The Jasper news., 1920-10-07


THAT'S so,' l cried. ut struck me
that there was something funny about
the way Wick talked, but l couldn't
have told Just what It was"
"Wlck's crook, all right, but. l
think he comes from somewhere up.
state or maybe out West, but he
hasn't intelligence enough to be any
thing more than a runner for the
gang"
"Well, what's your theoryi" asked.
"If Wick didn't murder Miss Lutan,
who dld7"
II don't know yet. Wick amt big
enough. Big Jobs take big men to
plan them. This whole thing Is
big affair, carefully planned out. II
takes more brains than Wick ever
dreamed Of having to plant anony-
nous notes and terrify people nearly
out Of their senses with mysterious
whispers and then to steal the Brad
ford papers and the CASTOR pearls and
then when things get hot to have you
already framed as the goat to blame
things on"
"Then you think my discharge from
the office was part of the plot7"
"Sure It was. You butted In on
their blackmail plans, and they want
ed to get square with you, and young
fellow out Of work and discharged in
disgrace is always an easy mark for
suspicion"
"And was 1t part of the plot to
blame Miss Lutan's murder on meT'
~ don't think so. The Lutan muir
der was an accident. Even the big
gest crooks seldom deliberately plan
murder. They're all afraid Of the
chair. She came In and surprised
some one Of the gang In the apart
ment. He had to shoot her to make
his getaway. It was quick thinking
on somebody's part after the murder
to plant that gun In your rooms. Tint
sort Of scheming takes brains, and
Wick hasn't got them"
"Who was 1t, thenf
"We've got to find," said German,
speaking slowly and with emphasis.
''the big crook that is back Of all this
the master-mInd."
"The master-mlnd," echoed.
"Yes," he said, there's a big crook
ed brain somewhere that has been d.
recting the whole plot, and planning
the actions Of Wick and Of the tele-
phone girl. and maybe Of Claire Brad
ford, too"
Il wonder IL 1t could be her ex-hus-
band. She told me. though, a few
moments ago, that she had not heard
of him for years, and she seemed to
me to be telling the truth"
Il don't think it was him." said
German. sHe was only n. chauffeur.
II he's in II at all. he's only one Of the
gang. He's not the master-mlnd."
Il hope we can keep the Bradfords
out of 1t altogether" said. "Yoc
see, German"
Il understand" he interrupted. -
know how the land lies. You need
not worry about that. II Claire Brad
ford had any part In the plot, yoJ
can bet she was forced into It ant
driven to do what she did. Have yOl
seen her sister?"
"No, and 1 hope she'll make no et
fort to see me. She mustn't. You'll
see uert WOnL your
Leave It to me-" said the detective
an manage to reach her withou
even her own family knowing any
} thing about 1t. I'll make her under
, stand that IL she tries to see you o
says anything, she'll only be damag
r Ing your case. Don't worry abou
her."
There's one thing. though" l said
that / wish you could do"
r whats thatT"
"Can you find some way Of gettln
to the CASTOR apartment and exploi
ing that secret passage and see wher
q 1t leadsT
!. He turned savagely on me.
q Say, young fellow" he said, "if
a didn't know that you were innocen
), I'd swear that you were a dope fen
- with this tale of a secret passag
You've been reading too many thrill
ers or going to the movies too mucl
They don't have secret passages
A modern apartment houses. You be
! ter keep quiet about that. You can
get anybody to believe you, and you
A only hurt your case"
AZ "But 1 know there's a passagewa
there-along the hall. found Il
A. opening, a panel In my bedroom
There's a place there big enough Il
= q man to walk In. saw It,"
10 He looked at me pityingly, and
ID could see that he did not believe
a. word was saying.