The Washington herald., 1919-02-07

one know
Delaney turned 70 his chief He
drew in his legs. There's a ques-
ton I'd like to ask" he said.
What is it7"
THAT magpie7''
Drew eyed Loris. TITS her bird
now" he said. "she may not want
il dragged back here again. I
shouldn't think she would"
Il dcn't!" exclaimed Loris. Il wish
that you would explain how you fol,
lowed the clew. though. II talks 81
seldom, and then when II does talk
+ It says such nonsense it's a perfec.a
I enigma"
THAT bird" said Drew. was the
fine turning point OF the case. Be
/ fore il was brought into the ofice,
downtown. ] had no clcw to start
from. There was no indication 10
show from whence the blow had
: fallen. Your father was slain for a
motive. He was talking 10 Morphy
when he died. Cuthbert had connect
ed the two men"
| Through the two booths:" asked
Loris
Yes. Through the booths at Grand
Central Their conversation was prob
ably a brief one. Morphy UndoUbt-
edly Gloated a minute or two. then
told Mr. Stockbridge that his time
had come on this earth. Naturally
Mr.. Stockbridge asked who was talk
ing. Morphy answered by stating
who he was. and also that he was
at Sing Sing. Mr. Stockbridge rs-
pcatcd this statement aloud lie
probably said. What Sing Sing orl
An, Ossining" or words 70 that
effect. The bird heard it and rel
membered il"
How strange" exclaimed NicholsAI
Not at all" said Drew. leaning
3 forward. 1t was just like a mag
pie TO pick out the one salient psr
of a conversation and repeat It. Tn.
couplet Sing Sing was one d had
: never heard II is 50 striking 10
even a bird. II probably came with
such emphasis, there WAS no forget
ting it,
The group facing the detective was
silent for a long minute. Delaney
moved uneasily as Nichols toved with
his cup. LoTis breathed IN suppressed
wonder ~ the tiny clcw which had
overthrown the best laid plans on tho
part OF Morphy and his confederate.
. il was like an echo OF q dead voice
coming back 10 confront a murderer.
She shivered a. she widcned her eyes
o. and stared at Drew.
There's another question" she
said. How did the troubIe-man ret
into this house in the first place, Mr..
Drew"
Il was responsible. lie forced ny
hand"
How
BY a clever subtcrfuEo fo dis
connected the library telephone wires
at the junction box in tho alley. lie
knew that sooner or later Mr.. stock
bridge would try 10 use the phone.
lie couldn't got q connection. ur n
couldn't II was the time ] tried to
phone and then notified G-amerry
HiU exchange through anoJH.r 'uhUuc.
He WAS listening Iu and consequent
ly caught tho Eist or my orders 10
Harrlgdn. lie hurried To Gramency
Hin oNehauE" and there met Frisby.
another irouble-man. starting out 10
rnN estiCsIe my complaint lie took
EusbN's place. hurried over and
cIo~"d tho HDrary connection and then
cam" into tho hoU~o. stating that We,
had sent for him"
"Cl"NCr." said Nichols That vas
clever. wasn't IT." -
"Rcwarkably 30" exclaimed Drew
III was case OF making the de-
p. iectIvC on tho TrumIso- act as 81 tool.
II was like "A safcbl0wcr asking a
night Waterman TO move d safe out
on a truck ! never suspected that
fellow At all. hardly looked At
him when he was testing the con-
Ucction in the library. I even heard
him .rattlinC a pair or pliers over tho
binding posts on tho receiver. That
and put on the loaded pistol. n W 4s
done very quickly.
The detective paused and glanced
at his watch. We must go" 10
said. staring at Lo-rs with soft IN
terest I'm afraid were keeping yoI
from your sleep"
No. 7 want 10 ask you another
question" she said eagerly. I'm still
iu doubt about the slot booths az
Grand Central. Why were they
used p"
As throw-off, That is what the
English would call ShuutiuE Eiog-
p tricians use the same word Il means
. diverting a current or "a connection.
Cuthbert did this SO that his tran
would be harder To check up. he
! thought Of almost cNery'hin=."
He missed his vocation" inter
p fANHN ~ l1aI1A~r
And misuscd his talents" added
, Loris. Think OF being clever enough
10 do all Of those things, and sJooD
10 murder lie paid ten times over.
sFc must hav" been under that mail
Norphy'S power. 80 many men were.
! heard father say that when Norphy
WAS arrr-Jrd. lie said Morphv was
the most dangerous man IN tho world.
. Tual Do, wuald cause trouble sooner
or later"
UI'w rose and nodded 'IIo did
that" he exclaimed with conviction.
He came very close 10 getting away
with it, But FOR the maCpic and
the fact that he 'phoned from tho
prison at tho same time your fathcr
was murdered. there would have been
no clew. Cuthbert would have en-
tered this house after YOU were slain.
and removed the receiver. That
would have thrown the case into one
OF the uusolycd mysteries. Electricity
is a dangerous tool in the hands OF
clever crooks"
1t leaves no trace said Delaney.
rising and standinC by his chief 1t,
isn't made out OF anything except
little shakes in the wire or some
thing like that"
/ Drew smiled good natuncdIy. "TIsI
n mystery 10 most people" he said.S
turning toward the windows aud
/ listening. It's a bigger mystcrl toI
q woman than TO a man" he added 4
( ITS a good agent if properly used
and kept within bounds II brings
! hack life as we'll uS 1al-es T II