Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-01

copied, would 1t not be IN order tor them to
tell each other, as it were, their real names?"
"Prettilly put. You wish to know why
am here?"
at would be interesting; perhaps in
structive.'
Hardly the latter, fear. My meeting
with you here is wholly fortuitous. was on
my way to Milwaukee to interview Coyle &,
Son."
A spasrn passed across the weary face.
when were you at Shaly Farms?'
"All day"
Professionally"
"Fortuitously again. It's been almost
purely a game of chance thus far; i'll chance
for poor Simeon Flint, as you apparently
know"
Passing that over" said the other inn
perturbably, and the older man could not
but admire his self-control, now that the
crisis was upon him, you don't look like a
detective"
"Nor am I. My name is Chester Kent,
and / am employed in scientific work IN
Washington.
If the young man was impressed by the
name, he gave no evidence of it. "Well, l
offered an exchange of Names he said
coolly, "and there l tricked you. My au-
thentic name is John Smith.
"Then, John Smith, said Kent, "sup-
posing that you are arrested for the murder
of Simeon Flint, what will you say?"
Nothing.
"There are no eye witnesses, it is true;
but circumstances tell against you. The
footprints are there. What will you say if it
is proved that you were the strange visitor"
Nothing
THAT you lured Simeon Flint out into the
feld?"
Nothing"
aThat YOU disposed of the gun after his
death, and then fed? What will you say to
such proof
Have they found the gun?' he gasped.
mo"
@Ah-h-h! Then III say just nothing"
at may mean the gallows."
He drew a deep breath. ut may" he
agreed simply. Il can't help it if it does
And in that moment Chester Kent knew
inexphcably, yet with the certainty of
mind flashing to the true diagnosis after
error and doubt-knew that the man before
him was guiltless!
T EANING forward, he laid hand on the
- others knee. "Whom are you shield
ing?" he asked quietly.
The lie came back swift and direct. "No-
body" said John Smith, and WINGED as he
said it.
as she married."
This time John Smiths eyelids did not
flicker.
"That's better, them" pursued Kent, as
if he had received reply to his query. SUsu-
ally, where an innocent man-and believe
you innocent chiefly because you haven't
claimed to be-faces shame and disgrace
with his tongue between his teeth, it is to
save some woman from greater shame and
disgrace To resume. After throwing the
gun in the river"
II admit nothing" cut in John Smith.
@Of course not. After throwing the gun
in the river, over a distance that only a
trained hammer thrower could have covered,
you returned for the case, which you had
probably left in the cornfield. l assume that
there was some mark on the case that
would have led to identification. You prob
ably carried it back to St. Paul under your
overcoat, spent that night-s leeplessly,
doubt not-at your hotel, waiting for the
papers to tell whether vengeance was on
your track, and finally decided to 60 home"
John Smith sat in silence.
Il don't expect you to tell me anything"
pursued Chester Kent. "a man who will
face a murder charge rather than betray his
secret isn't likely to become confidential on
the subject with casual acquaintance. But,
while Vol retrieved the p11ncaSe vO,1 left