New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-06-14

made a hasty attempt at Disgusting
himself, or else he was not the man
who arrived ut Helmsford In the blue
TAI
The Daily Recorder, which next day
printed Christopher's telegram, with
sensational Celebrations, inclined more
and more to the theory of murder.
Between Helmsford and Tilton.on-
Sea, Christopher could learn nothing.
The Hansard was still in. charge Of
the police at the little seaside town.
Christopher went to pay the Cur a
visit, and In looking 1t over carefully,
IN idea suddenly occurred to him.
He scraped Off a bit of the brightly
vanished paint on the back Of the
seat and brought to light q patch Of
color red as blood.
No other tint could have been nor
conspicuous than this crimson which
had been lately covered with blue. 1t
was Of a shade even noticeable
than that of Scarlet Runner; and this
discovery gave Christopher food for
thought. A man might have his car
repainted for reasons other than be-
cause it had become shabby.
Christopher remained all day at Til
ton-on-Sea, having gathered no excit-
ing new material for his evening tele-
gram to the paper; but as the soft
opal twilight of September fell, he
went out once more on the sands for u
spin with Scarlet Runner.
This way must the blue motOr-car
have come. since a great arch of rock
closed in the beach at the end of the
splendid five-mile stretch. Other rocks
there were, too, strangely formed,
grotesque, striding out across the sand
here and there, though leaving room
for a roadway on the safe side of the
highest tides; and this evening, as
Christopher drove Scarlet Runner
smoothly, thoughtfully along the level
sands, the suns last rays Redeemed a
great block Of stone called the Turks
Head.
The rock had, indeed, a vague re-
semblance to the head of a giant wrap
ped in a turban, neck and shoulders
rising above the beach.
Christopher had always been fas-
cinated by these rocks, the Turks
Head especially, but to his mind it
bore a likeness to the Sphinx.
sob, Sphinx, would that you'd tell
the secret Of this beach! !" he said,
as he slowed down his car within sight
of the gigantic bust. Then, looking
up, it seemed to him that the shape
of the mouth had changed. 1t looked
less wide than usual.
"There's something inside it," he ex-
claimed, half aloud, and stopped Scar
let Runner.
He silenced the motor, jumped out
Of the ar, and-glad that for the mo-
ment he had this part of the beach
to himself, though he could see figures
afar Of-began to climb up the Turks
shoulder.
He had not been mistaken. Within
vas a VAIN oullulCy puSliCu u DuShp
ard while Christopher supported him
by n hand, with the other he
reached into the aperture and dragged
out the parcel. Then he could have
in triumph, for his treasure
trOve was a mOtOring-cOat of the most
approved fashion, wrapped round a
combination between the cap
a motOrist and a y~achtsman's.
The name of the tailor had been cut
out Of the coat, and the lining of the
cap had been torn away. If there were
my faith to be placed in circumstan-
tial evidence, this coat and this cap
closely connected with the mys-
terry Of the blue motor car and the sea.
Murder" was the thought in every
DOdy's mind; and the police began to
take an active interest in the strange
business. ChristOpher's account of his
discovery in the Turks mouth, on the
sands nea T~iltOn-On-Sea, was made
he most of In the Daily Recorders
columns, and he was complimented by
he editor. Nevertheless, days passed
without his being able to follow his
irst sensational coup with another.
Public interest was languishing, and
Christopher was growing restless,
when, one evening nearly a fortnight
lfter the finding Of the derelict, he
vas dining at a country inn on the
london side of Rochester. 1t was late
or dinner, but he had not lunched,
ave for a sandwich, and was hungry.
Christopher sat at a small table Op-
the door, and looked up as 1t
but he would not have re-
the newcomer with particular
ty If the newcomer had not appeared
at sight of him.
He was a tall, gOOd-lOoking man of