Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-14
S live V r
Sandals
A Detective Story of Mys-
terry, Love and Adventure.
By Clinton H. Stagg
Copyright, w. ]. Watt & Co..
CONTINUED From Yesterday
Copyright. w. ]. Watt & Co..
International News Service.

was answered py sleepy eyed SER
want.
Coffee, john" the blind man ord
cred. The servant bowed and with
drew Hhe showed no surprise at the
presence of the girl. All Colton's
household knew he was working on
a case, and anything strange hat
might happen in the house was only
part of 1t.
I'm going!" The girl jumped
from the couch. Cotton slowly turn
ed and walked to where she stood. His
hand on her shoulder once more gent
ly forced her back.
"A little coffee will straighten your
overwrought nerves." he said
You think = that something went
wrong - that Philip is guilty of -
you said murder!" She stammered
the disconnected sentences, and his
hand on her shoulder felt her trembl-
ing. He knew how her thoughts had
been working in the silence he had
forced after she had told him the
thing he wanted to know = the con-
fession of Bracken's absence that she
had withheld so long.
He did not answer her question.
When he spoke, it was merely a soft
voiced command to rest
You are going out!" she suddenly
accused.
''As soon as I have taken a bit of
black coffee" he nodded.
Il won't stay" Once more there
was fear in her voice, and he knew
it was fear for the safety of the man
she had so trusted.
"You will" His voice was quiet.
"I am going to call up a girl to stay
with you. She is a great friend of
Sydney. They are to be married" :"
He went to the desk and took the
telephone. Until she comes. John
will stand outside the door. 1 hate to
voice again-"but you refuse to trust
me fully. You have fought me for
three hours. You have given way
only as far as you wished. l know
better than to ask you anything fur
ther, for I can see your mind at work.
It's the kind of a mind that made
your father carry out his scheme des-
in the way. You are the only wo-
man that ever made me confess de-
feat. 1 shall have to go my own way
to help you, and God knows you need
more help than you realize, girl"
Where are you going?" she de-
manded refusing, toward the last,
even to listen.
Il am going to see your aunt"
Cotton moved the chessboard so that
.
with its cups of coffee, got the tele-
phone number he wanted, and asked
Sydney Thames fiancee if she would
help him.
You will never find her." declared
the girl beside him tr1umphantly; but
under the triumph the blind man
knew there was a trace of fear. She
did fear him! The look on his face
that had caused her nervous fingers
to break the wineglass in the restau-
rant, when she had seen him touch the
wrist of her dead father, was there
now. You can't find her!' she re-
peated, but she was trying to convince
herself rather than him.
II will find her." he said, land when
l do l will show her something that
will end the case.'> The hand that
did not hold the coffee cup made a
gesture over the chessboard. Last
night there were fourvmoves to check
mate. The visit to the hotel and your
visit here were two. The game will
end at noon to-day"
He set down the empty coffee cup.
picked up his hat, stick and gloves.
At the door he turned. You NAV
sleep, if you wish, until Miss Nelson
comes. No one will disturb you. This
door is very thick, so thick that even
sound won't go through it, John
VIII be outside. The windows are
locked securely. Auf wiedersehen."
He closed the door behind him.
turned the key in the lock. Then he
ran lightly up the stairs to his own
room. took the receiver from the hook
OF the extension phone, and listened
He was not a minute too soon. Came
the click of the receiver in the library
downstairs, then the girls voice:
'Sixteen-twelve, Bell, quickly"
she was trying to warn her aunt
Cotton did not replace the receiver
on the hook. He set it gently on the
table and tptoed from the room so
that there would be no possibility of
her hearing a sound over the wire,
The plan had worked! She had fol-
lowed the lead he had so cleverlv
worked out. His telephoning to Ma
dine Nelson had put the idea into her
mind as he had intended it should
In 1mpressing her with the fact that
he could not fail; his talk of the
sound-proof door had made her clutch
at the one straw. 1t was a straw, for
cotton had cut the outside wires with
his knife. concealed on the palm of
his hand, when he had finished talk
ing over the phone.
He had located the hiding place of
the aunt in the only way possible. All
that was necessary now was a call to
the telephone information" and the
us car. 1oitoH ran upstairs and look
ed into Sydney's room. His secretary
was sleeping peacefully, quietly. In
a few hours he would be the normal
eyes OF the blind man once more. The
problemist knew that there was no
need of guard outside the heavy
door of the library, so he left the kew
with John, and gave him his instruc
lions.
Cotton walked around the corner
to the private garage, and found
Michael filling the big cars gasoline
tanks.
ANY one watching for the girl
to come out, Michael?" asked Cotton
as he stood in the doorway.
Yes, sorr. A stout felley in black
clo'es. But his face looked like n
sport"
Norman. probably" declared the
blind man. II thought perhaps he'd
be the one looking for the girl to
come with the crow. That's WHY
asked you to keep an eye out. How
long did he waltz
"More'n two hours sorr. An, be
seemed mighty scared when he passed
here, sorr. l was watchin' t'roupb y
crack in the windey shade"
beginning to close in on them"
the blind man said grimly, land they
realize it."
Seemed a bit queer, beggin' yer
pardon, not to bother him, sorr." the
Irish chauffeur said, n bit dubiouslv
This isn't a case for the blind
Michael" Cotton smiled a bit olIeer