Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-08
CHAPTER MI
Buying n Nursing Home

/ Boundary had this beautiful home
was Of type not uncommonly met with
IN the West End Of London. The street
floor was taken up entirely with shops,
tbe first floor with Offices, and the re-
mandcr of the building was pre- ctically
given over to the colonel. One by one,
he had oustcd every tenant from tn,
building. and practically the whole Of
the fourteen sets of apartments which
constituted the residential portion of the
building was held by him in one name
or another. Some he had obtained BY
the payment Of heavy premiums, some
bo had secured when the lease Of the
former tenant had lapscd, some he had
gathered in by subletting. He had tried
to buy the building. since ii served his
purpose we'll. but came against deed
Of trust and the Court of Chancery. and
had wisely refrained from going any
further into n matter which must bring
him yis-a-vis a master In chancery.
with all the publicity which such a
transaction entailed.
Nor had he been successful in acquir-
Ing any of the premises on the first
floor. They were held by three very
old established businessman estate
agent. firm Of land surveyors and the
Offices of a valucr. He missed his op-
uortunity. at any rate. of securing the
business of Lee & Hol, the surveyors.
and did not know it was in the market
until after it had been transferred to a
new owner.
But they were quiet, sober tenants.
who closed their Offices between and
6 every night and did not open them
until between and 10 on the fol-
lowing morning, and their very re-
spectability gave him certain privacy.
The new proprietor of Lee & Hol
was a short sighted. elderly man of no
great conversational power, and ap-
parcntly of no fixed purpose in life cx-
cept TO say mo- to the very handsome
offers which the cOlonels agents made
when they discovered there was chance
Of repurchasing the business. Boundary
had personally inspected all the Offices.
He had found an excuse to visit them
several times. duly noted the arrange
ments of the furniture, the sizes of the
staffs and the general character Of the
business which was being carried on.
This was a necessary precaution be-
cause these Offices were Immediately
under his own fat. But just now they
had special value because it was a
practice during the daytime for the
three firms to employ receiving clerk.
who occupied little glass -partitioned
Office on the landing and attended i'm
partially TO the needs Of all three ten
ants 10 the best of his ability.
Boundary descended the stairs and
found the elderly man in his Office. lei
surely and labOriously afixing stamps
to pile of letters. The colonel called
him from his task.
"Judson," he said. "have you seen
anybody go up to my room this after
nOon?'
The man thought.
NO. sir: | haven't he replied.
Have you been here all the time?"
''Ies: since | o'clock have been in
my office said the commissioner.
None of our tenants wanted any
thing
You didn't go out to go to the mail
box"
NO, sir" said the man. I've prac-
tically not stirred from this Office ex-
ccept for one minute when ! went into
Nr. Lees Office to get these letters.
And you We seen nobody go up
tars:'
Not since Mr.. Silva came down, sir.
He came, down after you, if you re-
member
'Nobody's been up?" insisted the
other.
Not a soul. Your servant came
down before you. sir"
That's true said the colonel. re-
membering that he had sent the man
on special journey to Huddersfield
With letter to the bgamous Mr.. Gro
dn. You haven't seen lady 60 up
At aug he asked suddenly.
Nobody has gone up them stairs"
said the doorman emphatically. II
hope You haven't lost anything, sir?"
The colonel shook his head
No. ] haven't lost anything. If
anything. I've found something he
said grimly.
He slipped half crown into the
mans hand.
,, You needn't mention the fact that
I've been making inquiries" he said,
ana went slowly up the stairs again.
d. me card had been put there that
oay' lie would swear to it. The ink
On the card had not had time to darken.
ana when he made further search Of
ms room. this view was confirmed by
1he appearance Of his blotting pad. The
card had been dried there. and the pen,
Hnlch had been left on the table. was
stlll damp.
ihe colonel passed into his bedroom
ana took off his coat and vest.
ne searched his drawer and found
Sha, looked to be like a pair Of sus-
pehdcrs made Of light fabric. These
ae slipped over his shoulder, adjusting
.nem so that beneath his left arm hung
canvas holster. From another
arawer he took an automatic pistol.
pulle't the magazine from the butt and
Aamined it before he returned II and
%,orced cartridge into the breach by
Tmta,"lhg back the cover Of the pistol.
,nls ,nls be carefully oiled. and then, press
lug ms up the safety catch. he slipped the
Sas,ol INTO the holster and resumed his
coat and vest. .
AT was long time since the colonel
nae had carried gun under his arm, but
n,s ora efhciency was unimpaired. He
ptac,ice'l before mirror and was sat
. .sneu with his celerity. lie loaded a
.pare magazine and dropped it into the
ntta.ious nnts'us pocket of his waistcoat. Then,
su.Ihg the remainder of the cartridges
th"E neatly, he closed the box. shut
IL mrawer and went back to his room.
trua al me commissioner had hinted were
isu;, this mysterious visitor" was
Gs,ng Tor him because of the Snow
~.ssory affair, he should have what
"1s ~, coming to him.
M. .he colonel was no coward and II
on n'I eerle experience had got little
NJ n'S nerves, it was not to be wondered
s,t.,nc ne drew up a chair to the table.
"a. s ,s IN such position that he could
~ une door, took pencil and a sheet
paper, and began to write rapidly.
n.tne mans knowledge was encyclo-
ic' Not once did he pause or refer
catalogue, and he was still writ