The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-01-26
Unseen Hands
A BeUiLdering DetectiUe Story
 By Robert Orr Chipperfield

not think that it would be wise for you to take up even temporary res idence elsewhere unless actual dan we cannot control, for others of the household might wish to avail them l selves of the same Sprivi1ege-
 "In that case,'' said Tad rising, ..I suppose I had better take myself off. I hope, sergeant, that you will be able to take Care of her; but it is a horrible thing to think of her being
 here. Goodby, Man."
 Womanlike, she permitted him to get as far as the entrance door before she ran after him. and the detectve smiled in spite of himself T There had been an engaging qual- ity about the young mans boyish yet very earnest outburst, which had en- abled Odel1 to read his character more | clearly than hours of grilling examin- nation would have revealed; and he felt with relief that here at least was | one person more or less intimately 1 connected with the household, whose complexities need not be taken into account.
 Nan returned as the front door thudded,< her soft eyes sparkling and | the dusky rose-g1ow still suffusing her face; but color and light alike died
 from her expression as she closed the | door carefully behind her and ap- l preached the detective.
 Fannie says that you have proof l that my mother- Her voice fal- tered and stopped. Then suddenly
 swift cry, burst from her lips. ..Is it l true that they were murdered, my
 mother and Julian ?'' | "I am afraid there is no possibility
 of doubt Odell returned grave1y. l TT have heard all that the rest of
 the family and the servants can tell
 me, Miss Chalmers; and now I have | come to you. You experienced the | same fears, the same vague suspicious
 as the others after your brothers | death, did you not?"
 "Yes, but I didn't really suspect;
 none of us did, I am sure. I only
 felt nervous and afraid of something 1 couldn't see, as if I were a little 1 bit of. 8 girl again and woke up in T cannot imagine who would wish l to harm us; I can scarcely believe that this dreadful thing is true. But, | but granted that it is. the most awful l part is that some one beneath our roof
 Her voice had sunk to a mere whis
 per and once more it failed her.
 ''I realize how difficult it is for you ! 10 face, but there is no alternative" "> | The detective spoke very gently, | Some one of the househol is guilty, ! and it is my business to discover the 1 identity of that person before another l tragedy comes. I will not distress you I by asking for details which the oth- CTS have already given me. of the | events of the last month; but there is just one question I should like to put to you, and I want you to think back very carefully before you reply Can you recall the slightest incident, the | most trivial remark on the part of any one. no matter who, which might
 lead you now to think that they pos | sessed some personal knowledge of the truth ?''
 For moment Nan reflected, while Odell watched the ever-charming play | of expression on her chi1dishIy mobile
 race: The m1ngling of horror and l Sr1ef gave place to a look of forced
 concentration, as if, in obedience to
 his request, she was indeed review l ing each tragic episode in her mind
 and striving to recall a possible clue
 All at once startled gleam quivered | Nike Q flame. from her. eyes and she
 caught her breath sharply. Then the
 light du1led and she shook her head. 'No, Sergeat Odelf There was i, nothing, nothing that any one said or
 did at any time which could have $ made me think such a thing" Ten minutes later as the detective
 went briskly down the steps of the house he mentally catalogued that fit - ting expression for future reference
 It was the only point which his inter- r view with Nan Chalmers had elicited 5 yet 1t was pregnant one. She ha6
 remembered something, some act o1 l word on the part of one of those about
 her Which conveyed startling possi. bi1ity to her mind, and she had as ] | quickly and instinctively hidden ii I from him.
 :, After a hasty lunch he made his wa,
 l to the address which Smith had giver a him, and found himself facing a som
 Der, old-fashioned apartment house O the cheaper grade, one of a long rov n Identical with it which stretched tn s length of the block
 ;, He entered the vestibule, scruti
 nIzed the .soiled cards inserted in tn Il slots below the mail boxes and :, length rang the janitor's bell. Il After an interval heavy, shufflin 70 footsteps sounded from within an le the door opened, disclosing a fat, mid II die-aSed woman with a good-nature IS if somewhat loose-1ipped smile, whic 'e froze at sight of the stranger
 - 'If you've got me up all them stai1 M to try to sell me somethin'-'' she b.
 gan, but Odell cut her short III III I haven't I'm looking for a MT sli Gael who used to live here, and if yo ,u can tell me anything which will he1 " 2. me to locate her will make it wort sl your while"
 lo The woman sniffed.
 oE "Process-server?
 ya NO; a friend of hers.'' Oden s1ni
 ed We've been unable to find o7 v where she went from here, and it O. ,it cured to me that possibly you wou is know if you are the janitress She h. e. simply dropped from the sight n, all her friends
 SC Well, I wouldn't wonder'' TT ed Woiidh Sfi1iLeu aSaaH- guess II
 had to be took off to a place lii ss that I wouldn't want folks to kno ,-s either. Not that you'd ever ha' fe thought it for a minute to look en her or talk with her; but if I'd know he she wasn't right you'd never have g six me alone there in the flat with her ir- Wasn't right!'' Oden repeate sSs Wneh He tooiu sle1i liIe HOW or word E." " nat soit oi piace Was sne take o,, to?'