Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-25

BLOW AGAIN.
ed. Macleod himself was no mean de-
tective. Accustomed to action. he had
an idea of what to do.
wait here" he called back. dash
ing out. I'm going to the nearest
house up the road for help. I'll be
back in a moment
We heard him back and turn his car
and shoot away. Meanwhile. Kennedy
was carefully looking over Jackson s
roadster. He tapped the gas tank in
the rear. then opened it. There was
the hood and looked inside at the
motor Whatever he saw there. he
said nothing. Finally. by siphoning
some gas from Sneddens tank and
making some adjustments. he seemed
to have the car in a condition for it
to run. He was just about to start
1T when Macleod returned. carrying a
canary bird in a cage.
I've telephoned to town." he an
nounced. Some one will be here soor
now. Meanwhile, an idea occurred tc
me, and 1 borrowed this bird. Let me
see whether the idea is any good"
Kennedy, by this time. had started
the engine. Macleod placed the bright
little songster near the stove on the
work bench and began to watch i,
narrowly.
More than ever up in the air over the
mystery, l could only watch Kennedy
and Macleod. each following his own
lines.
1t might, perhaps, have been ten min
utes after Macleod returned. and dur
ing that time he had never taken his
eyes off the bird, when 1 began to feel
little drowsy A word from Macleod
reused me.
Kennedy" he exclaimed. you know
how this gas affects birds"
ut must be that this stove Is defec-
~ I>N~{ -.
poor little bird and carrying 1t quickly
into the fresh air. where 1t could re-
gain its former liveliness. Then. when
he returned. he added: There must be
some defect in the stove or the draught
that makes 1t send out the poisonous
gas"
There's some gas" agreed Kennedy.
ut must have cleared away mostly,
though. or we couldn't stand it our
selves"
car and the building. in the vain hope
OF discovering some other clue. Had
Mrs. snedden been killed by the car
homie oxide? Was it case Of gas
been here at ai; @ho Sad shut h es
up? Had she been overcome first and
in a stupor, been unable to move to
save herself? Above all. what had this
slayer that had wrecked SO much of
the works in less than a week?
1t was quite late in the afternoon
when, at last, people came from the
Mrs. Snedden and Jackson's car. Sned-
den could only stare and work his
fingers. and. after we had seen him
safely in the care of some one we could
trust, kennedy, Macleod and l climbed
into MacLeod's car silently.
Surely that fellow must have my
pictures developed by this time" con-
sidered Kennedy. shoot back there
They came out beautifully-all ex-
cept one" reported the druggist. who
was somewhat of camera fend him
self. That's q wonderful system. sir"
Kennedy thanked him for his trouble
and took the prints With care he
pieced them together. until he had sew
eral successive panoramas of the coun-
try taken from various elevations of
the parachute. Then. with a magnify
ing glass, he went over each section
infinitely.
Look at that" he pointed out at last
with the sharp tip of a pencil on one
picture.
In what looked like an open space
among some trees was tiny figure of
a man. 1t seemed as II he were hack
ing at something with an ak. What
the something was did not appear in
the picture.
IT should say that it was half a mile
perhaps a mile. farther away than that
grove" commented Kennedy, making a
rough calculation.
ION the old Davis farm" considered
Macleod. Look and see if you can't
make out the ruins of a house some
where nearby. 1t was burned many
years ago"
Yes, yes" returned Kennedy, ex-
citedly: there's the place! Do you
think we can get there in car before
it's dark"
Easily" replied Macleod
1t was only matter of minutes be-
fore we three were poking about in q
tangle of wood and field, seeking to
locate the spot where Kennedy's ap-
paratus had photographed the lone ak
man.
At last. in a large, cleared field. we
came upon most peculiar heap of