The Washington herald., 1919-01-19

II ever DCIOTc was illdQC IN Am
before he sent it on to Maybclle,
Well. what do you gentlemen want
at this hour OF the morning.
Drew squared his shoulders and
pressed Delaney back foot or more.
Harry Nichols" he asked brusque-
Iy.
Yes. I'm Harry Nichols
Miss StockbTidGe's friend
The gray eyes widencd perceptibly.
The lids dropped in heavy calcula-
ton. Who are you the young man
asked pointblankly. Il don't believe
| ever had the pleasure of meeting
either OF you gentlemen" Nichois
glanced into Delaney's leaning face
which was Just over his chiefs
shoulder.
NO. you haven't" said Drew soft
ening his tone. We've never met. but
we may see considerable OF each
other. Here's my card"
Nichols took the card. tilted II 10
tho light from the open door. then
dropped it into the riEht-hand SIDE
pocket Of his lOunging robe beneath
which blue pajamas showed.
Come in" he said without com
mitting himself Come in. and take
of your hats. I've only two rooms
and bath. here
Drew stepped upon heavy rugs and
crossed the chamber 10 chair. tie
TUNED this, removed his hat. and sat
down with his legs thrust outward
HIS eyes roamed the place in slow
,.s1rt111ffnF Nn ~ Cl Nl-Hirh
were probably good in Jhcr dsy.
stared down at him. A little globe,
PetticoatCd in soft silk. gave a yellow
light to the walls and floor II
brought out Nichols features in
sharp. aCtinic shadows. Drew con-
tinued his searching glance. A bed
with tossed coVeTiet and sheets
loomed from an inner room. ts-
bic. upon which was an officers tp
and gloves. stood between Two doors
that were closed. One OF these
doors. Drew concluded. was the bath
room entrance. the other might have
been closet. His eyes fastened
finally upon telephone upon = dark
wood stand. He lifted his chin
Montgomery Stockbridge Is dead, %"
he snapped. darting al Harry Nichols
the Keen scrutiny of a man salvoing
a surprise.
Nichols glanced at the phone L
know that" he said with rising c7lor
I'm aware of that fact Mr. Drew. "
When did you first learn OF it,
See here, have your card.
know who you are. ! was almost eX-
pecting you. or another detective.
BTt."-NiChols' voice raised TO a de-
termned key-"bUt. sir. am nc
talking to anybody about what YOU
just told me. How do | know who
you represent-the police OF tie law
or tho
You have talked with Miss Stock
bridge. She told you in the drug store
that I was in the house. She has told
that I was called in by her father.
She undoubtedly 'phouhd YOU. after
she recovered from her faint You
haV" the "details Of the daStardIy
murder-if ever there was one,
represent her. I represent her fIiends.
l have no other interest in this case
Harry Nichols drew out the carl
and studied it. He glanced at De-
laney. who is this man." he asked.
My right bower. He's with me
and you and Miss Loris. Were to-
gether in this. The police now have
the case. What | want is TO protect
you and her from the police What
will they do when they learn from
the servants-which they wiIl-that
Miss Stockbridge had this gun in her
hand when she entered the library"
Drew extended his palm. In the
hollow OF it lay the little ivory
handled revolver which he had taken
from Loris.
What are they going to do when
they learn about this" he asked with
shrewd reasoning. Particularly, Mr.
Nichols when the caliber of this
revolver is probably the same calibe~
Of the bullet which entered, and is
still in. Mr. Stockbridge's BRAIN
The gray eyes narrowed. The lips
compressed until they were white
They seemed drawn with pain. A
faint hiss of surprise sounded in the
room. Harry Nichols turned and
strode TO an ornate man clip zee upon
which was single cabinet photo
He lifted it irnpulsively. He stared at
the picture of Loris Stockbr'dge as IL
in it lay inspiration and resolve. He
~"+ the ~"nto down and wheeled upon
Drew His eyes blazed
If you have no connection in this
clearly and from his heart, why arr
you trying to trap me or her? Are
oil detectives alike? Would they
rather see a man in Jail than free?'
Drew closed his fingers over the
little revolver. He glanced upward
at Delaney's towering bulk which wa -
near the doorway lead ng to the outer
hall. This door was the orlv way
out of the apartment. The .tectiv,
gave no signal to the orerative. His
fingers uncoiled and revealed a thumb
pressing upon the s'lver-plated barrel
from which the leaden noses of six
bullets showed as he turned II.
'You are wrong" he said with sim
pie naivete You wrong me in this
matter. The affair at StockbTidge's
will sooner or later bring you in con-
tact with the police departments de-
tective bureau. Fose X, the district