studio" the clubman continued
scornfully.
A crisp little laugh from Brltz was
The only reply. He crossed the floor
and made a microscopic examination
of the safe. Then he circled the room
tapping the walls again, moving pieces
OF furniture to look behind them, turn
up corners of the rug. and gazing re
flectively at the ceiling. All, the In
dian servant, appeared noiselessly al
the door. started slightly at the sigh
of the detective. and vanished as 81
lently Britz pretended not to SEE
the Hindoo, but. in his movements
about the room, he paused at the
threshold. and glanced quickly dowI
the passage. There was no one II
sight.
/ All that time, Curtis Griswold, hav
ing ripped OF the sheet on whicl
Britz had drawn the rude diagram
was sketching idly as ne talked in al
undertone to the widow. His words
held her attention. She took no not
of the detectives wandering, th'
heavy silence of Sands, the soundles
appearance and disappearance of tn,
Hindoo. Ripples OF laughter revealed
that she, at least, was amused b,
what GrisWoId was saving II wa