Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-07-17

encountered again the clear eye oil
Sweetwater. For, in the person OF
this none too welcome intruder, he
saw very different man from the one
upon whim he had just turned his
back with so little ceremony; and
there appeared to be no good reason
for the change. He had not noted in
his preoccnpation, how George, at
/ sight of his STOPPING figure, had made
a sudden significant movement, and
II he had, the pulling of a necktie
straight. would have meant nothing to
him. Eft to Sweetwater it meant
everything, and 1t was in the tone of
one fully at ease with himself that he
now dryly remarked:
Mr.. Brotherson, IL you feel quite
clean, and II you have sufficiently
warmed yourself, would suggest
that we start out at once, unless you
prefer to have me share this room
with you till the morning"
| There was silence. Mr. Dunn thus
addressed attempted no answer; not
for full minute. The two men were
measuring each other-George felt
that he did not count at all-and they
were quite too much occupied with
this task to heed the passage of time.
NBrotherson% repeated their host,
after the silence had lasted to the
breaking-point. why do you call me
| that?"
Because 1t is your name"
"Yon ballad T1yup r,,fpItn
ago"
That is true"
why Dunn If Brotherson is my
name?'
Because you spoke under the name
of Dunn at the meeting tonight, and
if | don't mistake, that is the name
by which you are known here"
And you? By what name are you
known"
1T is late to ask, isn't it? But I'm
willing to speak it now, and | might
not have been so little earlier in our
conversation. / am Detective Sweet
water of the New York Department
of Police, and my errand here is a
very simple one. Some letters signed
by you have been found among the
papers of the lady whose mysterious
death at the hotel Clermont is just
now occupying the attention of the
New York authorities. If you have
any information to give which will
in any way explain that death, your
presence will be welcome at Coroner
Heath's office in New York. If you
have not, your presence will still be
welcome. At all events, was told to
bring you. You will be on hand to
accompany me In the morning, | am
quite sure, pardoning the unconven-
sure of my mani"
The humor with which this was said
seemed to rob it of anything like
attack, and Mr.. Brotherson, as we
shall hereafter call him, smiled with
an odd acceptance of the same, as he
responded:
Il will go before the police certain
ly, l haven't much to tell, but what
have is at their service 1t will not
help you, but have no secrets. What
are you doing?"
He bounded towards Sweetwater,
who had simply stepped to the win
dow, lifted the shade and looked
across at the opposing tenement.
Il wanted to see If it was still snow
ing" exclaimed the detective, with
a smile, which seemed to strike the
other like blow III it was liberty,
please pardon It,"
Mr.. Brotherson drew back. The
cold air of self-possession which he
now assumed, presented such a con-
trast to the upwarranted heat of the
moment before that George wondered
greatly over 1t, and later, when he
recapitulated to me the whole story
of this night, it was this incident of
the lifted shade, together with the
emotion it had caused, which he ac-
knowledged as being for him the most
inexplicabIe event of the evening and
one he was most anxious to hear ex-
planned.