Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-17
The Daily Story
THE BLACKBIRD-BY CLARISSA MACKIE.
Copyrighted. 1918. by Associated Literary Bureau

moor was untracked near the window.
and any hope that the murderer might
have gained the roof OF the wing and
entered the house by the attic window
was at once dispelled.
Suddenly Birch touched his chiefs arm.
Look there. SIR he whispered
Sloan bent his keen eyes to the floor
and saw the trace OF footprints in the
dust Some enc had passed from the
ladder to the passageway and gone
back again. Instantly Birch had made
a detour so as not TO disturb the tell
tale marks with his own boots and he
was up the ladder and was lifting the
trapdoor.
'Cnfastened. sir" he reported: "evi-
IDENTITY pried up from the roof-lock
broken
He passed up on to the roof, and
Sloan followed.
The large expanse OF fat. timed root
was surrounded by a fanciful iron rail-
ing. In one place the railing had dis
appeared. There was a gap of per-
haps fifteen feet Birch crept to the
edge OF the roof and peered over.
Funny thing" be commented: "that
iron railing is down on the ground
there-looks as though it had recently
fallen. Let's have Blunt up here" He
fetched the valet. and the two detec-
lives pointed out the broken railing to
the astonished servant.
But, SIR he protested. ST am sure
It was not broken yesterday. because
the gardener would have removed it.
He cut the grass yesterday and cleaned
th4 Se
has fallen directly underneath the H.
brary windows. and some of 1t sticks
right up in the turf
You heard no sound in the night,
you are sure?"
II am sure, sir. I sleep in the wing
yonder. and at the head of my bed is
a bell that connects with Mr.. Hin
mans room. One of the servants in
the house next door was coming home
from a party very late last night or
early this morning, and she declares
she saw a big blackbird lowering over
this house. She is very superstitious.
sir. and 1 suppose she's imagined that
since hearing of the murder"
VERY likely" said Sloan in a pecul-
lar tone. and his eyes met those of his
young assistant with a significant
glance. THANK you, Blunt. That will
do for the present"
When the valet had disappeared
down the trapdoor Birch dropped to
his knees and made a searching ex-
aminati OF the roof. In the slight
layer OF dust some clew might be-
found.
Its here, sir''-he looked up with n
smiling face-"the tracks of the big
blackbird.' And the discovery reveals
how the other two murders were COM
mitted."
Sloan knelt down beside him and
watched the movement OF Birch's fin
gers as he pointed out the tracks made
by the rubber tired landing wheels OF
an acceptance. When the machine had
made its departure it had carried away
fifteen feet OF the ornamental railing
from the roof.
Find a foreigner who answers to
the description OF Van Benjidck. IL
he is a skilled aviator he's your man."
was Sloan's decision.
"You remember that the residence OF
Mr.. Flickinger is OF this same type
fat roof and so forth?' questioned
Birch as they returned to the office.
II remember and l also recollect
that Thomas Benson lived at the Hotel
and his room was in the an
lex, fat rooted wing.
Once in the office Sloan picked up
the afternoon edition OF New York
Suddenly he uttered
sharp exclamation and pointed to a
ylaring headline on the front page.
4,
Birch! Your mans found and lost
zone to his reward! Listen to this:
Another daring aviator met death
Early this morning in some unknown
Rudolf Benjidck. well known
Is a fearless f1ier. was found crushed
o death under the body OF his heavy
leroplane on the grounds of the Broad
)rook Country club. It Is not known
It what moment or under what circum-
tances BenJidck met his death, but it
3 supposed that he was trying out the
zig machine which he recently pur-
hased An investigation is being
nade into the matter"
Robert Birch had arisen and was but.
oning his coat.
I'll be there at that investigation"
e said grimly.
Two days afterward he returned TO
be Office with a chain of evidence that
1T no doubt that the unlucky aviator
ad been the murderer OF the three
len. whom he believed had worked
i'm harm. The shoes he had worn cor.
esponded in every detail with the foot
rints found in the attic Of the Hin
ian house. and in his pockets were
jund not only Mr.. Humans jewelry.
ut diamonds that were afterward
lentiied as the property Of James
lickinger.
There was nothing left TO do in the
after. Retribution had oyertaken the
urderer before he could make use Of
Is guilty gains. The big blackbird"