Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-09

you could count on me md . want
up ns much MS tho rest do"
Titheredge followed his gaze. Ser
seant Odcll. with pair OF powerful
wire clippers in his hands. was bend
ing over the portrait as /, lay face
down over the desk.
Just removing these several
strands of the cable. so that they
may be examined under glass. Mr..
Lorne." the detective replied for him
self. There isn't the least doubt that
they were deliberately cut. bu, want
10 find out IL l can what sort OF in
strumcnt was used. One thing is GER
tain-whoever did this trick and the
one upstairs was OF tremendous
strength. The tread and face OF that
step were cut with long. slow sweeps
of heavy saw. not hagElcd with n
small. light one. and the portrait
here must have been prlcd loose from
the wall with some powerful lever
before the supporting wires could he
cut, for no clipper such AS this could
have reached them. II you will take
my advice. Mr.. Lornc you will permit
MS 10 assist you to bed now: the shock
which you have received, together
with your .a;.-!as. "ill make IL i'm
possible for me to question YOU now"
Tomorrow" Lorne asked eagerly.
Want 10 &c; 81 the baton :, {.
Yes. l know" Odcll nodded en-
couragingly, You can leave every
thing in our hands. Wen get YOU
upstairs nov with as little pain to
YOU as possible"
Hadn't we better have young Mr.
Chalmers help?" asked Tithcredge.
I'VE will have to carry him around
10 the servants staircase. you know
and we must not jar him any more
than is necessary"
The detective assen,ed ana Ti,her-
tdge rang the bell. but no one APP
pcared.
"l'll go and look for him myself"
the latter remarked, but Odeu stopped
him.
Il should prefer to do that. MIR.
Tithercdgc. Will you instead so to
the servants quarters and see IL any
more of them have decampcd?" lie
turned again to the couch. MIR.
1900 - wi. IOblH
The one on the left. third floor,
rear" painted the sick man. ".Iulian's
was the room just in front Of it,"
do they connect" The attorney
had already gone on his errand and
Odeil paused in the doorway.
Eyes. by the bath and dressing
rooms between"
The detective glanced into the
drawing and dining-rooms and then
mounted the main staircase, avoiding
the broken top step. He was pro-
ceeding along The hall to the
second flight leading to the third
Moor when from one of the rooms be-
hind him a burst OF laughter came;
impish, sarcastic laughter. utterly
lacking in mirth
III seemed such n strange. incon-
grnous thing in the silence of that
| house that odcll paused. and then in
a thin, high. whining voice came the
words:
The police? That would he like
OLD sam wouldn't IT? AS well send "a
! NlliaGc hrc company TO put out We
suNius. Wei 40. one after the other;
| you'll see:
| From who's" lips could that voice
i have issued Odcll recalled the two
members of the family whom he had
not as We, encountered, the Oldest
daughter and the Youngest son. The
hunchback II must he he. Odcll
| waited.
! There came "A low murmur in an
unmistakablc feminine tone and then
the high auerulous one again.
My dear aunt. where is the dis
| grace to tn" family in having a no.
| liccman cross our sacred portals?
They are quite as respectable as MUIR
| derers. though scarcely as efficient
| Now. II | were the next on the list
of our domestic Dionysius and the
sword were suspended over my head
1 should reach up and snap the hair
1 can afford to laugh"
Not you! Rannie. my darling
never your
| The sharp cry was almost a. vail
! but IL held such Il wealth Of infinii,
love and devotion that the listening
detective could hardly credit the fac
that II was the quiet, sclf-containct
| little Miss Meade who uttered it. That
IL was unSratcfully received was cvi
dent from the indistinci but churlisl
grumble which followed; and the,
J there was silence.
Odell continued on his way upstalr.
with a new fact To add TO the famil,
data with which the attorney had sup
piled him. The cripple was evidentl,
his nun,'s favorite; the srlnstcr ha,
taken TO her hcart tifc ono maine,