The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
K OF SCOTLAND YARD Z " H i1.e.1sv

then Deckoned TO yet another figure
that was laundering through the
This way. please. Monsieur Boronof.
this way"
The person to whom he addressed
this remark stepped out into the room
and looked about him with wide ewes.
Side by side one could barely tell the
real Boronoff from Ehe other. so exact
were they. so uncanniIy alike. Then
he gave a little exclamation of anger
and pointed an accusing finger at Para
dine, who writhed in the hands Of a
stalwart constable.
There. there is the traitor" he
cried. pointing a shaking finger toward
his accompanist. and turning to CIeck.
He. ze man ] trusted. ze man I loved.
They bind me up in 70 night. and keep
me zere evaire since"
suppose you tell us just what did
happen. NJ. BoronOf." suggested CIcck.
Yes, yes. l come to Eat. Last night
was compOsing-Oh. so divine. the piece
was composing-it was to be-
But. monsieur" interrupted Clcck,
about these two ours"
''As / say. I was composing and was
what you call exhausted. l go to bed
Immediately after supper. In a little
while 1 hear Paradine, the traitor. go
to the door and speak. I tink him
speaking to Ze guard. Soon this other
man come in with him. They talk
softly, so, in Ze other room. 7 hear
Paradine say. 'Sh. he's asleep and | get
up, quiet. so. to listen"
And as his excitement grew his Eng
lish became more broken, but never
theless the violinist managed to make
clear that he had heard Paradine and
the false BorOnoff plan to take the
keys of the safe from around his, the
real Boronoff's neck, after he had fall
en- asleep for the night, take the seal
ring from his finger. and make away
with the violin. 1t appeared that Para
dine had taken this particular night to
steal the violin and its jeweled case for
the very reason that Miss North had
been there that day. had made a
scene. and that investigation natural
ly would tend to throw suspicion on
her, and her suffragette compatriots--
particularly as it was well known that
BorOnoff would not play without his
own violin. and that the success OF the
anti-suffrage demonstration would he
jeOpardiZed IL Boronoff refused to play.
"Oh. my frien', my dear fricn',' wall
cd the world-famOus viOlinist. ''T'ink
of my horror. my terror. alone with
such ruffians"
at another reminder from CIeck the
violinist was brought back to the sub
ject and continued his recital The
young lift boy. it appeared. had been
called in, and had been given a glass OF
brandy and soda by ParadinP. who ex-
pressed sympathy for his long. lonely
vigil.
"Ah." broke in CIeek. And that's
where the chloraI was given the young
man. and with mUrderous intent. too
BOronOff explained he had been So
petritied with terror that he had not
been able to formulate a plan. and
when Paradine and his accompIice soft
scream. In an instant they were on
him. had him gagged and tied. had
taken away his keys and ring. and had
him through the secret paSSage-way be
hind the mirror. The passaGe-way led
almost directly into the abandoned pic
ture palace where he had been found.
What the robbers intended doing with
him finally he never knew.
What could we do?" broke i'm Para
dine. We were trapped. We meant
him no harm"
But my violin" walled the great art
ist. Where is it?'
Here" said Cleek. taking il from a
constable who had just entered with it
.jeweled case and all. They tucked
it back among the rubbish in the wall.
until it would be safe for them to
it away. You see, If it had
been found things might have been
pretty bad for our friends here"
You are good actors, gentlemen.
turning toward the two prisoners. who
stood in sullen silence under the laws
and the laws care but you
were not quite clever enough. You
hadn't the genius for petty detail which
makes Tor success. Mr.. Victor Para
dine. or whatever your delightful name
may be, you managed to turn suspicion
very nicely upon this poor lady, but not
quite nicely enough. You sawed
q
from her hat when she sat over there
upon the couch. but you forgot to
sweep up the filings. What's that Mr..
Narkom? How did I know she sat
there? Even a donkey knows there's
food about when he smells thistleS.
Two of the fronds from that ostrich
feather in her hat, caught in the cor
the couch, and separated them from
their fellows.
Also. the sealing wax. with which
the safe was sealed. smelled strongly
Of chloral and brandy with which you.
gentlemen. poisoned your unfortunate
victim. before stabbing him. and ar
ranging the jeweIed head of the pin. In
matters like this il is wiser to wash
your hands between each scene, or
there's bound to be hitch in the act
and sealing wax has tend
enCy for absorbing odors. What did
you say Miss North? How did l know
the man was an impostor?
Just little bit of observation upon
my part. 1t is necessary to Our-pro-
fession. Tell me-" he made a sudden
1art forward and lifted the false Bor-
Dnoff's manacled hands upward. so that
all might see. Are these the fingers
Of a violinst who has practiced and
played as many years as the great Bor
Onoff? Violinists cannot cultivate
finger nails and play. That's asking
too much of nature. And violinists
quickly develop certain Callouses upon
the fingers of the left hand. from An
yering the strings. And. my false Bor-
onofT. you no doubt realized it when
looked at the real VI. Boronoffs ring on
your hand. that you had not worn that
ring frequently enough.
And one more thing. when next you
write music, don't put Allegro vivace'
On the top. and write a bar of semi
oreves suitable for a funeral march un-
ierneath."
MY friend, my more zan friend.
broke out the violinist with a trem0r
of thankfulness in his voice. How can
evaire zank you for vat you haf done.
You are my benefactaire for evaire.
and you shall name any fee zat you
wish: I will gif. I promise
M. Boronof," said Cleek simply.
there is a great hall OF people waiting
'or you. Art stands with laurels in
Ter hands; go and receive them. Or.
10, let Mr.. Nsrkom and me take you in
he limousine II we may, that will he
quicker"
"As you will monsieur. but on one
- d ~ FaI nd