The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-11-10

III,
when I knew I had one just like It
hidden at the hotel. This gave me
new hope, until returned and dis
covered my valise slit open, and the
dagger gone. knew Of no one who
would do such an actor had occa.
zion to-except you. in an effort to
destroy evidence.
"Then later. when that was cleared
up by Harris acknowledging that he
was the one who got the pin, I told him
about your having your own in your
hat at Peronds. He only laughed, and
, said you were smart enough to buy
found missing; that doubtless there
were plenty to be had"
Hes right; there are. At least 1
know of one shop on lower Broadway
where they are for SALE" She stopped
i suddenly. with peculiar gesture.
"Why, now I think Of 1t, Sarah Wal
dron has one exactly like mine:
bought it for her."
"Ivan Waldron's wifer
"Of course; that's rather odd, isn't
itr
1T oDen. up line OF thought. any
way. Gould you find out. do you
suppose If she has 1t still? What
does she know about her husbandT
The 2irl laughed softly.
know! Less even than do,
imagine He doesn't show up here
oftener than once in six months. and
Sarah gets nothing from him. She
wouldn't know-why?"
because. after all, 1t might be the
Russian; If ii was he would have to
lie to Harris, and pretend to know
nothing. You heard how those two
talked at Perond's. What iiit, you
make of it?"
She drew her eyes together, leaving
the marks of frown on her fore
head.
THAT they had planned together to
rob Alva; that WaldrOn was to be
hidden somewhere outside, and was
to wait for Harris to signal him that
the money had been paid over"
Exactly; Harris failed to learn
that the money changed hands, and
| consequently did not signal. But
WaldrOn, nevertheless, was outside
waiting; had no doubt spotted Alva's
machine, and was ready to act. The
one thing we do not know is-did
Alva start home alone; or did one
Of the men accompany him7 II the
latter supposition Is true then that
fellow must have committed the
murder, with Waldron possible
accomplice after the crime. II not
true, then the only other solution is
that Alva picked Waldron up for COM
pnnionship. Were they acquainted at
alp
II think so, but am not sure; you
said Waldron> first reported this
chance to Harris"
$50 he did then 1t is quite possible
the two knew each other. That would
make 1t easy for the Russian to ask q
ride. Whoever struck the blow was In
the rear seat. This theory fits in all
right with his actions toward Harris"
What do you mean to dor"
shadow Waldron; he is sure to
expose himself sooner or later. We
must get away from here, out Of the
hands of these fellows. Could you
find your way to the stairs In the
dark?"
"Yes. i have been here often"
"Then / am going to turn out this
light before opening the door,"
She led the way confidently enough,
moving silently along the wall, I
keeping close so as to touch her. A
few steps brought US forth into the
hall at the head of flight of stairs
leading downward. My fingers gripped
the banisters, while she stood aside
| to let me pass.
"You better go ahead now the next
flight Is directly beyond this. and
ends at the street door,"
"You will follOw?"
"Of course; shall keep right be-
hind you"
We went down step by step, not a
stair creaking, or a sound louder than
our own breathing. reached the
last step, warned by the newell post,
and felt ahead with one cropping foot
to assure myself of the level beyond.
Her fingers grasped my sleeve, and
lips almost at my ear. whispered a
barely audible warning.
'Look to the right! What is that r.
1t was a dull, red glow, mere pin
prick In the black curtain, yet It
seemed to change I'm brilliancy, like an
evil eye winking at us out Of the
dark. There was something uncanny
| about the thing, yielding me no sugges-
tioD as to what 1t could be, yet
frightening by its baleful gleam at
such time and place. Then there
was borne to my nostrils the. faint
Odor OF tobacco smoke; 1t must be a
man sitting there smoking; what we
saw was the red tip Of his cigar.
Could we slip by unheardf ]
doubted 1t, yet whatever happened,
one of us, at least, must escape from
the house before any alarm was
sounded. There was but one chance
+ left-for her to slip silently down
that other flight Of stairs to the street
door, while I remained behind to pro-
tect her flight. II there was no alarm.
no notice taken Of her passage,