Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-02

meannesses that you wouldn't believe
possible in a man of his high pretensions
I'll give you just one example.
mot long ago, an old broker, Mr.
Braine, was knocked down In the mar.
row corridor OF a building in Broad street.
He was carrying an envelope-a big
brown one containing negotiable securI-
ties worth many thousand dollars. The
man who knocked him down helped him
to get UP. handed him his brown envel-
ope, apologized and dashed on. 1t was
rather dark in the corridor, and the mans
face couldn't be seen. Mr.. Braine hurried
on the bank to deposit his securities
in the safety vault. The next day, hs
had occasion to take them out and ex-
anime them. His brown envelope CON
tanned nothing but blank papers. The
man who had knocked him down, the
day before. had changed envelopes with
him That man seems to have been--J.
Baron Hedermanl"
Billie gave a little exclamation of sur
prise and horror. The other two lis
teners sat spelbound. Much as they had
distrusted Helderman, they had not con-
cevcd him guilty of-jus' this!
What makes you think so?" finally
asked Craig
"lt was late. after dusk. Two men
were trailing EIelderman. OH another mat
ter. They saw him. and him only, enter
and leave the corridor The safety vault
had been kept open a few minutes over
time TO accommodate Mr.. Brane; so
these two men knew exactly the time.
They are positive that only Helderman
went into the place; and no one else either
entered or left 1t, at that time. Braine
came staggering by, and explained his
mishap, about two minutes after Helder-
man had disappeared.
Then It's clear that Helderman did
IT, cried Rutherford. eXultantly. by
George, that's where he got the cash to
buy the bank at Miami"
ITS clear to the two men who saw
Helderman In Broad Street: but it's not
clear to Crowder and another man who
saw Helderman at the same identical
time-on Riverside Drive!"
rutherford almost groaned.
'Brookfield we aren't any nearer 10
catching Helderman than you are, II you
are always eucountering his double"
Brookfield did not Immediately reply.
Billie cast a look of womanly sympathy
at Craig, who sat in moody abstraction,
and she had sudden, unbelievable. in
eNcusable desire to put both her arms
around his head, and smooth the wrinkles
out of his brow. She blushed at the
amazing boldness of the thought.
80 you think that Crowder is his ac-
compiler" asked Craig.
Brookf1ed nodded Rutherford looked
at his friend with an expression that
said as plainly as words, that he thought
him mildly demented.
"lf you think I'm crazy now, Craig
said Monty, interpreting the look, you'll
be sure of 1t when / explain my theory.
Crowder Is a hypnotist-that's my view
He makes the person with him see Hell
derman-where he isn't!"
Its not impossible" Rutherford
agreed, seriously.
He was mentally reviewing his own last
experience UP on the Drive, and the lame
explanations the two detectives had given
of the bankers sudden disappearance.
Against that. however, he was banking
his own judgment of people-a pet habit
of his-and he could not distrust Crowder,
Brookfield's might have to commend it.
But I'll bank on Crowder!' he said
aloud. Meanwhile. we will keep each
other Informed, Brookfield."
The attorney agreed, as he bade them
good-day.
The three callers rode uptown in the
same cab; but to Craig's surprise, Bal
lantyne refused to go with them to the
West Tenth Street house
why keep up this elaborate hide-and-
seek, sir?' Rutherford questioned. care
fully Disgusting his impatience. ~ know
that you do live with your daughter
have heard your voice downstairs; and
you have reported to me about occur
rences there, i'm her absence. II seems
absurd to suppose that | can be deceived
now. It's rather an insult to my intelli-
gence, and somewhat of a-er-well, it
would seem to indicate that although you
are ready to avail yourself of my services
you are not ready to trust me. 1 am