Washington telegraph., 1920-05-14
BY WILLIAM JOHNSTON

that's a start. There's the man who
shldowed you-woud you know him
again IL you saw him?'
shook my head doubtfully.
I'm afraid not" l admitted, "you
SEQ"
Don't bother to explain. You either
would or wouldn't, and that's all we
need to know now. There's old MT.
CASTOR and his wife. It's queer about
their ducking out so suddenly ana
leaving no address, but maybe they're
only scared. Let's see who else is
there-the Bradford servants and the
old mans. the old washerwoman-
and the families who live in the house.
We've got the circle pretty well COW
cred. haven't we?"
More and more l had begun to ap-
preciate how valuable the services OF
an experienced detective would be
likely to be I'm helping to solve the
mystery.
Look here, Gorman," I said, "why
can't you take charge of this case for
usT
"What's in it?" he asked.
My face fell, and my enthusiasm
died sudden death. Once more
was confronted by the specter of my
poverty. OF what use my talking
to a high-priced investigator like Cor
man when all the money / had in the
world was less than two hundred dol
lars, out of which had to live until
found employment. Yet I must serve
Barbara Bradford.
"If you clear up this case" ] an
nounced, "I'll give you every cent I've
got in the world"
He shook his head.
at amt enough. If take this case,
1t won't be for the money that's in 1t.
For that matter ] can get all l want
from old CASTOR for getting his pearls
back. That1l be enough"
"Then you will take the case" l
cried jubilantly.
"On one condition. That you'll prom
Use TO keep everything away from the
police"
"I'll promise that for myself and
Miss Bradford, too. That was the
one reason she advanced against my
telling you about things. She was
afraid you'd call in the police"
"Never fear about that. There's
nothing I'd like better than to put it
over that bunch OF Young reformers
they've got down m Center str1Tr-fHf
hotel work don't suit me. anyhow. I've
been thinking of opening up an office
of my own. The recovery of the Gas
ton pearls would be a nice feather in
my cap to start with"
81 see" l replied, "but you'll need
money for expenses and that sort of
thing, won't you? / have"
Leave that part of it to me-" he
retorted with quizzical smile.
after all the years I was on the po-
lice force l amt exactly broke by a
long shot. All you've got to do is to
keep your eyes open and let me know
all that goes on in the apartment
| house. I'll attend TO the rest. Don't
do anything, though. without consult
ing me first"
"I'll gladly promise that"
Good enough. We'd better arrange
then TO meet here every day at three
sharp. It's as good a place as any,"
an be here"
"And look out you're not trailed.
They may try shadowing you again"
"WhO do you mean by they?
asked eagerly.
"Them that trailed you yesterday"
replied German with a grin. IF you
don't know, | don't know either-yet."
From his manner / was confident
that he already had a shrewd suspi-
cion as to the Identity of some of the
miscreants. The maze in the center
of which he had placed Miss Bradford
and myself meant far more to him,
undoubtedly, than 1t did TO me. More
than likely his vast knowledge Of the
methods Of criminals and his acquaint-
anceship with others like Lefty Moore
had given him clues enough as to
where to look for the plotters. real
lied that 1t would be useless TO ques-
ton him further. He would admit
suspecting no one until he was sure
of their guilt, a quality admired
greatly.
"You can count on me-" repeated.
"I'll be here at three tomorrow"
Yet how foolish 1t was for any of
us to predict what we will he doing or
where we will be twenty-four hours
from now. Seldom do things happen
in the routine Of our lives as we had
anticipated. ! was not there the next
day at the time appointed. BY no pos
sibillty could have been there. how
ever much | might have wished to.
Many things had happened in quick
succession.
How II came about that my promise
TO meet German went unfulfilled can
best be explained by narratins the
events Of the evening after | returned
to the Granddeck. II WIS nearly ege
when | left the detective. ! strolied
eisurely down town and had dinner in
the cafe where on one oCcasion ] had
seen the scar-faced man | fingered
there for long time over my coffee
hoping In vain that he might appear.