Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-06-18
The House
Of Whispers
By
WILLIAM
JOHNSTON
Illustrations by
IRWIN MYERS
Copyright by Little, Brown & Co.
CHAPTER x-Continued.

CHAPTER x-Continued.
-13-
at looks like you were guilty from
reading the morning papers," he an
swered with a grin. ''But I don't be-
lieve all l read. They've made out
strong case against you, though"
Il didn't do it!" 1 cried passion
ately.
IF you didn't, who Gid?"
1T must have been Mr.. Wick"
There you go, jumping at conclus-
ions. Why not Claire Bradford?"
"Why do you mention her? Do you
suspect her?"
IF she didn't do it, why did she
come down here to see you?"
How did you know she was here"
Il was watching you all the time
you were talking to her."
But how did you know who she
was?"
Il saw the other one this morning.
They look alike"
But how did you know which sister
it WASP"
You didn't seem to get along well
enough in your talk for it to be Bar
bara," he answered with another grin.
1t had not been my intention to re-
veal even to him Claire Bradford's
| second visit to my apartment, but L
| saw how foolish it would be of me to
| attempt to deceive or to withhold any
information from such a shreWd OBJ
server
Without reserve and with the ut
most detail l proceeded to relate ev'
erything that had happened since
had seen him the afternoon before
l told of my discovery of the secret
panel in my room and of the blind
passageway into which it apparently
led, of Barbara's having made the
perilous journey over the window ledge
to inspect my find, of the screams We
had heard, followed by the shot, o.
how Barbara had fled back by the wa.
she came, and 1 had run downstair
and with Wick had discovered th'
body. 1 told him every detail so fa
as could remember it, winding VI
with my catching Claire Bradford leav
ing my apartment, just before my ar
rest and the finding of the revolver.
"You don't think the detective
themselves planted the gun on you?
he asked. "I've heard of them doin!
things like that"
He spoke with such an air of limo
cence that I had to smile. I doubt /
there were many tricks of detective
! that German did not know all about.
! ''They had no opportunity whatever
, Neither of them had been near tn
dresser before. and 1 was watchin
them every moment"
, "Well, who did hide the revolve
: there if they didn't?"
81 don't know"
3 Couldn't Wick have done it?'
e 81 was with him every moment afte
e we discovered the body"
: Maybe it was Claire Bradford?"
I shook my head.
h 81 thought at first it might hav
been she, but I'm convinced since tall
: ing with her that it was not. She
$ either entirely innocent or else th
!. most wonderful actress in the world
g 81 think we can leave her out of it,
ventured German.
"'That leaves only Wick"
e German shook his head positively.
: mo, Wick didn't do it. He's a bs
| one all right, and he has done tim
q but he's only a tool"
;oIr hoe
i "How did you find that out? VIII
have you learned about him?"
e German grinned at my eager que
Y tioning.
y 81 don't know much about him "
) but I'm sure he's an ex-con. Viii
d you were in court this morning."
g explained, 81 went up to the Gran
l. deck to take look at things for N
IS self. Wick showed me through t
l. Lutan apartment, thinking 1 was fro
,r the coroner's Office. I spotted him
1t once. A crook that has done tir
IS is always sure to give himself away
81 "How?" asked.
n "Well," said German judicial
n mems businesses leave their mar
v on them. A clergyman don't have
se be wearing a high vest for you to So
N him, and nobody ever took a danci
is teacher for pugilist. A man that h
looked at as many crooks as l ha
a knows them by instinct, and the
e there's little ways you can tell.
1e I was going up to the apartment wi
e. Wick he just naturally fell into st
u with me, showing he had been used
to marching with other prisoners.
a a. talks, too, without moving his lii
to That's a sure sign. They learn IL
or in prison so they can talk withc
m the guards knowing it,
ee "Thats So" 1 cried. "It struck
v that there was something funny abe
e. the way Wick talked, but I could
of have told just what it was.'
" "Wick's a crook, all right, "but
nd think he comes from somewhere
on state or maybe out West, but
to hasn't intelligence enough to be al
nd thing more than a runner for /
ok gang"
e. "Well, what's your theory?" ask
- ''If Wick didn't murder Miss Lut
er. who did?"
ne 81 don't know yet. Wick amt
at. enough. Big jobs take big men
hn plan them. This whole thing Is