Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-20

more knowledge of what is going on than
the newspapers themselves They've
been letting out holler that will echo
until the next mayor gets in "
We'll. you'll be able to silence that
echo in an hour, Chief !" Paul smiled.
Where did you leave the boys?'
"Out in the hall, till you tell me the
truth. Have you found him, PaulE
Have you got the man who killed Mrs.
HartshorneY'
You will have him yourself: he's
coming here" responded Paul coolly.
1t was the easiest way TO walk him
into trap, but before he arrives a
woman will be here who can tell you
the whole story better than ! could.
She might have told us long ago if we
hadn't both been blind As Il matter
of fact, sir, you had the key of the
whole affair in your hands before | ever
appeared on the scene of the investiga
ton, at the moment you sent for me ~
How is that?" the chief demanded
suspiciously. IF you mean that little
smear of blood on the inside of the
cloak upstairs-''
Il mean when you told me over the
phone that murder had been COM
mitted and Matilde tainted"
"Matiled !"
Paul nodded. 2
'She took it coolly enough when she
thought her mistress mad killed herself.
but went all to pieces at the word
murder That was because she had
very clear idea as to who was guilty,
providing such a crime had actually been
committed, and the news was an over
whelming shock. l ran into Miss Adarc,
the secretary, the next day, after inter
viewing Mrs. Cowles, and she told me
what Matilde had said to her as they
stood together beside the body of Mrs.
Hartshorne that she would have guard
ed her with her own life from harm,
but as long as Mrs. Hartshorne had
killed herself, she-A1atilde-sa no
occasion for emotion. Do you see the
significance of it, sir? She had no love
for Mrs. Hartshorne Sadie has told us
how in loathing she burned the clothes
her mistress gave her. She hated her
more than anything on earth, yet she
would have protected her from vio-
ltutt Will htE OWn lllp uOI lOT tnD
other woman's sake, put to prevent her
possible murderer from incurring the
consequences of such an act, if she
could"
I'm beginning to see. :" the chief re-
marked. "She knew Mrs. Hartshorne's
life was threatened, and stuck by her
as the surest way of preventing trag-
edy. But the fellow who had it in for
her mistress-if it were a man. as you
say-what was he to Matilde? Why
should she shield him %
because she loved him as much as
she hated Mrs. Hartshorne. Paul
threw open the door. 'I think we had
better have the boys in now. She will
be here at any moment and l want
them out of sight when she comes"
The two plain clothes men were sum
moned and stationed one behind the
drawn curtains which shut off the bed
room and the other in an aIcove near
the door. Paul took a pistol from his
pocket and placed it on the table near
to his hand, concealed behind q little
pile of magazines.
But she hasn't even tried to COM
municate with soul,' expostulated the
chief half -incredulously. I've had her
watched day and night!''
"a fact of which she was very we'll
aware. as you told me yourself" Paul
reminded him. "Matilde is no fool or
she could not have trailed Mrs. Harts-
horne, discovered her plans, gone to the
Belmonde in advance of her and in
terested and cajoled her into offering the
position as maid"
Then it was all a frame up? Ma
tide deliberately took the place"
Made it," Paul interrupted terseIv
'Bribed the last maid to leave so that
she might step into her shoes. And
Matilde is no servant, chief; her whole
story is a tissue OF nes. She was
better born than her mistress and never
even saw France"
"Well, what the-!" Chief Burke
began explosively, but Paul held up a
warning hand.
Look out She is coming"
He went to the door, and flinging il
open, once more he called:
'Is that you, Matilde? It is dark on
the stairs; can you see your way?"
CONTINUED TOMORROW