Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-14

1
men are not old hands. And so to
| four when a policeman came to this
door. Why"
There was supposed to be burglar
here. 1t was false ALARM" Anthony
said. less collectedly
Hitchin lighted the pipe he had
filled and smiled
THAT is the tale they tell in the
Office" he said. Il confess that the
detail puzzles me and as yet haven't
had time to get inside information
| from my good friend our police cap,
tain. However, we can well call this
detail immaterial and pass item four. -
He gazed into the blue cloud OF
smoke and smiled again.
"The woman in the case!' he said
in deep, bass voice.
There was no woman Anthony
exploded. And"
"The French woman. fly" Hitchin
corrected.
"WeIl. She
Don't explain her." said Hobart
Hitchin. LET us see just what hap.
pened when she was about. She came
after daylight. She passed through
the Office downstairs so suddenly that
knew where to come. She was
in the elevator and naming her floor
to the man-who supposed her to
have passed by the ofice-perha ps
two seconds after she entered the
house itself. She came directly to
this apartment, Fry, and almost i'm
mediateIy she burst into hysterical
weeping!'
His eyes we're boring again and Ho.
bart Hitchin also pointed the stem Of
his pipe accusingly at Anthony.
Fry" he said, what did that girl
see, evidently at the end of the cor
ridor, which produced that outburst
of grief?''
"Nothing!' Anthony said thickly.
There was nothing to cause her
acute grief"
mo, and"
wait! She/wept all the way down
in the elevator; l saw her myself!
She wept so violently when she
reached the street that an officer ap-
preached her-and she fed from him
and disappeared"
It was high time to say something
and to say it we'll. Dignity had always
served Anthony. and while it was an
effort he eyed Hobart Hitchin coldly.
"Hitchin," said he. 1T would oe
quite possible, believe me, to soothe
your feverish mind by telling you the
perfectly simple errand on which that
girl came, but I'm damned if III do
it! Some things are too ridiculous,
and you're one Of them. If there are
any further questions you wish to ask
about my personal affairs, will you
please leave them unasked? And II
there are other things over which you
wish to rave, don't let me detain you
here"
He fastened his best majestic gaze
on Hobart Hitchin, yet Hitchin only
laughed his low, sinister laugh.
you're a curious customer, Fry"
he said, leaning back comfortably. Il
had hoped before this that your nerve
would have broken and-however,
listen to this little theory of mine.
The boy knew something. l can't say
what, about you, something which
had to be suppressed at any cost. You
brought him here, can't say on what
pretext, but the boy fancied that all
was we'll. Perhaps you promised him
money; I'm inclined to believe that.
for the girl came, evidently by ap-
pointment. ready to travel. Doesn't
take much deduction to guess, that
they were going to be married with
the money you gave him. does it? She
came and saw what had happened,
and then"
well, what had happened:' An
thony almost shouted.
That's what I'm waiting for you to /
tell me, so that can give you help
ing hand said the crime student.
"And while I'm waiting and while
you're still plainly convinced that | !
know nothing at ALL let nue. ask one |
question again: did the Prentiss boy !;
leave here with the clothes he wore |
when he entered?"
"Yes'' Anthony said YEARLY.
With sudden, startling slap. the !
fat brief-case was placed upon the |
table and its straps undone. And !
there was another slap and Hobart |
Hichin cried:
Then explain these, Fry! Explain |
these.
hSiS SoIi VIC ~ uSus ilIS Lidl AL !
thongs mouth opened and that his |
eyes grew rounder. Before hin,
spread upon the table, lay David's
trousers!
well, those-those- he STAN
where did you get them"
From the dumbwaiter. where you
placed them so very quietly, so very
so very early this morn.
ng!" said Hobart Hitchin, with his
1evlish laugh. "You even went so far
as to run the thing down, so that il
would be emptied at once, didn't YOU
But you didn't happen to look down!
You didn't see me take the whole suit
rom the dumbwaiter as it passed my
door"
He leaned back triu,pphantly and
pulled his pipe and for little there
was thick tangible silence in An.
.honys liying-room
More, than once. like most of us.
Johnson Boiler had wondered just
what he would do if accused OF a /
murder Of which he was entirely in
nocent In fond and confident way
be had pictured himself sneerins at |
the captain Of police. impressing him I.