The San Francisco call., 1913-07-27

coin on two years, now, sir.
He paints and sells pictures, sup.
pose?"
Maybe. sir. | never sees any
though. But they calls him an artist
sir"
| determined to visit Murphy or
the pretext of purchasing some of his
work.
"Of course, you didn't see any one
else with a rife today?" | asked
The man with life up load didn''
materialize?"
mo. sir. | asked some of the boys
them as has charge of the deer in the
preserve, over the way the shootin
sounded But they hadn't seen no one
either, sir. Though they did hear the
shots
l thanked Romney for his interest
and admonished him to keep his OWE
counsel as to my visit.
1t still lacked 20 minutes of the hour
of an appointment with Evelyn when
/ issued from the lodge. and to occu-
py the time | entered the wide gate
way between the great stone pillars
with their heraIdic shields and saun-
tered leisurely along the smooth ma
cadam drive, bordered by sentinel
elms.
My thoughts were busy with the
new line of conjecture which Rom
ney had unconsciously opened up for
me. I wondered whether by any pos
sibility this eccentric painter. MUIR
ply, could be personally involved. Was
Cameron acquainted with him? Had
they ever quarreled?
In the midst of my reverie the
rhythm Of horses hoofs on the drive
awoke me to time and place. And
saw, still some distance away, but
bearing down upon me at swift SIN
gle foot, the slim, girlish figure OF
Evelyn Grayson, in white waist and
gray habit, mounted on her Prince
Charley.
Am | late?" she cried, refining the
wiry little animal to a stand beside
me.
81 fancy you are just on the minute. y
But I'm still mile from the
lodge" she argued.
"And all the nearer to the trail,'
condoned. 1T must be somewhere
about here. isn't it,"
You've passed it. It's just beyond
that next bend" And she pointed
over my shoulder.
We left the little animal standing
with dropping head and dangling rein
on the shadowed side of the driveway
and went off together down the mar
row, slow descending trail, the girl in
the lead.
I'm pretty sure can find the tree,
she asserted as she swung along with
that free, lissom stride which | loved
"It is an old dead chestnut, great
giant of the woods, imposing even In
death; and 1t stands only a half dozen
yards off the TRAIL
When at length we reached it she
identified it beyond question, and
had little difficulty in finding the nail
from which the piece of canvas had
been suspended. 1t was one of thin
wire, with very small head, driven into
the tree at distance of about four
and half feet from the ground. Just
beneath it | found four scattering bull
let holes, with the bullets too deeply
embedded to be extracted with so poor
a tool as pocket knife.
Somewhat to Evelyn's perplexity !
began making a careful inspection of
the ground. not only about the tree,
but as far away from it as the range
of vision extended.
What are you looking for?" she de-
manded, with show of concern, and,
I thought, little peevishly.
Footprints l answered, laughing.
Behold the American Sherlock"
Have you found any?"
only Cinderella's." and that put
her in good humor.
But | found something of much
more Importance than the indenta-
tions of shoe soles. | found it very
near the foot of the tree. just below
where the painting had hung. 1t was
half hidden by underbrush, and at
first | mistook it for a stone. Unob-
served by Evelyn | slipped it into my
pocket
after ALL" | said to her, there's
not very much to be learned here, is
there?"
But | determined to make use of all
there was. That night found me al
ready in action.
My motor boat, which had been run
ming swiftly and smoothly, suddenly
missed stroke, and then, after a
succession of choking sobs, ceased all
effort.
We'll done, Jerry" I whispered
from my seat in the stern to the ca
pable young Irishman who was bend
ing over the motor-whispered be-
cause. as all the world knows, the