Charlevoix county herald., 1920-04-09

"the big crook that is back of all this
the master-mind."
1.-The master-mind," i echoed.
"Yes," he said, there's 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" 8
'Tywonder If 1t could be her ex-hus-
band. She told me, though, few
moments ago. that she had not heard
of him for years, and she seemed to
me to be telling the truth"
II don't think it was him." said
/ German. "He was only chauffeur.
If he's in it at all. he's only one OF the
gang He's not the master-mind."
/ II hope we can keep the Bradfords
out of 1t altogether" l said. you
see, German"
81 understand" he interrupted. II
| know how the land lies. You need
not worry about that. If Claire Brad
! ford had any part In the plot, you
: can bet she was forced into II and
driven to do what she did. Have you
seen her sister,"
! "No,, and / hope she'll make no eff
fort to see me. She mustn't. You'll
see her, won't your"
| Leave IL TO me-" said the detective.
"I'll manage to reach her without
even her own family knowing any
al, Aaf. nsta
stand that II she tries TO see you or
says anything, she'll only be damag-
ing your case. Don't worry about
I her."
There's one thing, though" ! said,
that wish you could do"
whats thatT
"Can you find some way of getting
to the CASTOR apartment and explor-
/ ing that secret passage and see where
| IL leads?"
He turned savagely on me.
"Say, young fellow" he said, III i
/ didn't know that you were innocent
/ I'd swear that you were a dope hend
with this tale of secret passage.
You've been reading too many thrill
ers or going to the movies too much.
They don't have secret passages in
/ modern apartment houses. You bet
ter keep quiet about that. You can't
get anybody TO believe YOU and you'!
only hurt your case"
"But | know there's a passageway
there-along the hall. found the
opening, panel in my bedroom.
There's a place there big enough for
q man to walk in. / saw IT."
He looked at me pityingly, and l
could see that ne did not believe a
word ] was saying.
"All right, there's a passage there.
and well leave 1t there. A young fell
low In love is apt to imagine all sorts
Of things"
saw there was no use In my insist
ing further about the passageway.
/ His mind was stubbornly made up
that 1t could not exist. He was the
only friend had In all the great city,
(. and must leave 1t to him to work
the thing out in his own way.
"What about q lawyerr l asked.
didn't the court assign you one?"
Eyes, but he took 1t for granted that
was guilty. so got rid Of him."
SWELL there amt much lawyer
could do yet. I'll dig up one when
we need him. Bail is not possible in
murder case, so there is nothing for
you to do but to sit tight and take 1t
/ as easy as you can. By the way, have
l. you heard anything from old Castor
since you were arrested"
mot a word" I answered. II have
! not the least idea where he is or how
to reach him."
"Humph, that's funny" said Cor
man. abstractedly. tGood-by, I'll see
you again tomorrow"
He pounded on the cell door, and q
guard released him. leaving me alone
to ponder over my, plight. and espe-
cially over his last, question. What
had he meant by II?
Where was old Rufus GastonI
.ii-Oncei more suspicion of my aged
relative shot through my. brain. Was
IL, possible, that. his was the master
mind behind, all this plottingf Cor
man had insisted that the arch GRIM
inal behind Wick and the Others must
: be some man of intellect. My great
nuncleg Rufus had brains. niis Out Of q
clear sky he had summonedpme to live
In the. Granddeck1 and then had mys-
teriously, disappeared. Certainly he
had had opportunities for knowing
Wick and the telephone girl. Bar
bara had recalled once having heard
her father speak of him in disparag-
Ing terms. Had II been he who was
plotting against the Bradfords and
had brought me into the case as q
scapegoat?
Was old Rufus CASTOR the master
mind7 Where was he7