The Huttig news., 1912-04-13

o'iV punt, uoWeNeF, ana mats what | wanted to see you about What do you know about Bruxton Sands ?"
 'l know he's all right" Fitch re- piled. One Of the hest ever.s
 Known him long?p
 Several years. was fortunate In the case of brother of his and that made me pretty solid with the whole family. Bruxton has done me several good turns"
 You think that square look of bis is not front. then ?" inquired the de- tectfve.
 No said the doctor. whe 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" rejoined the slenth. I'm i glad to hear you say SO I don't mind telling you be made me a little sns. picious this evening I must say that for an honest man his attitude was l little queer
 Tn what way?''
 Well" said Britz. he wouldn't let me see bit of paper that might have helped me whole lot in this matter: and just for a moment began to won. 1 der whether he was as eager 10 have the Missioner mystery solved as he pretended to be"
 There's no pretense about Rruy.on 1 Sands" said Fitch very positively. He Goes want this thing strengthened 1 out and he wouldn't do anything in any way, If he could help 1t, to hinder you,"
 Rritz 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
 I'll admit it seemed strange. sn.d Fitch "But If you go on the assnvan. ton there is anything wrong behind fl. you'll lose your point Sands is as l square as they make .em"
 You don't think. then," asked the detective. it is possible his infatua. tton for Mrs. Missioner would lean him to do anything to queer his riv- alse"
 Most assuredly not replied Fitch. Tn the first place he Is not infatu9t. ed. Bruxton Bands is genuinely in l love with Doris Missioner. and he is l the kind of man who knows the ecrt of woman he wants. In the next place he wouldn't dream Of doing arv. thing underhand, even if he saw that the other fellow was undoubtedly win. ming out. He always plays the game"
 Well maybe he does" said Fritz; but, from what I've observed in my tourney through life. this love game IS one that Is played without any rules. I've known men who would take million If 1t were handed to them on platter, yet who'd 20 pretty close to mix-up with the Grand Jury to cnr out fellow who was after the same girl"
 You talk as if yoer exnerience in the heart line were all second-ha said Fitch, smiling
 Never been In love in my life and never expect to be" said Britz. "Eut I have eyes in my head and earsSfe. hind them. I also know what women can do to mans common sense even when they don't know they're doing
 
 always a party to the crime
 Well" responded Fitch. 'I won't undertake to pit my experis isnce og2inst yours; but there's nothir. of hat sort in this case Sands loves Yrs. Missioner ahout as much ae nan cen He was fond of her before her 'nsrriage and most Of US thought he'd win her then don't know why he tidn't, but l do know that from the 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 Psran's beauty show. his fondness for her was pretty noticeable. I remem- Der particularly one Patriarchs' Ball when be grabbed every dance on her card and got her to sit out most Of them
 But he knows Geiswoid is trying 10 win her. too" said Britz. and If he has any reason to think the other fei=- low has a good chance he might he, tempted to put him down and out. even if he had to go to such lengths AS taking the Missioner diamonds, and then throwing suspicion on Gris- wold?"
 Not bit of it,s exclaimed Fitch. .'1 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 cut any monkey business on the side l lines. and you can just hank on that"
 Britz raised his glass and drank slowly, meditatively. until the ice chilled his nose. Then he sat the tumbler firmly down on the bar. faced Fitch. and said with an air of flnality:
 If that's the case. Griswold's the man, He may have had assistance from B.odgett, but doubt 1t. Hes too foxy to trust his neck to sery- ant As for All, I thought he might -.-- |