The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-06-15
He must have been shot,

after all
From inside the room? Hardly'
And certainly not with that. It's .
very small illuminate OF MERCURY shell,
and never held lead. No. The man
was down, il not dead, before that
went off" 2"
Average Jones was now at the win
dow. Taking a piece OF paper from
his pocket he bruahed the contents OF
the window sill upon 1t. A dozen dead
flies rolled upon tins paper. He ex-
amined them thoughtfulry. cast them
aside and turned back to the mana
ger.
1T isn't probable that anyone got
into the room from either side"
Impossible" said the manager.
Here Mr.. Thomas Colvin Mcintyre
arrived with a flushed face.
You are right, Average" he said.
THE same man had reserved rooms
at the Nederstrom for'Telfk Bey."
What's the location"
Tenth floor; north side. He had
insisted on both details. Nos. 1015,
1917"
"Um-m-m. What across the street,"
How should l know? You didn't
tel me to ask."
just opened, Mr.. Jones'" volunteered
the manager.
Average Jones turned again to the
window, closed it and fastened his
handkerchief in the catch. Leave
that there" he directed the manager.
Don't let anyone into this room. I'm
Off"
Stopping to telephone, Average
Jones ascertained that there were no
vacant Offices on the tenth floor, south
side of the Glenargan apartment build
ing, facing the Nederstrom hotel. The
last one had been let two weeks be-
fore to-this he a~scertained by judi
cious questioning-a dark, foreign
gentleman who was an expert on rugs,
Well satisfied, the investigator
crossed over to the skyscraper across
from the Palatia.
He entered the office. In it were
only a desk, two chairs and a scrap
basket. The basket was crammed
with newspapers. One of them was
the Hotel Register. Average Jones
found Telfk Bey's name, as he had
expected, in its roster. The newspa,
pers, mainly copies Of the Evening
Pn0tctnr cnnnonH IN nnnfnin rnnn
cursory examination, nothing germane
to the issue. But, scattered among
them, the searcher found a number OF
fibrous chips. They were short and
thick; such chips as might be made
by cutting a bamboo pole into cross
lengths, convenient for carrying.
THE spirit wand" observed Aver.
age Jones with gusto.
Next, he turned his attention to the
desk. 1t was bare, except for a few
scraps of paper and some writing i'm.
plements. But in a crevice there
shone a glimmer Of glass. With a
careful finger nail Average Jones
pushed out a small phial. 1t had evi,
IDENTIFY been sealed with lead. Moth,
ing was in it. It's d~iscoverer leaned
back and contemplated it with stiff.
fened eyelids. For, upon it's tiny, i'm.
provised label was scrawled the "Mer.
cy sign; mysterious before, now all
but incredible.
For several minutes Average Jones
sat bemused. When, only a moment
before five, the Advisor entered his
office Bertram, who was waiting
with Mcintyre, held out a newspaper
to him.
Cast your eye on that" said he.
1.-THE Register fairly reeks with freaks
lately"
Average Jones read aloud.
SMITH-PERKINS. FORMERLY IA BEL
laire--Send me present location: Turk
ish Triumph about smoked out. Mercy
Box "a, Office.
ITS my work." observed Average
Jones blandly.
The visitors stared at him in ST.
lence.
Rather a forlorn hope, but some
times a bluff will CO." he continued.
Are you SO infantile as to suppose
that this murderer will give informa-
ton about himself" demanded Nc.
Intyre.
Average Jones smiled, drew a letter
from his pocket. THE advertisement
worked to a charm Mr.. Smith gives
his address in this, and intimates that
/ may call upon him."
Young Mr.. Mcintyre rose.
You're going to see him, them"
AT once"
Think there1l be excitement ?''
asked Bertram l~anguidly. I'D like to
go along"
Across town and far up the East
side whizzed the car, over tho bridge
that leads away from Manhattan is
land to the north, and through quiet
streets as little known to the average
New Yorker as are Hongkong and
Caracas. In front of a frame house it
stopped. On a side porch, over which
bright roses swarmed like children
clambering into a hospital lap, sat a