Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-02

bnripO knoEn me dcdo man hhWoeT
of wrgrs back, aud TO MS pisit the
oioit before. Aylmore' danghfef,
.Jrssie, is engaged TO marry Breton,
,,bo is the adopted son OF Ar.
Eiphick, also an attorney. Rahonr9,
nj Scotland Yard, is 'oorkh9 on me
casc rith Spnrgo. -,
Sporoo receives a risii from 4. y!
Aycrsf. secretary TO SAFE deposit
rompauy, ,cho tells him thdf MdrbnrV
had rented q safe from h'm ond do-
oosited small leather 1oF fhcrcn.
,cmnrkipg al the time. "That boz is
safe now. Bat It's been sWer' is
hIru hurled aud dccp DOZEN. too---f0r
."a"u ms" onJ many a year. did you
ost him chdt he meant. asked
Snoroo. "Oh, no. mol at all, re.
.i;cs Nvcrst. "7hcn you missed one
nf the finest opportunities erer
lizard Of said Spargo.
land HERE 1T CONTINUES)
uEPAUSED. as il it were not worth
III while to continue, and turned to
Rathbury. who was regarding him with
Look here, Rathbury," he said.
as it possible to get that box opened?'
"It'll have to be opened.'' answered
Rathbury. rising. ITS got to be open
cd, It probably contains the clue we
want. I'm going to ask Mr.. Myerst
here to 60 with me just now to take
the first steps about having it opcned.
! IS shall have to get an order. We may
get the matter through today. but at
auy rate we'll have it done tomorrow
morning"
Can you arrange for me to be nrescnt
when that comes off," asked Spargo
"You can-certain? That's all right
Rathbury. Now I'm off, and YOU
ring me up or come round il YOU hear
ANYTHING. and III do the same by you.'
And without further word. Spargo
went quickly away, and just as quickly
returned to the Watchman office. There
the assistant. who Ind been told off to
wait upon his orders during this new
crusade. met him with a business card.
''This gentleman came in to see you
about an hon ago, Mr.. Spargo," he
sail. ole thinks he can tell YOU some e
thing about the Marbury affair. and ho
said that as he couldn't wait. perlaDs
you'd step round to his place when you
came in.''
Spargo took the card and read;
Mr.. James Criedir.
Dealer in Phllatelic Rorltics.
2,021, Strand.
Spargo put the card in his wastcoat
pocket and went out again. wondering
why NJ. James Criedir could not.
would not. or did not call himself q
dealer in rare postage stamps. and so
use plain English. He won't up Fleet
street and soon foLrd thesShop indicated
on the card, and his first glance at its
exterior showed that whatever business
might have been done by Mr.. Criedir in
the past at that establishment there was
to be none done there in the future by
him, for there was newly printed Bills
in the window announcing that the place
was TO let And inside he found short,
port!y, elderly man who was super
intended the hacking up and removal
Of the last Of his stock
tie tnrncd bright, inquiring eye on
the journalist.
'Mr. Cricdr?" said Spargo.
The sane. sir, answered the phila
teIist. "You are---"'
y Mr., Spargo. Of the Watohman.
lou called on me-"
Mr.. Criedir opened the door of tiny
apartment at the rear of the very little
Saaop and motioned his caller to enter.
ne followed him in and carefully closed
NHt uOOT.
Glad to see YOU, Mr., Spargo," he
eSId genially. Take a seat, sir-I'm
all IN confusion here--giving up bust
ness; you see. Yes. | called on you. I
I ,hlnk, having read the Watchman ac-
I count of that Marbury affair. and hav-
ing seen the murdered mans photo
graph IN your columns. that l can give
you bit of information"
Matcrlal:' asked Spargo, tersely.
Mr., Criedir cooked one of his bright
eyes at his visitor. He coughed dryly.
mat for You to decide-when
you We heard it." he said. ST should
Say. considering everything that it was
material, Well, it's this-I kept open
untli Eesterday-everything as usual.
you Nnow-stock in the window and so
,IS UuLS mat anybody who was passing
NM"GIu naturally have thought that the
to business was going on, though as mat
49, St iart. m retiring-retired, >"
"GGta "isEt NJ Criedir with laugh. last
night Now--but won't You take down
Wnat I've got 10 tell you?''
s.l am taking it down" answered
epMSrSo, Every word. In my head"
hands. anu ruooeu ms
oh " he said. "Ah, we'll. in my
soung days journalists used to pull out
pencil and notebook at the first on,
pmUs.unlty; msnyy But you modern young
,Dto,m.t Sust So agreed spargo. This
ihi9ornmation, now?''
% wei, said Mr.. Ciedir. "wem
mo. M on thcn. Yesterday afternoon the
sSon 1T uesGrlhed IIa as Marbury came into my
sDarwSdS What time-exsct timc?" asked
n. Iwo--to the very minute bv ST
CC,sment Danes clock" answered Mr.
Criedir I'D swear twenty ",,F" AHA on;t: Mt.
yor, mat point. He was precisely as
i tbinnN We described him--dress. every.
Soon tell You I knew his photo as
little ~ bol i saw it. He was carrying a
nSt n. sort of box?" said Spargo.
l.atbor qIeer' old fashioned, much worn
in fact ), ,9oSIa "a very miniature trunk.
a fcn, replied Mr.. Criedir. about
Il never square the sort of thing you
worn 've nowadays. 1t was very much
reason N attracted me for that very
4 looked a. ne SET It on the counter and
htamps-4rm me. You're dealer in
replisd ere -, stampsT he said. Il am,
70 show va, ye something here I'd like
boz. Tt'ssou, ne said, unlocking the
did Sv0p he t1Lo q BIT" said spargo, "where
w nInalocked the box p, '"' WIN "nicn
rled on as one OF several which he car.
II buncS split ring, and he tooL a.
pocEs. n out Of his left hand 'UoS trnnsone tne
Keen ~, replied Mr.. Criedir. "Hse "0h 7
WeiL eyes open. young gentleman !
Ut sos s opened his box. ''e"
sned to me to be full of papers