The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-10-29
CHAPTER vIlI-continued.

~ guess so" said Wick. That's
here In the Granddeck a few days. !
don't know much about him."
And that's all you know about IT."
said the detective. turning to me again.
l hesitated. Should l or should
not tell them Of the wall safe that |
had seen Mr.. Wick closing2 There was
nc way ! could prove 1t. Undoubtedly
Wick would deny having done SO. 1t
would be his word against mine. AS
superintendent his word would un-
doubtedly carry. l decided It would
be best to withhold my information to
q nor propitious time.
That's all | know, except what MIR.
Wick has told you." ! said.
Every WELL" 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 were holding a whispered confer
ence. l stepped quickly to the wall
safe. and making IRE that | was un-
observed. tested the knob. 1t vas Sc
curely fastened. | congratulated my
self on having said nothing about 1t.
Wick. l felt certain. would deny hav-
Ing shut It, and there was no proof
that It had been opened when we had
entered.
AS I returned to my WI apartment
upstairs. nearing the top Of the short
flight Of steps between the floors |
vas astounded to see a female figure
Hitting across the hall and entering
the Bradford apartment. Though l had
opportunity for only a brief glimpse.
l recognized her at once. 1t was Claire
Bradford.
The door of my apartment was
standing wide open. I remembered that
Is l had run downstairs a few mo-
ments ago. ! had neglected to close
1t after me. From the direction in
which she had come. 1t 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 Inn
minent risk Of discovery, to pay me
q second visit. ] began seriously to
doubt whether the explanation she
had offered mi was the true one. / was
beginning to feel that there was more
than a possibility that she was again
In the clutches OF the INSCRIPTIONS
rascal who had once been her hus-
band.
Greatly puzzled. l made a hasty SUR
vey Of the apartment, but could find
nothing that appeared to have been
disturbed. Going back to my own room
FASTENED to place a handkerchief out
OF my window as a signal to Barbara.
for l knew she would be anxious to
know the meaning OF the sounds we
had heard below. In a very few mo-
ments l heard the tap of her riding
crop on my sill and hurried to answer.
"What was it7" she asked in an
excited whisper.
00SSJ A0S0AAs al ONNI CCSs wiz tlVGN
on the floor below, has been murdered
shot"
"Wh0 did it,"
Il don't know. Mr.. Wick and l went
into the apartment together. There was
nc n there"
"How terrible" she exclaimed.
1T is. indeed" l answered, but it
may help u.s."
"What do you mean?"
with the police in the house max.
Ing Investigations. there'll be no more
threats from the blackmailers for a
while. They won't dare bother you
for the present"
"Do you really think SOP" she ques-
toned with a little sigh Of relief.
"1'm sure Of It."
"Have the police been called in?"
Eyes: two detectives are downstairs
now"
"T'm glad" she said. with the de-
tectives here. they won't dare modest
rs. will theyY
sOf course not" I answered. rs
your sister at homer"
yes" she answered. "Our guests
have Just gone. Mother has retired.
and Claire Is in the living room writ
Ing = note. They heard nothing. so I
did not tell them anything about It,"
THAT was wise. They'll hear it 0
enough. Has your sister been in the
apartment all EVENING"
.She hasn't been out all day unless
she went out GUST to- drop the letter
she was writing down the mail chute
ID the hall. Why do you ask?"
n was merely wondering II there
val any way she could learn Of the
murder"
How could she7 Isn't that too ter
ribie about Miss Lutan1 Bnt | mustn't
talk any longer. Good night"
sWait 4 moment" cried. There
are some things | must discuss with
Jon before ! meet German. How about
AnAoklnD mo NJ The ASfnr ~ olovon ~