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

set III uctcrnllncd lines Dcncdth III
stubby gray mustachc.
Nan was seated beside him. an,
Gene stood over by the window. ncr
vously lingering the shade cord: bu
the other members OF the family wer'
not present.
AS TithercdEc performed the intro
auctions, Nan rose, her eyes darkcn
ing.
~ detective" She asked quietly
but her breast rose and fell with spas
modic rapidity. Father, what doe!
this mcan?"
1T means. my dear" Tithercdsc an
swered suavely before Lorne could
speak. that your father and hav,
talked things over, and he has told
me the possibly imaginary but never
thelcss torturing strain you have AL
been under since your brothers death
He shared with you the feeling that
! perhaps there was something more
| than coincidence in the two sorrows
which have come into your life 50
| closely upon the heels of each other
You know how that portrait fell last
night, almost killing Gene and what
narrow escape your father himself
had this morning when the top steps
| of the stairs collapsed and precipi-
tatcd him 10 the bottom.
OF course, these may all be mere
condolences; but we want TO he sure
of it to allay all your fears. and so
we have called in this young man TO
make the fullest investigation. lie
will question every one. and-you
listen TO this. too. Gene-you must he
absolutely frank with him. Remcm-
Der. there mus; be no lying, no sub
terfugc."
My God" Gene came forward.
Il knew | WAS right. knew that
picture was mean, to fan upon me
and crush me. And the others-my
mother and Julian
Steady there. Gene" the attorney
warned. we don't know but that all
tina, has occurred so far has been
sheer accident"
We'll, I'm glad you are going to
find OUT" Gene held out his hand
frankly TO the detective. You can
count on me. Mr.. Oden"
Thank YOU. Mr.. Chalmers. shall
want to have a little conference will,
your father and Mr.. Tithercdge here,
out III look you mp later"
CENE took the amt and sauntcrcd
NJ out of the library; and Nan pre-
pared TO follow him. but Odcll stop.
ped her.
May | ask. Miss Chalmers. whether
or not the broken stair has beer
mcndcd yet?"
no, MIR. odcil. Aunt EHie wantc,
to have it attended to, but she wa.
afraid the hammcring would disturb
father. She hates to have anythin,
upset around the house"
Then il you will sit here with you
father a few minutes. Mr.. Titheredg
and Will go and inspect IT."
Gene was nowhere TO DC seen whc
the attorney and Odcll rc-entcrd til
hall. and they mounted the stairs I
the topmost step, covered with
crimson velvet runner. The detectiv
knclt Oh the step just below and fcl
the smooth pile of The carpets sur
face.
You see.' he said rapidly in a low
cred tone TO his companion, 9TH
tread Of the step neither collapsed II
the middle. nor split. nor cavcd in n
over the face as if on a pivot as 500,
as Mr.. Lorne's weight was place,
upon ii. pitching him hcadlong down
The carpet appears 10 be loose
doesn't it," TithercdEc himself ben
and gave IL tug; and the strip o
crimson velvet came away in hi
hands from beneath the edge of rh,
rug which covered the upper hall
while tiny tacks with fiat brass head.
flew in every direction.
"Thumhtacks." Odcll vouchsafcd
When the person who executed thi
! little mancuvcr replaced the carpc
he didn't dare hammer, with YOU an,
Mr. Lorne in that room so near by
so he pressed the thumbtacks in a!
a temporary hold, and left a goo,
margin OF the extra carpet that ha,
been turned loose. too, so as TO civ,
extra room for the tread to turn ovcl
Without pulling out tho tacks."
l. FOLDED the runner back
across his knees. and the attor.
ney uttered sharp exclamation, a:
instantly silenced. \ good four inche!
| of the riser or faceboard had beer
sawad away at the top. where it hac
formerly supported the tread. and tn,
tread itself was cut through from
wainscoting and balustrade at either
| end
when Mr.. Lorne put his weigh
| upon the step it cracked across n
| the line where 1t is level with tn,
hall flooring, and its outer edE,
crashed down until it rested on tn,
| lowered top OF the face" the dctcc
! tive explained. 1T had much III,
same effect as il one stepped from
the center TO the uptiltcd end OF ;
sccsaw. DO sou observe something
else. Mr. TithcrcdGc?'
/ cant say that I do" the other re
piled regarding thoughtfully tn,
| scraps Of sawduSt which the turned
back CARPET revealed. Whoever tn
| fellow was"
He halted abruptly as Miss Mead
1 appeared from her room down tn,
nail and came quickly toward them
/ Light az her footballs were, the kcei
of h. al al ill.,