Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-11-11
CHAPTER IN.
GuEssEs AT THE RIDDLE.

ram Hdu ceased, ana lne AR lell cream
and fresh as though 1t had been
washed. l took deep breaths of it. and
the feeling of fatigue and depression
which had weighed upon me gradually
vanished. / was in no hurry-went
out of my way a little. indeed, to walk
out into Madison square and look pack
at the towering mass of the Flatiron
building, creamy and delicate as
carved ivory under the rays of the
when l finally turned in at the Nara
thon. Higgins, he j~anitor, was just
closing the outer doors. and he joined
me in the elevator a later.
There's a gentleman waiting to see
you. sir" he said. as the car started
upward. Mr.. Godfrey, sir. He came
in about 10 minutes ago. He said you
were expecting him, so l let him into
your rooms"
That was right" I said. and re-
flected again upon Godfrey's exhaust
less energy.
1 found him lolling in an easy chair,
and he looked up with a smile at my
entrance.
Higgins said you hadn't come
in yet" ne explained, 80 1 thought I'd
wait a few minutes on the off chance
that you mightn't be too tired to talk.
II you are, say so, and I'll be moving
along"
I'm not too tired" l said. hanging
up my coast. Il feel a good deal bet
ter than / did an hour ago"
Il saw that you were about all in"
How do YOU keep it up. Godfrey?"
I asked. sitting down opposite him.
you don't seem tired at ALL"
II am tired. though" he said. "a
little. But Tve got a foo brain hat
as there is work to be done. Then. as
o as everything is finished. the
brain lets go and the body sleeps like
a log. Now l knew I couldn't go to
sleep properly tonight until l had
heard the Very interesting theory you
are going to confide to me. Besides, 1
have a thing or two to tell YOU"
60 ahead" said.
We had a cable from our
It af' seems Ds' th bat NJ Stio'e rheop ieue
d'Aurelle plays the fiddle in the orches-
ira OF the Cafe de Paris. He played as
usual tonight, so that it is manifestly
impossible that he should also be lying
in the New York morgue. Moreover,
none of his friends. so far as he knows,
is in America. No doubt he may be
able to identify the photograph of the
dead man. and We've already started
one on the way, blu we can't hear from
it for six or eight days. But my guess
was right-the fellows name isn't
d'Aurelle."
You say you have a photograph ?"
Yes, l had some taken of the body
this afternoon. Here's one of them.
Keep it; you may have use for it,"
I took the card. and, as / gazed at the
face depicted upon it, I realized that the
distorted countenance l a seen in the
afternoon had given me no idea of the
mans appearance. Now the eyes We're
closed n the features composed and
peaceful, but even death failed to give
them any dignity. 1t was a weak and
dissipated face, the face of a hanger
on of cafes. as Parks had said-of a
ioiterer along The bOulevardS, of a mar
without ambition, and capable of any
depth Of and deceit. Al least,
that is how / read it..
Hes evidently low Glass; said Cod
frey. watching me. "One Of those para
sites. without work n without income,
so common in Paris. Shop girls and la
dies maids have a weakness for Them"
Il hin you are right agreed; but
at the same time, if he was of that
type. ! don't see what business he could
have had with Philip Vantine."
Neither do l; but there are a lot OF
other things I don't see, either. We're
thought Of that? Absolutely in the
dark"
Yes. l have thought of it," 1 said,
slowly.
mo Cub we can establish this fell
DIV identity in time-sooner than we
think, perhaps, for most OF the MORN
Ing papers will run his picture, and II
he is known here in New York at all. 1t
will be recognized by some one. When
we find out who he is, we can probably
guess at the nature OF his business with
Vantine. We can find out who the
woman was who called to see Vantine
toniSht-that is just a case Of grilling
kHn0oHA thnV vryn nnV 0sS Ne A~-.- -
get her secret out Of her. We can find
why Rogers 10 trying to shield her. All
that Is comparatively simple. But when
we have done It all, when we have all
these facts in hand. I am afraid we
shall find that they are utterly unim-
portant."
"Unimportant?" I echoed. But sure
"
"Unimportant because we don't want
to know these things. What we want ia
know y how Philip Vantine and this
Frencllman were killed. And
that 10 just the one thing which, / am
convinced, neither the man nor the
w0man % Rogers nor anybody else
We have come across In this case can
tell as. There's a personality behind ali
this that we haven't even suspected
yet. and which. I am free to confess.
don't know how to get at. It puzzles
me-: 1t rather frightens me: it's like q
threatening shadow which one CAM
get hold Of"
There was q moments silence: then,
decided. the time had come for me
to speak.
Godfrey" ! said. what / am about
to tell. ypu ts told In confidence. and
you permission ia . It. Do you agree?s
on" he said. his ayes on my face,
s.Vvell. I believe IdknOw how these
~ men weFe9k1lled. Listen"