Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-06-04
By
WILLIAM
JOHNSTON
oOpyrighs By Little. Brown 90.
CHAPTER VIIl--continued.
Illustrations BY
IRWIN MYERS

uOl ltil tlelL Ol lne wall sure lHut
had seen Mr. Wick closing? There was
no way l could prove it. CDdouhtedly
Wick would deny having done so. 1t
would be his word against mine. AS
superintendent his word would un-
doubtedly carry. i decided 1t would
be best to withhold my information to
more propitious time.
That's all 1 know, except what Mr..
Wick has told you." said.
! "very WE'LL" said the detective in
charge. "You can go now, and you,
too. Doctor"
Mr. Wick was escorting the doctor
to the door. The detectives had with
drawn to the room where the body lay
and we're holding a whispered confer
Rnce. stepped quickly to the wall
safe, and making sure that was I'M
observed, tested the knob. 1t was Sc
curely fastened. congratulated N.Y.
self on having said nothing about II.
Wick. felt certain, would deny hav-
ing shut It. and there was no proof
that II had been opened when we had
entered
NN 4 itluIHtN W NY ONh dRoANihNA
upstairs, nearing the top Of the short
flight of steps between the floors
was astounded TO see a female figure
fiitting across the hall and entering
the Bradford apartment. Though I had
opportunity for only brief glimpse.
I recognized her at once. II was Claire
Bradford. A
e VfvY ant Nroc q
standing wide open. remembered that
as had run downstairs a few mo-
ments ago, / had neglected to close
II after me- From the direction in
which she had come, It was plain that
Claire Bradford had been paying an
other surreptitious visit to my quar-
ters. What could have been her pur-
poser There must have been some
strong impelling 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. began seriously to
doubt whether the explanation she
had offered me was the true one. was
beginning to feel that there was more
than n possibility that she was again
In the clutches of the unscrupulous
rascal who had once been her hus-
band.
Greatly puzzled, 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 a 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 it?' she asked in an
excited whisper.
"Daisy Lutan, an actress, who lived
on the floor below, has been murdered
shot"
"Who did itT
'T don't know. Mr.. Wick and I went
into the apartment together. There wa:
no one there"
"How terrible ~ she exclaimed.
''It is, indeed" answered, "but II
may help u.s."
"What do you meanw
with the police in the house max
ing investigations, thereIl be no more
threats from the blackmailers for G
while. They won't dare bother yor
for the present"
"Do you really think so?" she cues
toned with little sigh Of relief.
"I'm sure Of It."
"Have the police been called in?"
YES; two detectives are downstair
now"
''Im glad" she said. with the de
tectives here, they won't dare moles
us. will they?"
"Of course not" 1 answered. "I
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, so
did not tell them anything about it.
THAT was wise. They'll hear it 500
enough. Has your sister been in tn
apartment all evening?"
"She hasn't been out all day unles
'she went out just to drop the lette
she was writing down the mail chut
In the hail. Why do you askT'
''I was merely wondering IL ther
was any way she could learn of. tn
murder"
How could shef Isn't that too tel
rible about Miss Lutan? But I mustn
talk any longer. Good night"
"VVait a moment," / cried. "Ther
are some things I must discuss wit
you before meet German. How abor
meeting me Mt the Astor at eleven
"T can't promise, but I'll try. Goo
nlghtr
There wns nothing further that
could do, and I felt sadly in need {
rest. Throwing Off my coat and wais
coat I began making preparations fo
bed. The notion took me to once NOR
Investigate the secret passageway.
pushed sharply on the panel as I ha
done before, but this time I could M
bulge it. I tugged and worked an
pounded. but IT stuck fast in spite
oil my efforts. AS / was struggling
force II open, there came a sharp rir
ut the bell of the apartment. AS
was, in my shirt sleeves, l answere
it. The two detectives 1 had see
downstairs stood there.
"What Is it?" / asked.
III arrest you for the murder of Da
sy Lutan." said one of them, and viii
that they sprang forward and pinione
my arms.
"Why. this is absurd" 1 laughed
their faces, conscious of my utter Il
nocence of the crime. II had nothir
to do with It,"
"That remains to be seen. Put {
four coat and come along"
Still holding me fast, they wei
back with me to my bedroom. Clutc
Ing me tight they made me put {
ny coat and no sooner had 1 dor