Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-20
THE PARADISE MYSTERY
rms Al ARTS THE STORY
BY ]. S. Fletcher
Copyright. 1890. oD Alfred A. knop,. Inc.

IA scene OF mrtgms una ILL.,. mjg 0ni
Merk k.ather' Dick, seventeen. are yards
hsr noctor 1,gt RdnsJord. strange man
Doctor Ronstord, and tetc MIN,
t Stes later is fon%nd % dedd * 81 'ng ,5sor IoU, y
md.r mdrrnsr %. a stomemason. insists that
Ss sdd seen mans hand: Ransf9rd
sss Mary pS,SsSii' p,aT.rai Ho a. Senher ,o ooers
c'pa . ccps,oard for Information. Bryce hnds
es eTa-s sntssg tssggnsjora :" hGd acted az best mon
Of tic marriage o. yois n ysts 5tafs ts eom ana
s1ct;on m Nth Rdnstord and the dead
nm ColishdD, the !dborer oho SAID
he could throto light on the Brake
rs,dsr inner y ferrS naa HsaS SaS a" % old tin @ oo
~" w beside him. Detectives surmtse
n nps,sford Us Is the murderer. on the
ground tsds ne ,,s gre;sGnt'sdi snt SioS 9' oeioys GS
sndaDR ssa DRams,ord ats m ,oos leit alone With Col
H.hns's n.n tn bottle. Despite. police
sHspicions, Mary assures Ranstord OF
bsy confidence IN hin, aud dtstrnst OF
srycs. osns S!mpsSGat p,sSnt S he las done s 9th
sorap Of paper he took from Brddons
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
.,,s1sTAKENr' murmured Mary,
W shaking her head. 'I don't trust
.,r, And--less than ever because Of
,.s,.rday. Would an honest man have
Acne what he did? Let that police in
spector talk freely. as he did, with
n,ople concealed behind curtain? And
he laughed about It! hated myself
for being there--yet could we help it?"
"rm not going to hate myself on
pemberton Bryce's account" said Rams
ford. Let him play hfs game-that ne
has one, I'm certain.
Bryce had gone away to continue his
-ame--or another line Of IT, The Colli-
law matter had not made him forget
m. Richard Jenkins tomb, and now.
after leaving Ransford's house, he
crossed the Close to Paradise with the
object Of doing little more invesu-
ration. But at the archway OF the
ancient enclosure he met old Simpson
Harker, pottering about In his usual
apparently ainless fashion. Harfer
smiled at sight Of Bryce.
Yah. ] was wanting to have a word
with you, doctor :" he said. Something
important. Have you got minute or
ty, to spare, sir? Come round 70 my
little place, then-Awe shall be quiet
there"
Bryce had any amount OF time TO
spare for an interesting person like
Harker, and he followed the oid man
10 his house--a tiny place set In nest
OF similar Old World buildings penind
the Close. Harker led him into a little
parlor, comfortable and snug, wherein
we're several shelves OF books OF a
curiously legal and professional-looking
aspect some old pictures, and a cabinet
Of odds and ends, slowed away in a
dark corner The old man motioned
him to an easy chair. and going over to
a cupboard, produced decanter OF
whisky and box Of cigars.
I'VE can have a peaceful and COM
Portable talk here, DOCTOR" he remarked,
ls he sat down near Bryce, after fetch
Ing glasses and soda water. II live all
alone, like a hermit--my bit OF work s
done by woman who only looks IN OF
q morning. So we're all by ourselves,
Light your cigar same as that gave
you at Barthorpe. Um-well, now ne
continued, as Bryce settled down &c
listen. There's a question I want &c
put TO you--strictly between ourselves
stuctest of confidence. you know. II
was you who was called to Braden by
Braden's body?"
"Wel?" admitted Bryce. suddenly
growing suspicious What OF IT,"
Harker edged his chair a little closer
To his guests, and leaned toward him.
What" he asked In whisper. 'wna
have you done with that scrap or pape
that you took out of Braden's purse I?
If any remarkably keen and able OBJ
server OF the odd characteristics o
humanity had been present In Harker'
ittle parlor at that moment, watching
MN and his visitor he would have beeI
struck by what happened when the oil
man put this sudden and point -blanl
question to the young one, For Harke
put the question, though in a whisper
friendly, confidential way, and Bryc
never showed by the start OF a fnge
or the flicker Of an eyelash that he fel
" TO be what he really knew 1t to be-
,ne me most surprising and startling ques
tion he had ever had put to him. IN
stead' he looked his questioner calmly II
turn.
VINO are you, Mr.. Harker?" aske,
bryce quietly.
Harker laughed-almost gleefuliy.
.,,d es' you've ri ght to ask that !" h
tia, way. You'll do!
rr,ll qualify u, then" added Bryce
us not who--it's what are your
. Harker waved his cigar at the BOOK
sneiTes s!T in front of which his visitor sa,
,,.lake take a look at my collection G
literature, ih'ne doctor" he said. "what d'y
sryce turned and leisurely ,nspecte
'"e hhef after another.
seems to consist of little else bu
Sininat rnat cases and legal handbooks." h
yeu Mr fHHssS HaSEsSr TheS eSs's say TO hsr. s@;.pei
mmaS'"ester maS tr,nl that you're 2 retired trades
ma9mot 40. the detective branch"
dmsrker laughed again.
NV 40 Mrychester man has ever crosse
scyunt ANY threshold since came to sett
SSwn Ssr,n, mere" he said. You're the fr
rTo,sole exception. I've never even ha
hermit" '""' mere /"
re,lsS ssSStnyou were a detective?" SUI
yentsyi!; nAys!; for, for a good fve.snd-twen,
tion kknown, too, sir, But-my que
''oHf ai,r doctor All between ourselves p
"How" dS dsN vS0 you ,o, one, then said Bryc
'"per from sraden's purse?''
panes neGause | know that he had such
H. tbeTl Nm N MS purse the night he came
certsin1' tMi1're, answered Harker, land wi
ssHa sn.a because also know that YOU we we
utes slone with the body ror some mi
tSes after Warner fetched YOU to il, al
Wers mnen Braden's clothing and effec
wasn'f fthSned thared py Mitchington the pap
nT