Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-06-26
THJJRMONT FREDERICK COUNTY, Md THURSDAY, JUNE &c,
The Cases of Alice Clement
True Stories of the Worlds Greatest Woman Sleuth
as Told by Herself to Courtney Riley Cooper
The Invisible Clue
Copyright. by w. G. Chapman.)

mot a trace OF it," was the answer.
II was depending on new friend,
Plasmodium Falciparum. to give me
that"
"Who?"
"You never met" was the laughing
reply. but as | said, the next after
noon found me in Fort Leavenworth,
addressing a man in the blue OF the
United States army.
"'Yours is the only regiment in from
the Philippines since when? | asked.
"'In a year was the answer.
"'Any deserters?'
"'One.'
MAY l see the pictures and any
letters that have been intercepted?'
"Of course explained Miss Glenn
ent, my credentials had been shown.
The object of my visit was, Of course,
as yet secret, with the exception Of
the fact that was looking for Grim
inal The letters were shown me. |
hurried away, and by the next day l
was in Oklahoma City. A sample case
of books was under my arm. | found
the house | desired, and knocked at
the door.
"'Is Miss Sexton in?' I inquired of
the girl at the door
L am Miss Sexton came the an
swer.
"'Your name was given me as being
interested in books said as | edged
past her and into the hall. | did not
stop talking then, but manufactured
the name of a publisher, a scheme Of
selling and everything else connected
with book agency. My aim was to get
the girl in room and alone. | sue
ceeded in my purpose. Then locked
the door and whirled.
az want that night letter. de-
manded.
"The girl blanched.
"'Night letter. she stammered.
From Tom Barton l snapped
back. | had played 'hunch' and
saw that | had hit the mark. The
woman half rose
~ don't know whom you are talk
ing about, she answered.
"'You don't?' | questioned. back.
You know very well who am talking
about! | answered. You know that
he has deserted the United States
army, that he now is fugitive from
Justice and that he has wired you to
join him. Don't scream or try to get
out OF this room, | warned her
81 have a revolver, and | will shoot.
Until | see otherwise, you are under
arrest l showed my badge. Now
give me that night letter.
"The girl, she was hardly more than
that, reeled half way across the par
lor and was leaning against the piano
for support. Her face was ghastly
Her hands We're clasped until the
blood dstended the wrist veins like
blue cords. Her breath came in
gasps.
'Deserted?' she asked vaguely, de
serted? He told me he was on fur
Tough OF a month. We We're going to
get married, and he got the furlough
for our trip
1T will be a much longer furlough
than that | answered icily. You are
a good girl Miss Sexton l can see
that. My coming here will enable you
to escape great deal. do not desire
to cause you any more notoriety than
Is necessary. But | must insist on
your remaining under guard few days
at hotel No one will know the
difference-providing you give me
that night letter. Otherwise, it will
be plain jail-and the papers,
"a long wait and then the girl, half
staggering, came toward me a few
steps and extended a yellow envelope.
placed it in my pocketbook and
wordlessly We left the house. In all
my life l never had seen a girl so alb
solutely crushed. There were no
tears. Her grief and surprise were
too deep for that Only the bloodless-
face, the trembling blue lips, the eyes
which looked almost unseeingly at the
world, told of the girls suffering. On
the way to the hotel, where detec-
tive awaited me, learned her story
not much of one, that of a stenogra-
'pher, lonely and young, who had met
a man In uniform and been fascinated.
1t wasn't much to hear but the sin
cerity of it all, the deadened way in
which 1t was told, cut into my heart.
"'And you knew nothing of him.
i asked
81 was lonely was her tnvariable,,
dull answer; he told me lots Of
things. l believed them
"An hour later l opened the tele-
gram, day message instead of the
night letter l had determined upon
believing it to be. l read:
Meet me Newark, N. j., June 10
VIII be married then. Keep thing
secret until afterward. VIII tell rea-
son when see you. Tom"
There came a pause in the narra-
tive. Miss Clement spent moment
in watching the lovelorn actions of a
shop girl and foorwalker near the
railing Of the boat. She smiled In
amused appreciation at the effort of
.handholding and then turned her eyes
to watch the blinking of the light.
house. The story began again.
Il went to telegraph station.
My wires were not to Tom, however,
but to the Office in Chicago And
when, few days later, stepped from,
the train at Newark, / saw near the
baggage room the familiar faces of
two central Office men. | looked in
4