The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-12-24
Chapter VII.

Synopsis
 Two deaths in the home of Richard Iorre, u.3tr mystifying c;rcunl- stances, brings Barry OdelI, a de- tective, into the case at the suggestion cf Samuel Titteredge. Ode1l learns Of the circumstances surrounding Mrs. LOrne's death and that of her son, Julian Chalmers, He questions Eugene Chalmers. another son, in the fHtter's room, and learns that he and Julian frequently quarreled bitterly.
 'T came to ask you if you would : help MT. Titheredge and myself car ry your father to his room." His eyes came casually back to the young hurry. however. I believe this room was occupied by your late brother I should like to zee just where his death took place Can you show cated the front room by a gesture. Gene hesitated- 'Eoth doors are locked and my fsfhor has the keys" he said at of sulIen defiance in his changed ! tonc, as though he anticipated the < hAxt question.
 T, ", ~will ,,ssna you , go and ask him for "But-but no one has entered that room since the funeral Gene stanl- 7 fncred. "T don't think father would z Ike 1t, sergeant; and nothing in u1ef6 COuiQ nave any pOSsaDle pear Ing on your investigation"
 MT Chalmers, may remind you that that Is not for you to decide7 7 VIII you get those keys at oncei" Tho last sentence was not a query. but a command. and each word in creased in emphatic dominance. Gene gave one fleeting, desperate glance toward his desk, in the lock of which the key still remained. and fled downstairs
 ! Unless the young man had tempo | rarfly lost his head and burned his papers without discrimination as [ they came to his hand, those already destroyed must have been the most 1 his turn, odeH went quickly to tn 2 ] grate and pocketed every unburncd I scrap that remained
 Then he moved as swiftly to the ! desi< and opened it: A disordered heap of letters met his eye, most of ( them evidently bifle, from tiie trades kmen's names in the upper right-hand corner. Odell had seized 2 handful i at random and was about to shut the ]. desk when he noticed that the small center drawer was not quite closed. Pulling 1t open hastily, he discovered { a small notebook and a few letters In an odd but unmistakab1y mascu- line hand
 i, He cleared the drawer at one sweep. closed the desk, and. drop ping his findings from 1t into the coat
 
 the other two or three fragments of the paper which he had saivaged from the grate.
 One of them bore in a tempera- mental, feminine hand only three let ters of a word. but they were illumi- hating: "Iov." OdeM smiled as he replaced 1t in his pocket; but his expression changed when he glanced them was all in a bold. dashing masculine hand, and two of the scraps fitted together read. whole family in hell before"
 drew from his left coat pocket ono of tho letters which he had takcr from the center drawer in the desk It was in the same strongly accen- tuate writing, and read without pre- amble:
 Where do you think you get off Gene? You are in too deep to back out now, as I meant you should be Your mothers went through withou a hitch and the next one will if yo, only. keep your nerve It's got tt be done by the 9th or you know where the first one will send you.
 FARLEY DREW"
 Barry Odell Folded the letter slow fly and replaced it in it's envelope Today was the 14th and Julian Chal mers had come to his death jus eight days before-on the 6thi f. OdeH put the letter back into hi pocket and striding across the room unlocked the door and flung it wide He was only just in time; for h could hear hurried footsteps bound Ing up the stairs, and in anothe moment Genes head appeared abov the landing.
 Its owner peered suspiciousIy frs toward his desk and then at tn sgrate; but nothing seemed amiss an the police sergeant was standing be fore him with his hand outstretche authoritative1y.
 q Silently Gene surrendered tn keys.
 q Thanks" The detective made n
 move toward the other room. "M
 Chalmers, how long have you know Farley Drew?"
 The question came so abruptly tlle
 Gene shot the inquirer a startlc
 glance, which then strayed ono
 more uncontrollably to the dcsl