Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-01

I only saw the man when the captain
sent for me-
Where were your"
''In the cafe"
Then you couldn't have seen them
if they had entered the hotel through
any OF the entrances ?"
'No"
why didn't you notify the waiting
captain of the table reservation p,
Forgot it: received the note
early yesterday morning. had an
important engagement in the after
noon, and turned it over to my as
! sistant because the night-room men
don't report until five o'clock. Why
he didn't tell the captain 1 don't
know"
Where is your ASSISTANT"
He started yesterday on a months S
vacation"
where ?"
He didn't tell me. It was none Of
my business. The vacation was COM
| ing to him, and when his time was up
at six o'clock he went"
did you examine the waiter to see
that he qualified for a position in your
restaurant"
mo. My assistant has charge Of
the diningroom force"
What's his name?"
John Norman"
The coroner made several notes be-
fore he asked the next question. and
TWO or the Square-Jawed detectives
hurried out to get the wheels of the
police department started on this new
lead
What did you do when you saw
that the man was dead ?"
Il didn't see that he was dead.
asked a friend of mine, Mr.. Cotton,
to md out what was the trouble with
why Mr.. Colton?" scowled the
coroner.
Because he's cleverer at finding out
Things than the whole darned police
force put together! That's why!'
a bang of the coroner's gavel chas-
ed the smiles from the faces of the
| spectators.
Didn't you think 1T strange" de-
manded Bierbauer angrily. that such
note should be sent with a bottle
OF rare-vintage wine? Wasn't that
worth looking into bit instead of
handing it casually to your assistant ?"
Nothtng's strange IN my business.
I've had tables reserved for tame
monkeys and pet lion clubs, and there
have been banquets for South Sea
| Island chiefs with blue baboons tat
tooed on their cheeks If any one
wants his own wine served, it's none
or my business, If he pays for the
service"
| Bierbauer had an angry retort
ready, but quick separation of the
! crowd at the door drove it from his
mind, and pleased light came to his
eyes as the burly form of Police Cap
tain McMann pushed his way through
the throng.
rs there any way the man and wo-
man could have entered the restaurant
without some one seeing them?" Bier
| bauer put the question as though it
were merely matter of duty, and he
wanted to get it over.
NO. Some ones lying!" growled
the manager.
What's that?" Bierbauer straight
ened in his seat.
DO you suppose crooks and pick
I pockets could enter a hotel like the
-sarcastically. Some one sees every
one who comes in. 1 thought I was
paying men to watch!"
DO you own the Beaumonde?"
Philip J. Bracken owns it."
Has he been notified of last nights S
occurrence?"
i've been trying to locate his yacht
! by wireless all night. When he comes
you can question him. He knows as
much about it as I do"
That's ALL"
| Carl growled at the dismissal, and
pushed his way from the room, turn
ing persistent reporter aside with a
snarl.
Captain McMann!" called Bier
bauer, and the police captain, with a
conscious air of his Importance,
mounted the stand and took the oath.
You investigated the case at the
Beaumonde last night?"
II did. I was on the job fifteen
minutes after I got the note. 1t
might have been a fake, but 1 wasn't
taking any chances in my precinct!"
| paper men, to see that they got it
right. Then he glanced up as there
came another movement of the crowd
at the door. A look of triumph flash
ed across his face for a minute before
the official mask fell again. The man
who entered the room, his thin stick
held loosely his fingers, the blue
lenses of his spectacles looking
straight at the captain, was Thornley,
| Cotton.
The coroner saw, too, and his eyes
! met those of the captain before he
put the question.
! From your experience, would you
classify the death of the man at the
restaurant table as murder?" he put
bluntly.
mo doubt Of it," The emphatic
statement came unhesitatingly.
will you telf the jury why you
say that?" The coroners voice in
dicated that he knew the reply, and
his eyes swept the room, resting on
the ace of the white-haired man who
leaned easily against the back row of
seats.
81 will" The captain spoke the two
words slowly and a dozen keen ears
caught the note OF gloating in his
voice. 'I know it was murder
because the murderer is under arrest
at police headquarters His name is
George Nelson, and he's the waiter
who disappeared from the Beaumonde
last night!'
The silence that followed this
startling statement was broken as the
slim cane fell from Thornley, Colton's
fingers to the hardwood floor at his
feet.
CHAPTER TX
; "A Smoking Trail