Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-03-23
SYNOPSIS

awakened Dy Il telepnOne summons TO
visit the residence of Anthony Conrad
q retired broker, who has been found
dead on his couch.
Suspicion points to Gustav Conrad,
ais nephew, with whom he had quar-
relied the night before and who to all
appearances tried to commit suicide
after killing his uncle.
Physicians find that Gustav has a
chance to recover. The will leaves
$4,000 to Gustav and the balance Of
the estate to George Mallet, another
nephew.
Not satisfied with the apparent So
luton of the case, Semi Dual, the old
man of Mystery, takes a hand in the
tangle of human life.
Dual asks Gordon to go with John
son of the detective force and search
the Conrad premises thoroughly for
other evidence.
GAIL right, Glace. If you can find
anything which will let young Conrad
out won't kick, and from what this
Dual said l reckon that's his lay.
Lead me to it, son."
"Come along" l told him, and
passed on into the larger room.
There l took the glass from my
pocket and began to examine win
dowsills and the floor. Not that /
had any hopes of picking out any
footprints, save those made during
the morning, but l meant to let no
chance to escape.
johnson perched on an end of the
desk and watched me, grinning.
"You look like stage detec,' son."
he jeered as worked. dual thinks
this an outside job?"
81 don't know what Dual thinks"
l snapped back. "He's habit of
not telling everything he knows"
$50 ahead" said Johnson, and
lighted a cigar.
"By the way" l suggested, get
Bryce on the phone and tell him to
keep in touch. Tell him to have that
gun and those hairs handy when we
need them, and to be ready to bring
them to u.s."
Johnson shot me a quick glance.
as that from you or Dual?" he in
quired. Il was talkin' with Bryce
after Dual called me up, and he says
the chaps the real stuff. Does he
want Bryce to stay close?"
nodded.
Johnson reached for the phone.
While he was talking went on into
the alcove where the body of Conrad
had lain and continued my search.
There wasn't thing could find.
Window-sills, floors, even the panes
of the windows, went over, but
they showed nothing which l could
call suspicious. Johnson sauntered
in as worked.
81 got Bryce, and he's on edge
about the thing" he remarked. "He
says I'd better git into the wagon be-
fore you boys crack the whip. Is
there anything l can do?"
"Not yet" I responded. 81 can't
find anything here"
rose and we both went into the
unused room between the study of
Conrad and Gustav's room. There
again | got down and began to exam
inc the floor.
1t was close by the window of the
end of the room that | found my first
reward.
There, as l swept the carpet with
my glass, | found something which
sent my heart into my mouth. 1t
was faint outline in the nap of the
piling-just the dim outline of foot
print.
But-the toe pointed inward and
the outline was palmer at the heel
than at the toe.
1t was as though some one might
have thrown leg across the sill and
planted foot on the carpet, rising
through the easement, with his full
weight thrown upon the heel of his
shoe. | bent above it and scanned il
through the glass.
There was no mistaking its import
Some one had stepped there, and
about it's outline was a fine line OF
powdered soil, as though particals OF
earth had clung to the sole of the
shoe.
! beckoned Johnson, and he came
quickly to my side. / pointed, ant
he dropped to his knees beside me
glanced at the print, and seconc
later at me.
"Did anybody stand or sit here this
morning." ] asked.
He shook his head.
Il don't think So" he considered
"The fatties stayed in the room witt
Conrad, and neither Bryce nor / wal
here. Sommers might have sat her,