, 1913-01-16

ngnt IRON 1ne nan | recognized rne
man ! had followed to the police sta
ton two nights before.
81 CUES will" he said. looking
apologeticallv at his muddy clothes
.'This thing is only II matter of form,
anyhow"
But he didn't lie down on the couch
He tool a chair in the hall near the
foot of the stairs. and we left him
there with the evening paper and a
lamp.
Wardrop looked SO wretched that !
asked him into my room and mixed
him some whisky n water. When
had given him a cigar he began to
look a little less hopeless.
you've been a darned sight better
to me than I would hu,e Seen to you
under the circumstances. he said
gratefully.
81 thought we would better arrange
about Miss Margery before we try
to settle down." i replied. "Wfn you
tell her about her father?"
81 believe 1t would come better from
you," he said finally. Il am in the
peculiar position of having been sus.
DeCIeQ Dy Htf ldtntl vi topbhhS hhA
by you Of carrying away her aunt and
now by the police and everybody else
of numbering her father
81 do not suspect you Of anything"
1 Justified myself. 81 don't think you
are entirely open. hat is all, Wardrop.
/ think you are damaging yourself to
shield some one else"
His expressive face was on Its guard
in a moment. He ceased his restless
pacing, pausing fmpressively before
me.
81 give you my word as a gentle
man | do not know who killed Mr.
Fleming n that when | first saw
him dead my only thought was that
he had killed himself. He had threat
ened to that day. Why. If you think
killed him you would have to think
robbed him, too. in order to find a mo
i've"
did not tell him that that was pre-
cisely what Hunter did hin l evad'
ed the issue.
.Mr. wardrop. did o ever hear OF
the figures eleven twenty-five? You
never heard Mr.. Fleming use themT"
He looked puzzled.
Probably" he said. in the very
nature of Mr.. Fleming's position. we
used figures all the time. Eleven TWEEN
ty-two. That's the time the theater
train leaves the city for Bellwood. Not
what you want. ehT'
mot quite" l answered noncommit-
tally and began to wind my watch
He tool the int and prepared to leave.
sLo I~z- aud cfo rnd I'll
fully down at the detective in the hall
below. 1.-THE old place is queer with
out Miss Jane he said ~irrelevantly
"Well good night, and thanks"
He went heavily along the hall. and
/ closed my door. heard him pass
Margery's room and then go back and
rap lightly.
ats Harry" he called. 81 thought
you wouldn't worry If you knew I was
In the house tonight"
She asked him something. for
Eyes. he is here" he said. He stood
there for a moment. hesitat1ng over
decided against 1t.
"Good night. dear" he said gently
and went away.
The little familiarity made me vince
Every unattached mar has the same
PAM now and then. l have 1t some
times when Edith sits on the arm OF
Fred's chair. or n of the youngsters
leaves me to run to daddy" Ano
one of the sanest men l ever met went
to his office and proposed to his stem
%ographer in sheer craving for domes.
ITCHY. after watching the wife of ONT
of his friends run her han over hei
husbands chin and give him a reprov-
ing slap for not having shaved.
I was ready for bed when WardroI
raped at my door. He was still dress
ed INT had the leather bag,
Look here he said excitedly whei
1 had closed the door, this is not my
bag at all. I never examined it care
fully"
He held it out to me. and l carried
1t to the light. 1t was an ordinar,
eighteen inch Russia leather ira yelling
bag. tan In color and with gold plated
mountings. 1t was empty save for tn,
railroad schedule that still rested IL
one side pocket.
Don't you seer he asked excitedly
whoever stole my bag had this N tt
substitute for 1t. II we "A succeed IL
tracing the bag here to the shop Il
came from M from there to the pur
chaser we have the thief"
There's no makers name In it." ,
said after a casual examination. War
I&x N