The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-14

etk+$$@st@sS'+SfSe-$sstsse sstssess.>s+%SsssSEsP4~B he had plainly dropped exhausted.
 ooh, there you arer' and Grady glowered at him ferocfously. .Now tell me what happened-and tell it | quickF'
 tsWhy, sir stammered Kelly, sethere wasn't anything happened. Only when we stopped out there at the curb and got down and opened the door, there wasn't nobody in the wagon but MT Simmonds. I spoke to him and he didn't answer-apd then touched him and he kind of fell over-and then rushed in here and phoned the station; but they said you'd already started for the bank; and then we went out and brought him in here-and that's All know, sir.''
 "Mr. Simmonds had a little valise with him. Did you notice it?''
 'sYes, sir. And looked for it in the wagon, but it ain't there"
 Grady turned away with a curse as four or five men ran in from the street the men from headquarters, told my self. could hear him talking to them in sharp, low tones, and then they de- parted as suddenly as they had come. The reserves also hurried away, and concluded that Grady was trying to throw net about the territory in which the fugitive was probably con- cealed But my interest in that ma neuver was overshadowed for the time being by my anxiety for Sim monds I picked up his right hand and looked at it. Then I drew a deep breath of relief, for it was uninjured.
 "Has any one sent for a doctorg' asked.
 "Yes, sir,'' one of the bank attaches answered. 4.We teIephoned for one at once. Here he is nowi'' he added. as little black bearded man entered, car 1 rying the inevitably identifying medi- cine case.
 The newcomer glanced at the body, waved US back, fell on one knee, strip ped away the clothing from the breast and applied hissear to the heart. Lets have some water.'' he said. He's had a taste or wl1if of some thing that has stopped the heart ac- tion."
 With queer, creepy feeling over my scalp, remembered the little flask half full of blood red liquid which l Crochard carried in his pocket. l But he had not meant murder this l time. I remembered that Godfrey had l said he never killed an adversary. The 1 doctor worked away briskly, and at l the end of few minutes SiInmonds drew long breath and sat erect 1 Then his eyes opened, and he sat sway. ing unsteadily and staring amazedly about him.
 Where am IT" he gasped Then his eyes encountered mine. 'Lester!'' he said. Where is he-PfgotF'
 s> Scarcely knowing what I did grop- ed my way to the telephone and asked i for Godfrey's number, hoping against hope absurdly, and at last, to my in l tense surprise and relief, [ heard his voice, not very amiabIe voice.
 'I tried to get you," explained, tsas soon as Sfmmonds told me they were going to look at the cabinet. I phoned the office. The city editor said he had i sent you out into Westehester.''
 Godfrey laughed shortly.
 s1t was wild goose chase, he said, cooked up by our friend Crochard. But even then I'd have got back if we hadn't punctured a tire when we were five miles from anywhere. I knew what was up, but there I was. Oh, he's made fools of us all, Lester"
 'sBut, Godfrey" I said, 'T can't un- derstand even yet how he did it. | w AGIc 1S 11SOLs
 Hes on the Sayoie, bound and gag ged under the berth in his staterOom. ?
 I could only gasp.
 And to think I didn't suspect!'' add ed Godfrey bitterly. eve stood there and saw that yacht with the French flag walk away from us. We saw her put man aboard the Savoie. We saw that man talking to PigothE
 "Yes,'' I said breathlessly, @yes!"
 "Wel1, that man was Crochard. He got Pigot into his stateroom; gave him a whiff of the same stuff he used or Simmonds, no doubt; put him out o1 the way under the berth, got into his clothes, made up his face, put on g wlg-and all that while we were kick ing our heels outside waiting for him. Crochard is an artist in that line, and he was, no doubt, thoroughly familiar with Pigot's appearance. He took the papers of Pigot, set his bag outside the stateroom door and then came Sut e-.=nly to meet his dear friends o1 the press. You remember he said he would come today?'
 ssYes''
 There's one consolation it vii break Grady
 But Godfrey I said, eff you couIt have seen those diamonds-those beau tiful diamonds-and to think he should
 be able to get away with them from right under our noses!''
 Its pretty bad isn't it? But fnsre's no use crying over split milk