The Raymer enterprise., 1913-10-23
CHAPTER lv.-contlnued.

"A fellow to make you laugh.
perfect character, Laura; hideously
homely but agreeable enough. ! took
quite fancy to him. Why?"
Il am looking at him now"
Very likely. He's deep in this af.
fair. Just an everyday detective. but
ambitious. suppose and quite alive
TO the Importance of being thor
ough."
He is watching those people. No,
he isn't. How quickly he disap.
peared!"
Yes, he's mercurial in all his
movements. Laura, we must get out
OF this. There happens to be some
thing else in the world for me to do
than to sit around and follow up mur-
der clues"
But we began to doubt II others
agreed with him. when on passing
out We were stopped IN The lobby by
this same detective, who had some
thing to ssy to George. and drew him
quickly aside.
What does he want?" asked. as
soon as George had returned to my
side.
He wants me to stand ready to
obey any summons the police may
senc me-"
Then they still suspect Brother
SOM"
They must"
As We stepped out Of the hotel
George gave my arm quiet pinch
which served to direct my attention
to an elderly gentleman who was just
alighting from taxicab at the kerb.
He moved heavily and with some ap-
pcarance Of pain. but from the crowd
collected on the sidewalk, many Of
whom nudged each other as he pass.
eG, he was evidently person Of
some importance. and as he disap-
peared within the hotel entrance.
asked George who this kind.faced,
hrighteyed old gentleman could be.
He appeared to know, for he told
me at once that he was Detective
Gryce; a man who had grown old In
solving Just such battling problems
ss these.
That night l bided Georges coming
with an impatience l could not con-
troll He was late. Of course. but
when he did appear. almost forgot
cur usual greeting in my hurry to ask
him II he had seen the evening pa
pers.
NO." he grumbled. as he hung up
his overcoat. Been pushed about
al day. No time for anything"
Then let me tell you"
But he would have dinner first.
However, a little later We had q
comfortable chat. Mr.. Gryce had
made a discovery, and the papers
were full Of It.
The opinion had become quite gen.
eral with those best acquainted with
the details Of this affair. that the
mystery was one Of those abnormal
ones for which no solution would ever
be found. when the aged detective
showed himself in the building and
va. taken to the room, where an In
spector Of police awaited him.
This Is very good Of you." the in.
spector began, slancing down at the
aged detectives bundled up legs. and
gently pushing = chair towards him.
The elderly man thus addressed
glanced down at his legs, now propped
up on a stool which someone had
brought him. and smiled. with the
pathos Of the old who sees the inter
ests Of = lifetime slipping gradually
away. AZ
Il am not what I was. can no
longer get down on my hands and
knees to pick up threads from the nap
Of a rug. or spy out a spot Of blood
In tho crimson wool Of a carpet"
You shall have Sweetwater here
to do the active work for you. What
we want Of you Is the directing mind
the infallible instinct. It's o case
IN . thousand. Gryce. It will make
you young again"
The old mans eyes shot fire and
unconsclously one foot slipped to the
floor. Then he bethought himself
and painfully lifted It back again.
What arb the points? What's the
diniculty?" he asked. "A woman has
been shot" ltt
mo. not shot, stabbed. We thought
she had been shot, for that was intel.
ligible and involved no impossible.
tiles. But Drs. Heath and Webster,
under tho eye Of the Challoners' own
physician, have made an examination
Of tho wound and they declare that
no bullet Is To be found In the body.
A. the wound extends no further
nan The heart. this settles one great