The Raymer enterprise., 1913-11-13

= DoDD. r1EAD q CO
which lacks link where 1t should be
strongest"
THAT chain we must throw away"
"And forge another?"
Sweetwater approached and sat
down.
"Yes; l believe we can do it; yet
I have only one indisputable fact for
a starter. Mr.. Gryce, don't trust
Brotherson. Though he should tell
story ten times more plausible than
the one with which he has satisfied
the coroner's jury. would still listen
to him with more mlsgiving than con.
fidence. Perhaps 1t is simply deeply
rooted antipathy on my part. or the
rage one feels at finding he has placed
his finger on the wrong man. Again
1t may be-"
What, Sweetwater?"
"A well.founded distrust. Mr.. Gryce,
I'm going to ask you a question"
ASK away. Ask fifty II you want
to-"
did you ever hear OF case before,
that in some Of its details was similar
to this?" 80. ..
mo. it stands alone. That's why It
is SO puzzling."
you forget. The wealth, beauty
and social consequence OF the present
victim has blinded you to the strong
resemblance which her case bears to
one you know. In which the sufferer
had none Of the worldly advantages Of
Miss Challoner. / allude to-"
Wait! The washerwoman In Hicks
street,"
"The same. Mr.. Gryce, there's a
startling similarity in the two cases
II you study the essential features
only. Startling. I assure you"
"Yes, you are right there. But what
II there is? We were no more sue
cessful in solving that case than we
have been in solving this. Yet you
look and act like hound which has
struck hot scent"
The young man smoothed his fea.
lures with an embarrassed laugh.
II shall never learn" said he, mot
to give tongue till the hunt is fairly
started. II you will excuse me, we'll
first make sure Of the similarity
have mentioned. Then I'll explain my.
self. have some notes here, made at
the time It was decided to drop the
Hicks street case as wholly lnexplic.
able one. Shall read them?"
Fire away, my boy. though hardly
see your purpose or what real bearing
the affair In Hicks street has upon
the Clermont one. A poor washer.
woman and the wealthy Miss Challon.
er! True. they were not unlike in
their end"
THE connection will come later"
smiled the young detective. with that
strange softening OF his features
which made one at times forget his
extreme plainness.
And he read:
ION the afternoon of December 4,
1910. the strong and persistent scream.
Ing OF young child In one OF the
rooms OF rear tenement In Hicks
street. Brooklyn, drew the attention
Of some Of the inmates and led them,
after several Intellectual efforts to
gain an entrance, to the breaking In
OF a door which had been fastened on
the inside by an old.fashioned door.
button.
1.-The tenant. whom all knew for an
honest, hardworking woman, had not
infrequently fastened her door in this
manner, In order to safeguard her
child who was abnormally active and
had a way Of rattllng the door open
when 1t was not thus secured. But
she had never refused to open BEFORE
and the child's cries were pltiful.
"'This was no longer a matter Of
wonder, when, the door having been
wrenched from Its hinges, they all
rushed In. Across a tub of steaming
clothes lifted upon bench In the
open window, they saw the body of
this good woman. lying inert and
seemingly dead; the frightened child
tugging at her skirts. She was Of a
robust make, fleshy and fair, and had
always been considered a model Of
health and energy. but at the sight
Of her helpless figure. thus stricken
while at work. the one cry was "A
stroke!' till she had been lifted of
and laid upon the floor. Then some
dIscoloration in the water at the bot.
tom Of the tub led to a closer examln.
a.