Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-05-15
The Mysterious Monogram
An Absorbing New Novel
BY Howard P. Rockey
Copyrighted by the Author
2ME2SNg @gss@S6
Copyrighted by the Author

observed quietly.
"Kandwahr was in the room when
Hertford and talked with the inspec-
tor. MacBee had taken him up for
the same reason he took you, imag-
inc, and l watched the fellows face
carefully"
"Yes?"
"He is a clever one, Jack, but am
sure that the knife is Kandwahr's."
For moment Harcourt sat silently.
Then, just as he was about to speak,
Fergus knocked to announce the ar
rival of Inspector MacBee.
"Not a word now," Darlington eau
toned. Let him do the talking and
be careful how you answer ques-
tions."
Don't fear" said Harcourt. "These
last developments have given me new
courage"
In another moment MacBee entered,
and at Harcourt's invitation took
chair. "Thank you, 1 never drink
while working on a case" he said,
declining the decanter. "If you don't
mind, though, Pll have smoke" and,
drawing a pipe from his pocket he
filled it deliberately.
"Mr. Darlington tells me you have
discovered several things" Harcourt
said.
"Most startling" MacBee assented,
putting at his pipe. He was a quiet,
stolid little man, quite faultlessly
dressed and in appearance anything
but detective. "And to be frank
with you, gentlemen, this is the most
puzzling affair have ever been con-
nected with"
"What do you make af these last
developments" Darlington asked.
ooh, they are quite simple" Mac
Bee answered. "When the club was
closed at the usual hour, Dodson,
knowing that Captain Towneshend
and Lord Harcourt had not left the
building, went up to the smoke room
to look for them. My believe is that
he probably passed you, my lord, upon
the stairs, but continued up to find
Captain Towneshend. You are known
to have left the club about that hour
fore he left his post, else your name
would have been taken from the card
rack in accord with his usual GUS
tom"
"You believe, then" said earring
ton, "that the murder was committed
between the time Lord Harcourt start
ed down stairs and the arrival of bod
son in the smokeroom?"
POSSIBLY. Or it may have occurred
while Dodson was in the room. His
clothing shows quite plainly marks oi
violent struggle and there is great
deal of blood upon. them"
But you do not think Dodsor
struck the blow-do your"
mo there is no reason for such g
belief 1t is my opinion that the mar
who killed Towneshend strangleC
Dodson afterwards. 1t is possible thai
| Dodson was a witness of the actua
killing or else entered the room il
time to see the murderer leaving by
the fire escape. Towneshend must
have been killed as he sat in his
chair, and | am more inclined to be
lieve that Dodson entered just before
the blow was struck. There was prob
ably a struggle as Dodson attempted
to prevent the man from leaving by
the fire escape, but the other was too
strong for him. Apparently Dodsor
pursued him down the fire escape an(
attempted to take the sheath of the
knife, 1t was clutched so tightly il
his fingers that it was all l could dt
to remove it,"
SIT is strange that Dodson did no
make some outcry, or that his crie'
were not heard by anyone in thu
club" said Darlington.
perhaps he did call for aid" Mac
Bee said. There were but few ser
wants in the club at the time and al
of them were in another part of tn
building. At the foot of the iron stair
way, however, the final struggle came
1t was probably because Dodson wa
calling for aid that the mul dere
strangled him-having left his knit
in poor Towneshend's body"
"Your theory then is"
Mr. CarrlnBton, L nave no IneorS
l never form conclusions until l Al
ready to act"
"Then you are no nearer solutio
of the problem than you were bt
fore?" Harcourt asked.
mo. In fact | am farther from
than was this afternoon, and l ma
say to you, sir, that in one way l al
relieved that such is the case"
"How SOP" asked Harcourt.
Had it not been for the develol
ments we have just been discussing
and the possibilities they have SUI
gested to me, | should have bee
obliged to place you under arrest, m
lord"
Arrest me? how annoying!"
"As it is, sir, / think / shall be abl
to straighten out this matter within
few hours, and thus relieve you OF tn
unpleasant predicament in which yo
find yourself at the present moment
"Pm sure hope So" said Harcoul
earnestly. 81 really don't fancy thi