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

comprehensive glance: the bcd mao
not yet been made and the chinorobc
was. open, It's trays and drawers In
disorder. but the desk was closed. The
top of the cut-Elass tobacco jar upon
1t was open, and the tobacco strcwh
ill about II bore evidence OF the haste
with which the pipe had been hllcd
In the open CRATE WAS "a litti" heap
of gray. fiaity ashes. from when
thin spiral Of smoke stan wound It's
way: and the detective saw To ms
satisfaction that "a few pieces OF
hastily torn paper were scattered uh-
burned upon the hearth.
al came to ask YOU i; YOU would
help Mr.. Tithcredgc and myself your
father to his room" His eyes came
casually back to The young mans
flushed face. "Thcrc IS no hurry, how
ever. believe this room was occu-
pied by your late brother? should
like to see just where his death took
place. Can you show me, Mr.. Chal-
mers?" lie had Indicated the front
room by gcsturc.
Gene h'sitated.
Both doors are locked and my
father has the keys" he .aid at last:
and there was an undcrcurrent OF
sullcn defiance in his changed tone.
as though he anticipated the next
question.
"wil you go and ask him for them.
please"
''T3ut-but no ono has entered that
room since the funeral" Gene stam-
mcrcd. Il don't think father would
like It. sergeant: and nothing In
there could have any possible bear
ing on your investigation"
MIR. Chalmers. may l remind you
that that Is not for you to decide?
VIII you get those keys at onceH
The last sentence was not query.
but a command. and each word In
creased in emphatic dominance. Gene
gave one neeting. desperate glance
toward his desk, in the lock of which
the key still remained. and fled down
stairs.
Unless the young man had temper
arily lost his head aud burned his
papers without discrimination as
they came TO h!s hand those already
destroyed mus; have been the most
important; and, locking the door in
crate and poake;eG every unburncd
scrap that remained
Then he moved swiftly 10 the desk
and opened j.. = diso'h"red heap or
letters met hia eye. most Of them
evidently big. from the tFadesmcn's
names in the upper r.1kt-hand cor
ncr. Odell rad seized handful at
random and was aoout TO smut the
desk when ne noticed that the small
center drawer was not quite closed
Pulling 1t open hastily. ne discovered
a small notebook and u few letters
in an odd. but Enthusiastically mas
cullne hand.
He cleared the drawer at one
sweep. closed the desk and, dropping
his findings from II into the coat
pocket on his left side. he drew from
the other two or three fragments of
the paper which he had salVaged
from the crate.
One Of them bore in tempera-
mental. femlniiie hand only three let
tiers OF word but they were ilium-
mating: "lov.' Odcll smiled az ne
replaced it in his pocket: but his cx-
preston changed when he glanced
at the others. The writing upon them
was All III a bold, masculine hand, and
two Of the scraps fitted together
READ. whole family in hell before
Ohen frowncd thoughtfully and
drew from his left coat pocket one
OF the letters which nc had taken
from the center drawer in the desk.
1t was in the same strong acccntuate
writing. and read without preamble:
Where do you think you get off
Genet You are in too deep to back
out now. as ! meant you should be
Your mothers went through without
hitch and the next one will il you
only keep your nerve. It's got TO be
done by the 9Th or you know where
the first one will send you. ] mean
business, my boy"
FARLEY DREW"
Barry Odell folded the letter SLOW
ly and replaced 1t i'm it's envelope
Today was the 14th, and Julian ChaI.
mers had come to his death just eight
days before-on the 9th.
Oden put the letter back into his
pocket and striding across the room
unlocked the door and flung it wide
He was only just In time; for ne
could hear hurried footsteps bound.
ing up the stairs. and In another mo-
men, Genes head appeared above Tho
/ landing
| Its owner peercd suspiciously frs
| toward his desk and then at tn,
CRATE; hut nothing seemed amiss. ant
The police sergeant was standing be
fore him with his hand outstretchet
authoritativcly.
/ silently Gene surrendered the keys
! Thanks" The detective made M
movo toward the other room. 'Mr