, 1913-01-30

I'll let II drop when I'm through
with it." I asserted and got out my list
Of addresses.
You'll let ii drop because it's too
hot to hold" he retorted. with the sus'
picion of a smile IF you are deter
mined to know about Carter I can tell
you everything that is necessary"
The chauffeur stopped his engine
with an exasperated jerk and settled
down in bis se4t. every line of his back
bristling with irritation.
a prefer learning from Carter him
self"
He leaned back in his seat and pro.
duced an apple from the pocket Of his
coat.
you'll have to travel some to do 1t,
son." he said Garter left for parts
unknown last night, taking with him
enough money to keep him in comfort
for some little time"
Until all this blows over" l SAID
bitterly.
The trip was for the benefit Of his
health He has been suffering and still
is suffering from a curious lapse OF
memory" Davidson smiled at me en-
gagingly. HE has entirely forgotten
everything that occurred from the time
he entered Mr.. Fleming's employment
until that gentleman left home.
doubt If he will eve recover"
With Carter gone, his retreat
ed by the police, supplied with fund.-
from some problematical source. fur
ther search for him vas worse than
useless. In fact, Davidson strongly in.
timated hat It might be dangerous
and would be certainly unpleasant J
yielded u~ngraciously and ordered the
cab to take me home. But on the way
I cursed my folly for not having fol
lowed this obvious clew earlier, and
wondered what this thing could be
that Carter knew, that was at least
surmised by various headquarters mel
and yet was SO carefully hidden from
the world at large.
The party newspapers had come out
that day with n signed statement from
Mr.. Fleming's physician in P%lattsbure
that he had been In Ill health and in
clined to melancholia for some time
The air was thick with rumors of diff
ferences with his party. The dust
cloud covered everything. Pretty soor
1t would settle and hide the tracks OF
those Who had hurried to cover un6ei
its protection.
Davidson left me at a corner down
town. He turned to give me a parting
admonition.
There's an old axiom in the mills
around here. Never sit down on a piece
of metal until you spit on it If 1t siz
zles, don't sit" He grinned. "YouI
best position Just now. young man.. Is
standing. with our hands owe your
head. Conidentially. there amt any
thing within ex~pectorating distance
Just now that amt pretty well het up
He left me with that, and l did moi
see him again until the night at tho
White Cat. when he helped put me
through the transom. Recently. how
ever. | have met him several times
He Invariably mentions the So ano
his intention Of repaying 1t. Unfor
tunately the desire and the ability have
not yet happened to coincide.
/ took the evening train to Bellwoot
and got there shortly after 8 in the
midst of the Sunday evening calm. ant
the calm of a place like Bellwood il
the peace of death without the hope
Of resurrection
Promiscuous inquiry was not advis
able. So far Miss James disappear
ance was known to very few. and Hun
ter had advised caution. I wandered
up the street and turned at random t,
the right. A few doors ahead a newisl
postofice. 1t occurred to me that her.
inside was the individual who, he
oretically at least, in a small place al
ways knows the idiosyncrasies Of ih
people.
The postmaster proved to be a n
armed veteran of the civil war. ant
he was sorting rapidly the contents o.
a mail bag, emptied on the counter.
"No delivery tonight" he said short
ly. SUNDAY delivery. 2 to g."
II suppose. then. I couldn't get a dol
lars worth of stampsT"
I'VE don't sell stamps on Sunda.
nights he explained. But II your,
in a hurry for them
az am" I lied. And after he had go
them out. counting them with a wrin
kled finger. and tearing them of thu
sheet with the elaboration Of age.
opened a general conversation.
1t was when | asked him about hi
empty sleeve. and he had told me tina
he lost his arm at Charlottesville
that we became really friendly. Whet
he said he had been a corporal In Gen
erai Maitland's command my path wal
one of ease
'1The Maitland ladiesl ! should sal
do" he said warmly. 1--WE beer
fighting with Letitia Maitland as Ion,
as I Ear remember. That woman vii
scrap with the angel Gabriel at tn
resurrection. II he wakes her up be
fora she's had her sleep out"