Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-10
THE HEMIDDLE7EMPLEMURDE
A Detective Story by J. S. Fletcher

dice. All I'm going to do is to tell
in my way, what took place at the in
quest"
The girl impulsively put her hand
across the table and laid 1t on Spargo's
big fist.
rs it what you think?' she asked
In low voice.
Honor bright, mol" exclaimed
Spargo. "It isn't-it isn't! l don't
think it. / think there's most ex .
traordinary mystery at the bottom Of
Marbury's death, and think your
father knows an enormous dot about
Marbury that he won't tell, but I'm
certain sure that he neither killed Mar
bury nor knows anything whatever
about his death And as I'm out to
clear this mystery up, and mean to do
it, nothing'll make me more glad than
to clear your father. | say, do have
some more tea cakeY Wen have fresh
ones-and fresh tea.
mo, thank you she said smiling
And thank you for what you've just
said. I'm going now, Mr.. Spargo.
You've done inc good
ooh, rot - exclaimed Spargo.
"c;othing 1--WE just told
you what I'm thinking. You must
He saw her into taxicab presently,
and when she had gone stood vacaptly
staring after the cab until a hand clap
ped him smartly on the shoulder. Turn
ing, he found Rathbury grinning at
him.
"All right, Mr.. Spargo, saw you -
he said. "Well, it's pleasant change
to squire young yadies after being all
day in that court. Look here, are you
going to start your writing just now
'I'm not going to start my writing,
as you call itt until after I've dined at
z o'clock and given myself time to di-
gest my modest dinner answered
Spargo "What is it?''
"Come back with me and have an
other look at that blessed leather box,
said Rathbury. I've got 1t in my room
and I'd like to examine it for myself.
Come on !"
"The things empty said Spnrgo.
"rhere might be n false bottom in
it, remarked Rathbury. One never
knows. Here, jump into this -
He pushed Spargo into a passing
taxicab and, following, bade the driver
go straight TO the Yard; Arrived there
he locked Spargo and himself into the
drab- visaged room in which the jour
nalist had seen him before.
"What Eye think of today's doings,
Spargo?" he asked, as he proceeded to
unlock a cupboard.
~ think" said Spargo, that some
of you fellows must have mad your ears
set to tingling.' ,,o.
'That's So" assented Rathbury. "Of
course. the next thing'll he to lind out
all about the Mr.. Anymore of twenty
years since. When q man won't tel
YOU where he lived twenty years ago,
what he was exactly doing, what his
precise relationship with another man
was-why. then, you We just got to ma
out, ch? Oh. some of our fellows are
at work on the life history of stephen
Aylmore. Esq, NJ. F., already-you
bet! Well, now, Spargo, here's the fa-
nous box"
The detective brought the old leather
case out of the cupboard in which nc
had been searching. and placed 1t on
his desk. Spargo threw back the lld
and looked inside, measuring the inner
canacity AGAINST the exterior lines.
"No false bottom in that, Rath-
bury" he said. ''There's just the outer
leather case. and the inner lining, OF
this old bed hanging stuff, and that
all. There's no room for any false bot
tom or anything of that sort, dyou
seeT' -.
l(atnDury also siZcu up 'ii' wa -
capacity. ,.;,+
adIy. "Wel. what about the lid then!
| remember there was an old box IKE
this in my grandmother farmhouse,
where I was reared-there was pocket
in the lid. Let's see if there's anything
of the sort here.
He threw the lid back aud began
to poke about the lining of it with the
tips of his fingers, and presently he
turned to his companion with sharp
exclamation.
'By George, Spargo." he said. II
don't know about any pocket: but
there's something under this lining.
Feels like-here, you feel. There
and there"
Spargo put finger on the places in
dicated.
"Yes, that's So" he agreed. Feels
like two cards-a large and small one.
And the small ones harder than the
other. Better cut that lining out, Rath-
bury. ~
ducing penknife. lis just what I'm
going to do. Well cut along this
seam.' :.
along the upper part of the lining OF
the lid, and looking into the pocket
thus made, drew out two objects which
he dropped ON his blotting pad.
"a child's photograph" he said,
glancing at one of them. but what ON
earth is that!'
CONTINUED TOMORROW