The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-02-03
XIII SYNOPSIS


 serious accidents in the home of
 Richard Lorne bring Barry Odell,
 9 detective, into the picture. He v is unable 10 make any headway
 until Fannie Meade, Lorne's
 youngest stepson and a cripple,
 comes to his aid. Christine,
 daughter, has been poisoned.
 OdeiI follows stealthy footsteps
 into the attic. There he finds the
 clue which leads to a solution of
 the mystery.
 The next moment he had turned and slipped as silently as a shadow down the stairs.
 Oden did not pause until he reach ed the first floor once more; then en- Z tering the library he locked the door and sank into a chair beSore the stand ; upon which stood t1ne telephone. The shock of his discovery, overwheln- ing in it's utter unexpectedness, made his brain reel; and he could almost doubt the evidence of his own eyes in the first moment of stupefaction.
 Then a. host Of small incidents crowded in confirmation to his m1nd They had seemed trivial and irrele- want when they occurred; but in the light of the revelation which had just come to him he could have cursed himself for his blindness. He had looked only for the obvious, it was true; yet the solution of the problem had been 50 obvious from the very adr<st that he had failed to attach any sfgnivcance to it.
 Yet even now his work was not done The thought brought him to ! his feet and set him pacing the floor as if bodily action was necessary to relive his teeming brain. Despite his ! Knowledge, his absolute conviction of : the truth, the case was far from fin 1 iShed; for the culprit could not be ; brought to account merely on the strength of that which he had just witnessed.
 He had not an iota. of proof to sup 1 port any accusation he might make, and the circumstantial evidence which Ire could cite would seem ridiculously sinconclusive; while as for a possible fp1otive-
 Then a light broke over his con- aciousnss, and he struck his hands together sharply, He might not, after all, have been so far wrong in his deductions as to that. t1lVen an incentice far more dominating than he had dreamed. tine series of crimes took on ae once the aspect of a most 1 subtle and 1ong-p1anned scheme; and only in its consummation had over , zeal betrayed it to the eyes Of the law. But unless he dared risk exposing to, still further danger the several lives of the family whose safety had been tacitly entrusted to him, how could he prove the culprit's guilt beyond { any doubt o1. disclaimer? Merely to accuse. hoping to force a. confession, < would be not only futile but n warn ing to the brain against which he had >pitted his own that could not fail to be needed forevermore, and the ! murders already ccompltShed must renrain unavenged.
 Only one means would avail: the .cil1prdt rzarst be surprised into self { betrayal. At a moment when success seprrsd sure and nc apparent danger ' in sight, a. blow as unexpected as il Z would ioe disastrous to the whole ia bric of that siuisterly nurtured sche17e must threaten; and in the face of the dread alternative con- fession would come, in act if not IT words.
 Even as the detective reached this deciEiop the means by which he might goring about the denouemen1 evgess.esd themselves to his mind; an6 a ols=1 sprang full-gfcwn into being He turned to the telephone, carefully -shr7t off the switch when connected with the upstairs extension, and lift -s ing the receiver, asked in a low tone for :5aIrue1 Titneredge'S number.
 s.Serseant Odell speaking he an nuuncaJ -stfii in the studious5ly moo ulated voice, when the attorneys dr! perernptory response came over tn wire. "Can you arrange 70 close you. office at half past two this afternoon and come here to the Meade house should like you for a witnes ~ Yes. I think the case will b. closed EhCTtIV you come please don't mention that sent for you I will manage to SC you alone for a, minute; and I mus ask you to obey my instructions i'm plicftly or you may spoil everything whe guilty person will never b brought to justice if a single falls move is made cannot possi bly explain further You'll b here by three Very good"
 He hung up the receiver, unlocke
 
 when Miss Meade suddenly made he appearance from the dining room-
 "Oh, Sergeant Odell, I've been look ing for you" she said as she cam forward. And I, you" He smiled. followed you downstairs more rha an hour ago, Miss Meade, but sa7 you go into the pantry and decide {. not to bother you.
 "Tye been to see about some mol
 broth for Cissie," she explained. "I am so sorry T upset the other X rOdelrs tone was the perfection courteous contrition. 1t was stupl
 of me, but your nepheew spoke sut denly just behind me, and in my sta I gave the cup was overturned"
 "Rannie will play mischievoI tricks like that; but he is still only N little boy in spirit in spite of his pr cocity, and I cannot find it in IT heart to reprove him. Miss Meat smiled deprecat tingly. "It didn't ma ter at all about the broth; for n niece has fallen into a deep sleep, al Doctor Adams, who is with her no says that it will be better to allow h to rest for several hours if she e E rather than wake her for nouriss ment. But I must not annoy v with trivial details of this sort. " said that you wanted to see me?' "Yes Miss Meade; but sonly to e rlain about my stupid accident. E hope your niece is resting easier day?"
 frown appeared upon her smoo
 brow. H"I do not wish to seem di
 toyaf: but sometimes I think it wou
 be best if we dispensed with Doct
 Adams services, for the children
 least I am old-fashioned and belle
 in old Fashioned home rem edies K d certain extent; but medical scien
 has advanced with great strides
 lata Rannie tells m. and l feel EFT farnes that Dr. Adams has stood sul
 "You are dissatisfied with his tree
 ment of your niece?" Odell ask
 quickly.
 ssNo-o". Her reply came with