Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-29

" mite TO Play and Mate in -Four
Moves
message coded in the innocent dis.
guise of chess problems
What did you do them" demanded
Burnham.
CONTINUED to play the game" an
swered Maynard. But before Won
Eltz returned l insured his sleeping
soundly that night by pouring small
amount of diluted hyoscine, which I
carry with me for insomnia, in one of
the liquor glasses containing cherry
cordial which Won Eltz had brought
upstairs earlier in the evening"
quite sure it was not hydrocyanic
acid?" asked Hayden, and both tone
and manner were as insulting as he
could make them.
Quite" answered Maynard. MY
idea was to insure Won EltZ sleeping
soundly while I ransacked the house
in search Of other evidence Of Ger
man espionage and intrigue"
Just a moment" Chief Connor
broke in. Did Won Eltz bring up only
two glasses of cordial?"
"Only two glasses, but a decanter
of the cordial" responded Maynard.
Gle slipped his at intervals, possibly
as a bracer. but I drank sparingly.
Frankly, my mind was so engaged
with the problem Of securing the chess
diagrams without his suspecting 1t,
that I paid little attention to what he
did l do remember, however, that
previous to a vivid fash Of lightning,
followed by terrific thunder, which put
out our lights temporarily, Won Eltz
had refiled both glasses, and at his
urging l tossed off mine just before
| went TO bed"
well, what them" demanded Hay
den. The strain was telling on him
and he sought to hurry Maynard's
leisurely speech.
Then, contrary to my expectations
I slept heavily all night" answered
Maynard, unruffied by his questioner's
manner. "On rising I went into the
sitting room, Won Eltz having insisted
that I should occupy his bed and he
take the sofa there. and I found him
lying on the floor dead"
Coroner Penfield broke the silence
that followed. when did you make
this discovery"
About eight in the morning"
Good gracious! Were you hiding
in the house when l arrived at II
o'clock?" gasped Evelyn.
mo. ! was stunned by my dis
covery, but half awake, and my first
thought was that I had inadvertently
given Won Eltz an overdose Of hyoscine
and killed him." explained Maynard
I'm my confused state of mind, ]
dressed Immediately and left the house
taking my suitcase, which I hat
brought with me, as we'll as the six
chess problem diagrams: first, how
ever, l searched Won EltZ's body anG
found nothing-Eot even a pocke
handkerchief. I overlooked the strinf
which you discovered later, Penfield.
And which I promptly lost" ant
the Coroner made wry face.
II took 1t unseen from your pocke
when coming out of my faint" vol
unteered Mrs. Ward from the back
ground. II was in mortal terror San
was mixed up in the mans death ant
so I also stole the ball Of cord out O.
Mr.. Burnham's, library; I knew h,
used it to send his parcels abroad. anc
| gave the cord to Sam. He told me
Miss Evelyn, that he accidental,
handed you piece from the ball wher
helping you gather up your bundles.
so that was it," and Evelyn sighed
with relief; the tangled skein wal
, rapidly unwinding and brighter hours
seemed ahead with the clearing of tn,
mystery. Where did you go afte
. leaving here, Mr.. Maynard?" \
; ITO the home Of an old dresser o
mine who is still employed in loca
theater," replied Maynard He tool
} me in without requiring explanations
$ and after bath and something t
eat | was again in condition to reaso
; things out. / concluded to retur
: here that afternoon, await develor
| ments, and If possible find out
l Burnham was in any way aiding tn