The Jasper news., 1920-09-23
The House
Of Whispers.
b
WILLIAM
JOHNSTON
0Opyrish. By Il.alo. BrOv. AoN
CHAPTER vlll-contInusd.
mastRn1ena ~
IRWIN MYERS

il
81 guess So" said Wick. that's
where his room IL. He's only been
here In the Granddeck a few days. ]
don't know much about him."
"And that's all you know about itr'
said the detective, turning to me again.
I hesltated. Should l or should ]
not tell them of the wall safe that
had seen Mr. Wick closing7 There was
no way could prove It. Undoubtedly
Wick would deny having done so. 1t
would be his word against mine. AS
superintendent his word would un-
dOubtedly carry. / decided 1t would
be best to withhold my Information to
a more propltious time.
THAT'S all know, except what MIR.
Wick has told you" said.
"Very WELL" said the detective In
charge. you can go now, and you.
too, Doctor"
Mr.. Wick was escortlng the doctor
to the door. The detectives had with
drawn to the room where the body lay
and were holding a whispered confer
, ence. stepped quickly to the wall
safe, and making sure that was un-
observed, tested the knob. 1t was Sc
cureIy fastened. congratulated my
self on having said nothing about It.
Wick, felt certain, would deny hav-
ing shut 1t, and there was no proof
that 1t had been opened when we had
entered.
As l returned to my own apartment
upstairs. nearing the top Of the short
flight of steps between the floors i
was astounded to see a female figure
dltting across the hall and entering
the Bradford apartment. Though had
opportunity for only brief glimpse,
! recognized her at once. 1t was Claire
Bradford
~ The door of my apartment was
standing wide open. 1 remembered that
as I had run downstairs a few mo-
ments ago. had neglected to close
It after me. From the direction In
which she had come. It was plain that
Claire Bradford had been paying an
other surreptltious visit to my quar-
ters. What could have been her pur-
posef There must have been some
strong impelllng motive to make her
dare the perilous journey along the
window ledge, and now. at the i'm
mInent risk OF discovery, to pay me
a second visit. l began seriously to
doubt whether the explanation she
had offered me was the true one. was
beginning to feel that there was more
than a possibility that she was again
ia the clutches of the INSCRIPTIONS
rascal who had once been her hus-
band.
, Greatly puzzled, 1 made hasty sur
vey Of the apartment. but could find
nothing that appeared to have been
disturbed. Going back to my own room
hastened to place a handkerchief out
OF my window as signal to Barbara,
for knew she would be anxious to
know the meaning Of the sounds we
had heard below. In a very few mo-
ments heard the tap of her riding
crop on my sill and hurried to answer.
"What was it7" she asked In an
excited whisper.
"Daisy Lutan. an actress, who lived
on the floor below, has been murdered
shot"
"Who did itf"
81 don't know. Mr.. Wick and 1 went
into the apartment together. There was
no one there"
"How terrible I" she exclaimed.
ut is, indeed" answered, ''but II
may help u.s."
"What do you meanr
"With the police In the house max
ing investigations, there'll be no more
threats from the blackmailers for a
while. They won't dare bother you
foe the present"
'Do you really think soi" she ques.
toned with little sigh of relief.
TIN sure OF It."
"Have the police been called inf'
''Yes; two detectives are downstairs
now"
I'm glad" she said. with the de
tectIves here, they won't dare moles
us, will theyr
"Of- course not" answered. I'll
your sister at homer"
"Yes." she answered. "Our guest
have Just gone. Mother has retired
and Claire is in the living room writ
ing a note. They heard nothing, 30
did not tell them anything about IT,
@That was wise. They'll hear It sool
enough. Has your sister been in IN,
apartmsAt all eVening9"
sGha hasn't been out all dax unIeM