The Raymer enterprise., 1913-12-04
CHAPTER xvlll.
What Am I to Do Now7

Wnat Am 10 10 NoW7
Early morning saw Sweetwater
peering into the depths of his closet.
The hole was hardly visible. This
meant that the book he had pushed
across 1t from the other side had not
been removed.
Mr.. Brotherson's bed was in a re-.
mote corner from the loop-hole made
by Sweetwater; but in the stiffness
now pervading the whole building, the
latter could hear his even breathing
very distinctly. He was in deep
sleep.
The. young detectives momen. had
come.
Taking from his breast small box,
he placed 1t on shelf close against
the partition. An instant of quiet
listening. then he touched spring
In the side Of the box and laid his ear.
IN haste. to his loop-hole.
A strain Of well.known music broke
softly from the box and sent it, Vi.
erations through the wall.
It was answered instantly by Q stir
within; then, as the noble air con.
tinued. awakening memories of that
fatal instant when 1t crashed through
the corridors Of the Hotel Clermont,
drowning Miss Chslloner's cry II not
the sound Of her TALL. a word burst
from the sleeping mans lips which
carried Its own message to the listen.
Ing detective.
1t was Edith Miss Challoner's
0rst name, and the tone bespoke a
shaken soul.
sweetwater. gasping with excite
ment. caught the box from the shelf
and silenced 1t. 1t had done its work
and 1t was no part Of Sweetwater's
plan to have this strain located, or
even to be thought real. But Its echo
still fingered In Brothersons other.
wise unconscious ears; for another
Edith" escaped his lips, followed by
. smothered but forceful utterance Of
these words. "You know prom.
hed you"
Promised her what? He die, not say,
Would he have done 30 had the music
lasted trife longer? Would he yet
pomplete his sentence? Sweetwater
Gembled with eagerness and listened
breathlessly for the next sound. Broth.
srson was awake. He gas tossing In
bis bed. Now he has leaped to the
door. Sweetwater hears him groan.
then comes another silence, broken
1t last by the sound Of his body fall.
Ing back upon the bed and the
troubled ejaculation. Of Good Cod"
wrung from lips no torture could have
forced into complaint under any day.
time conditions.
Sweetwater continued to listen. but
he had heard all. and after some few
minutes longer Of fruitless waiting, he
withdrew from his post. The episode
was over. He would hear no moro
that night.
Was he satisfied: Sweetwater
Imagined the scene-saw the figure of
Brotherson hesitating at the top Of
the stairs-saw hers advancing from
the writlng.room. with startled and
upllfted hand-heard the music-the
crash Of that great finale-and decid.
ed. without hesitation. that the words
he had Just heard were indeed the
thoughts Of that moment. Edith,
you know promised you" What
had he promised? What she received
was death! Had this been In his
mind? Would this have been the ter.
mination Of the sentence had he wax.
sned less soon TO consciousness and
caution?
sweetwater dared@to believe II.
Could It BET Was It he who was
dreaming now. or was the event Of
the night q mere farce Of bis own
)magining7 Mr.. Brotherson was
whistling In his room. gaily and with
svsr increasing verve. and the tune
6hiab allied the whole floor with