The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-05-15

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This. alas. was the one purchased. y
| Quest glanced around the place
Il think" he said. that the profess
sor's statement now removes any
doubt as to Craig's guilt You are
sure the house has been closely
watched, Inspector"
Since | received certain informa-
tion,' French replied II have had
half dozen of my best men in the
vicinity. I can assure you that no
one has entered or left it during the
last twenty-four hours
They made their way to the piazza
steps and entered by the front door.
| The house was an ordinary frame
work one Of moderate size, in poor re-
pair, and showing signs of great neg
lect. The rooms were barely fur
| nished and their first cursory search
revealed no traces of habitation.
There was still the broken skylight
in the room which Lenora had occu-
pied, and the bed upon which she had
slept was still crumpled French,
"AAO Nho OOOiA tdPPil5 thC WdIlS uOWIi-
stairs, called to them. They trooped
down into the hall The inspector
was standing before what appeared to
be an ordinary panel.
Look here" he said, glancing out
of the corner of his eye to be sure
that Laura was there, "let me show
you what l have just discovered"
He felt with his thumb for spring.
In moment or two portion of the
wall, about two feet in extent, slowly
revolved, disclosing a small cup
board fitted with a telephone instru-
ment
"A telephone" the inspector re-
marked, pointing to 1t, Gin an unoccu-
pied house and concealed cup
board. What do you think of that?"
The professor shook his head.
Don't ask me" he groaned
French took the receiver from it's
rest and called up the exchange.
Inspector French speaking" he
announced. Kindly tell me what is
the number of the telephone from
which / am speaking, and who is the
subscriber"
He listened to the reply and asked
another question.
Can you tell me when this instru-
ment was last used? When?
Thank you!'
The inspector hung up the receiver.
THE subscribers NAME" he told
them dryly, lis Brown. The number
is not entered in the book, by re-
quest. The telephone was used an
hour ago from call Office and con-
nection was established. That is to
say, that someone spoke from this
telephone"
Then if your men have maintained
their search properly, that someone"
Quest said slowly, must be in the
house at the present moment"
Without a doubt" the inspector
agreed.
Il am going to search the front
room on the first floor before we do
anything else,' said Quest Il think |
that If you wait here l may be able 20
show you something directly"
Quest assembled the stairs and en-
tered wholly unfinished room on !
the left-hand side He looked for a |
minute contemplatively at large but |
rather shallow cupboard. the door of |
which stood open, and tapped lightly |
with his forefinger upon the back part |
of it. Then he withdrew a few feet |
and, drawing out his revolver, DELHI |
erately fired into the floor, few
inches inside. There was half
stifled cry. The false back suddenly
swung open and a man rushed out
Quests revolver covered him, but
there was no necessity for its use.
Craig, smothered with dust, his face /
white as a piece of marble, even his
jaw shaking with fear, was wholly
He seemed, in fact, incap-
able of any form of resistance.
Walk out of the room," Quest Or
dered, ''in front of me-sol Now
turn to the right and go down the
stairs"