The Delta independent., 1916-01-21
your c.amppr1nW I might think Of

"Huh?" said Haggerty, startled.
Crawford pointed toward the safes.
Haggerty nodded appreciatively, ran
his glance over the safes and nodded
again. If man could only see two
ways at once!" he mourned, half hui
morously, half seriously.
HE was mad!"
"Mebbe. But listen here. At tn
Armitage case there was a thumb.
print on an idol; at tn HOLSTERS, on
piece O. jade; at tn Morris. on a
minachure. You gave a mummy T. tn
museum. On tn headpiece l accident
ally discovered tn same print. TIL
guy that did all this fine work was
fond o. queer things. TIL thumbprint
on tn mummy case wiped out every
body but you. An when l learned tn
thing. why. thought all l had t. do
was t. put tn darbies on you an mo-
tor to klink. But tn rest of you didn't
hit in, somehow. You had me guessing.
Why. l found out that your banker
has a pay roll of three thousand a
month that you give away t. tn poor.
All this mystery about detectives is
bosh. There amt any mystery; it's
ohAy oooieiOh Oil w ell,
couldn't add tn theft an tn safe
blowing an that pay roll, an get tn
sum l needed. l held of TIL thumb.
print till now. an there's where fall
down"
my fault! Why. l am almost as
guilty as he is. He used to watch me
most carefully whenever 1 opened a
safe in sport"
Sure. he did. An say. take It from
me, Mr.. Crawford, he had good teach.
er. There amt yegg in tn country
who can do it heater than you; only
tie amateurish. / mean, you, didn't
use any Of tn stun used by tn profes-
SIGNALS. Say! I've a mind { run you
In an lock you up as it is. Some O.
these smooth ones1l be kidnapping you
an making you do tn work" Hag-
gerty smiled, but his heart vas heavy.
Seven thousand gone to glory.
The girl reached secretly for Craw-
ford's hand and pressed it. To her all
this was only a prologue.
~ see, 1 figured it out this way.
You'd done it on a wager as a Joke,
an was kinda waitin' t hear tn re-
turn of tn jewels. Say, can light
this cheroot?"
Go ahead and smoke" said Forbes,
taking upon himself the privileges of
host l
He had never heard of a detective
own. his own idle. drifting. innocuous
story. His head stole round in spite
of his effort to keep it from doing 30.
There they stood, face to face, tense.
The girls sables had fallen apart. dis
closing her peignoir. She had come
out like that! Why the devil didn't
the man take her. take her? His
heart swelled with rage. But the rage
died as quickly a. Il had come. Craw-
ford swung the girl into his arms; all
the WEAKNESS gone from his scholarly
face. which was now TRANSPORTED with
something Forbes had never seen ON
any mans face before.
Girl" said Crawford, I'm a brute.
but / wanted to be sure. Five years!
Well. this moment Is worth it,
Tell her the truth" cried Forbes
hoarsely. m
why should I? In her heart of
hearts she knows 1t. knows that there
never was and never will be another
woman! Oh, Mort!"-with a hand
outstretched over the girls shoulders
when ! saw you come In could
have cursed you. for I believed you
must have told her: and I wanted
no other love than this. absolute. with
out reservation. / am an odd man, but
l am as God made me. You wonder
why l did not explain long ago. She
accused me OF bringing her a second
hand love. / deny that / evinced fool
ish pride when l left her. She had
listened to idle gossip without first
hearing my side before she judged.
Had she come to me at any time as
she has come tonight. -. What's
the use Of going over all that? She is
mine now. even II you did bring her
to me-"
"On the contrary" said Forbes. Il
believe she brought me-"
The girls arm wound about Craw-
ford's neck tightly.
whats the natter" asked Craw-
ford suddenly, as he marked the ex-
preston OF establishment on his
friends face.
The answer came from behind
SORRY. sir. I interrupt" said Hag-
gerty. pushing the valet before him:
"but duty's duty an time don't wait
For Haggerty, familiar as he was
with battle, murder and sudden death.
had never Witnessed scene like this
one. and 1t had outlasted his patience.
And who the devil are your" de-
manded Crawford. swinging about and
facing the detective.
The girl stepped back her fingers
trembling with the collar OF her cloak.