The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-02-03
Unseen Hands
A BeUiZderi7ag DetectiUe Story
 By Robert Orr Chipperfield

 shrugged politely he turned once more to the stairs, but Miss Meade | held out a tin1idly detaining hand. Please, Sergeant Ode1. IT do not want to ask any questions which l are perhaps tabooed, but my anxiety | must be my excuse. I meant to ask | you yesterday,~but my courage failed and can learn nothing from either ] my brother-in-1aw or MT. Titheredge. l Has anything been discovered about 1 about the case which brings you l here?" Her voice trenbled with l eagerness. Even the presence of your men about the house has not yet brought the realization home to me of-of the unspeakabla crimes which have been committed; and yet | know it must be so, and the horror if it is like a living presence. Have 1 you a single clue?" During the merest fraction of a sec ond he hesitated; for her beseeching eyes seemed to hold his as if she 1 would draw the truth from him in spite of his decision to keep his own
 hand. Then he threw off the spell
 and replied gravely but steadily: ttNo, Miss Meade. This is the most baffling case of my experience. I ap-I preciate what the fear and suspense I must be like to you all, but time alone can solve the problem There followed an Ylour of inaction
  erness to preeipitatte the climax which l he felt would bring success to crown the days during which he had wan 1 dered in darkness. At length Peters 1 announced to those of the family who were able to repair to the dining room that the belated luncheon was ;served, and Miss Meade, Rannie and Gene descended.
 Odell peeped into Richard Lorne's l room to find him dozing peacefully, 1 then hurried to Cissie. Chalmers door
 and knocked with subdued insistence. l Doctor Aadms opend it and pre-
 scented a face of mild inquiry. ] You administered the opiate, doc tor?"
 '.Yes, but it's effect will wear off in about ali hour, think,'' the physician i responded nervously. 1T really do not
 consider it wise to repeat the dose, but if you insist"
 i "On the contrary It is almost two, 1 now. Would it be possible to awaken i Miss Chalmers at, say, three o'clock?'' j "Certainly.''
 twill you do so then, and summon l Miss Meade-but no one else-to take l your place?''
 "'At three o'clock. s I understand, 3sergeant You think that if there
 was really danger. to my patient it
 will be over then?'
 Absolutely; but since you still doubt that the danger existed you may
 be interested in knowing that I sent
 a sample of broth which l suspected of having been poisoned to Willard,
 the analytical chemist, and he reports unmistakable evidence of white ar
 senic.' Odeli added ia1sruiedly. .'Not i a word of this, however. When Miss
 Meade has taken your place come to ; me. at once in Rannie Chalmers room. i fI will, sir; but this confirmation of your suspicious fills me with dis tress,'' .Dr. Adams declared. 'I ad- init that I was not convinced even , after an examination of my patient that she was indeed the victim of l such an outrage. In the many years
 Of my professional exprience I have never before come in contact with crime; and the comparative monot- ony of a general practitioners work must have dulIed my perceptions" ''It is not always easy to see a 7 thing, doctor, even when you are l looking for it, Oden replied from the consciousnes of the revelation 3 which had come to himself only that
 morning. By the way, will it be safe - to move MT. Lorne this afternoon from his own room into. that of his y stepson next door?"
 e Yes. I think SOL The physician r looked his surprise. ''We can assist n illim through the connecting door be- ? tween the two without taking him e ing to happen in Rannie's room, ser- a geant?''
 I 'I have an experiment I want to e make; that is aIl-' Odell turned It ia;way. At three o' clock, then, doctor = I shall depend on you.''
 ,. It lacked five minutes of the hou1 . . when Dr. Adams tapped with an eag- . erly trembling hand on the hunch. = backs door and the detectives voice g promptly bade him enter. He obeye6 . to find Richard I4orne already en- isconced upon the couch, Gene ano 5, Rannie in chairs either side, aa,G T two strange men standing near the
 feet of the bed conVersing in lowered -- tones with Odell.
 e Lorne's fiat face was tense with ex citement, and Genes was white a n chalk; but Rannie sat back with hi W old mochns smile, and only the wise a like grip of his thin, Sallow finger
 upon the arms of his chair betraye' e the least sign of emotion.
 The physician noted their expres sions almost mechanically, and the 1f his gaze wandered to the two strang i'd CTS. Di1nly he seemed to remembe l. seeing them hanging about on tn Tt sidewalk in front of the house for tn
 past two days
 IS OdelIs voice broke in upon hi thoughts. t'Your patient is awake e. doctor? You have not left her ahont " I trust?''
 le NO. Miss Meade is with her. a " "Then that is all right" Odeu in Id terrupted him in obvious haste W, There is something which I wish | CT tell you all. but we must wait for m little. I am eNpecting-' h. A discreet knock upon the doc ou interrupted him in turn, and h ou opened it to find Peters on tn
 threshold. K MT. Titheredge, Sir.''
 I tPlease say that I will be down c O. once.'' Oden waited until the butle
 had departed upon his eswand an ed then turned to the others: "I sha tn be back in a moment and U must as is- that none of you attempt to leay Id the room in my absence. If you d. or my men here have their orders as at how to proceed
 we The doctor sank into a chair wit to a gasp; but Lorne twisted irascibl ce upon his couch.
 of g. Gro Be Continued.)
 at - l." It is not the fortune of the averas af- person to read a story, like it, in ed agine just how he or she would po
 tray the role liked best, and then 1 an engaged to interpret precisely tn;