The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-02-22

ger
Presently she returned. followed by
a private detective and two police
men.
is this the fellow" asked the for
mer. scowling at me.
The girl explained, rather incoher-
emily, her mistake. Everybody sat
down. 1t was quite a social gathering,
or would have been but for the scru-
tiny of the police. which | bore none
too well. From all sides questions |
came popping at me. and 1t was only |
by the use of the telephone connect |
ing my bachelor quarters that | sue
ceeded In establishing my Identity.
The frayed envelope was vastly inter
esting to the police. They read 1t for
ward and backward. upside down,
and even held 1t close to the fire to
see If any sympathetic ink had been
used In writing 1t.
Il guess Mr. Carewe's a well-mean-
in chap. MISS" volunteered the detec-
tive. But this matter will need close
attention. Ii looks like tough prop
ostion." He began to ply her with
questions, but to no avail.
During the examination | vaguely
wondered what the other fellow was
doing with my coat.
The clock on the mantel struck hall
after midnight.
There's onlyoone thing to be done.
said the detective; land that's to turn
! out the lights and wait for the blood
! thirsty gent"
For three-quarters of an hour We
! five sat in the semi-darkness, our ears
| strained to catch the faintest foreign
| sound. Once | sneeZed suddenly, and
one of the policemen nearly fell out
of his chair. 1t may seem funny to
you who read, but 1t was mighty seri-
Gus to the girl and myself. The sus-
pense was nerve-racking. We scarce
ly dared breathe naturally. The oc-
casiopal slumping OF the coal in the
CRATE was pregnant with terrors. And
our faces, seen but dimly, were drawn
and tense with the silent watching
Every eye was directed toward the
baleful window, through which, at any
moment, we expected to see man
crawl
"Sh," The detective raised a warn
ing hand.
On the stiffness of the night there
came a clicking sound, like that OF
key being inserted in a lock. Pres
emily we heard the hall door open ant
close We waited in agony, or a
least did. Possibly minute passed
and then We saw the figure Of a mai
loom in the doorway. We saw his arm
extend toward the electric-light but
e ton, and instantly the room becam
i brilliant with light.
The young man blinked at US an
We blinked at him.
IF you move STEP" said the d.
tective threateningly. I'll plug 20
full O. lead"
J. What the d." began the new
conner. gazing from face to face.
Stop" cried the girl. springing I
o his side; 1t is my brother!"
Her brother! l looked at the ma
with indescribable horror. He had
| my coat! And, more than this, b
| was a man on whose honor l woul
| formerly have staked my life-A
| thur Kellerd, one of my classmates
| college. And this exquisite girl WI
| his sister, the girl | had always bee
l wanting to meet!
4 Your brother!" cried the detectiv
taken aback.
| YES, her brother" said kellel
amiably. Nov, what's all this poth
about, anyhow" Here he chance
to get a good square look at m
/ Hang me, If it isn't Dicky Carew
II and wearing my coat" He car
| forward and grasped my limp hal
and pumped it. IF you only kne
how I've been cursing you!" he ad
/ ed, laughing.
/ Then everybody began to talk
once, and nobody would have learn
Il anything had not the detective re!
81 lutely interfered. He thrust the frs
II ed envelope under Kellerd's nose.
81 do you know anything about this
he demanded.
Il Kellerd scrutinized 1t for nome
II and then began to laugh; might
Il that he roared.
II I'm askin' you II you know a
Il thing about it," repeated the dete
Fl i've coldly.
II "I ought to know all about It,"
swered Kellerd finally; Il wrote
not four days ago."
y Arthur" cried the girl, her vc
~ full of shame, horror. anguish and
orc proach.
GIG Come, come, Nancy; it's all C
GUS mistake, q very curious mista
and you'll all readily understand '
!. I laughed, when explain"
im "A Joke. eh?" said the detect
=. Perhaps you can explain 1t, and
/" haps you cant,"-truculently.
Inc Easily. You have doubtless he
'ea' OF Norman Douglas" he began.
10 The police shook their heads.
an the girl and I looked interested.
-, Douglas is the fellow who's '
80. ing all those queer detective VI
no.. for the magazines" said i.
vor Well" said Kellerd. i've
ood trying to keep 1t dark, but he
pr, where l must confess. I'm Dout
, IN. and that slip of paper represents
climax to a chapter In new 81
Come into the library, gentlemen
.n. We followed soberly, even fooli.
~ Kellerd drew out from a drawe