Evening star., 1922-02-24
"The archaeological
Detective" :"
BY ARTHUR B. REEVE.
One of The Stars Weekend Fiction Series,
Complete in Three Installments.
BY ARTHUR B. REEVE,

do. for all ] want is to preserve a
record of these marks. and 1 can en-
large the photographs later. In the
morning ! will photograph these
marks and you can do the develop
ing of the films. Tonight Well I'M
provise the bathroom as a darkroom
and get everything ready so that we
can start in bright and early"
We were, indeed, up early. One
never has difficulty in getting up
early in the country; it is SO noisy. at
least to city-bred man. City noise
at am. is sepulchral silence COM
pared with bucolic activity at that
hour.
There were a dozen negatives which
! set about developing after Craig
mad used up all our films. Meanwhile,
ne busted himself adjusting his mi
croscope and test-tubes and getting
the gar slides ready for examination.
Shirt sleeves rolled up ! was deeply
immersed in my work. when l heard
shot in the next room. and the
bathroom door flew open.
'Confound you, Kennedy, do you
want to ruin these films. l cried.
lie shut the door with a bang. "Hrr
rah. Walter" he exclaimed Il Think
l have it at last. l have just found
some most promising colonies of the
bacilli on one of my slides"
almost dropped the pan of acid L
Was MAS holding. in my excitement.
Well l said. concealing my own
surprise. I've found out something.
too. Every one of these fingerprints
so far is from the same pair of
hands"
We scarcely ate any breakfast, and
We're soon on our way up to the hall.
Craig had provided himself at the To-
cal stationers with an mixing pad.
such as is used for rubber stamps. AT
the hall he proceeded to get tire i'm
pressions of the fingers and thumbs
of all the servants.
1t was quite A long and difficult
piece of work to compare the finger
prints We had taken with those
photographed. in spite of the fact
that writers descant on the ease with
which criminals are traced by this
system devised by the famous Gal
ton. However, we at last finished
the job between us. or rather Craig
finished 1t, with an occasional re-
mark from me. His dexterity amazed
me: it was more than mere book
knowledge.
For a moment we sat regarding
each other hopelessly. None of the
finger prints taken at the hall Tailed
with the photographed prints. Then
Craig rang for the housekeeper,
faithful old soul who even the typhoid
scare could not bulge from her post
Are You sure ] have seen all the
servants who were at the hall while
Mr.. Bisbee was here?" asked Craig.
why. no sir--you didn't ask that.
You asked to see all who are here
now. There is only one who has
left-the cook. Bridget Fallon. She
left a couple of days ago-said she
was going back to New York to get
another job, Glad enough / was to
get rid of her too. for she was drunk
most OF the time after the typhoid
appeared
We'll. Walter. I guess We shall
have to go back TO New York again.
then" exclaimed Kennedy. "Oh, I
beg pardon. Mrs. Rawson. for inter-
rupting. Thank you ever so much.
Where did Bridget come from?'
she came well recommended. sir.
Here's the letter in my writing desk.
She had been employed by the Cas-
wcll-Joheses at Shelter Island before
she came here"
Il may keep this letter." asked
Craig scanning it quickly.
Yes"
BY the way. where were the bot
ties of spring water kept?"
In the kitchen"
Did Bridget take charge OF them?"
Yes"
bid Mr.. Bisbee have any guests
during the last week that he was
only Mr.. Denny one night"
Him" exclaimed Craig. We'll.
it viii not he SO hard for us to un-
get back to the city. We must make
that noon train. Walter. There is
nothing more for us to do here"
Emerging from the Tube" at 9th
street. Craig hustled me into a taXicab,
and in almost no time we were at police
headquarters.
Fortunately, Inspector Barney
O'Connor was in and in an amiable
mood. too. for Kennedy had been
careful that the central office re-
tho Kerr Parker case. Craig sketch
ed hastily the details of this new
case. OConnors face was a study.
His honest blue Irish eyes fairly
hulged in wonder. and when Craig
concluded with request for help l
him anything in the office. just to
figure in the case.
"First. 1 want one of your men
to go to the surrogate's Office and
get the original will. 1 shall return
it within couple of hours-al l
graphic copy. Then another man
must find this lawyer, james Denny.
and in some way get his finger
prints-you must arrange that your
self. And send another fellow up to
the employment offices on ath ave
Bridget Fallon. 1 want her finger
prints. too. Perhaps she had better
be detained, for I don't want her to
get away. oh, and say. O'Connor. do
you want to finish this case up like
the crack of whip tonight"
I'm game, sir. What of it?'
Let me see. 1t is now o'clock.
If you can get hold of all these peo-
pie in time, / think l shall be ready
for the final scene tonight-say. at 3.
You know how to arrange it. Have
them all present at my laboratory
story that will get into the morning
papers with loaded type on the front
mage"
Now, Walter" he added. as we
hurried down to the taXicab again,
Il want you to drop off at the de-
to the commissioner. 1 believe you
know Dr. Leslie. We'll, ask him if
he knows anything about this Bridget
Fallon l will go on uptown to the
laboratory and get my apparatus
old fellow. for / shall be busy till
then, but be sure when you come that
YOU bring. the record of this Fallon
woman if you have to beg. borrow
or steal it,
the card and obeyed implicitly. It
is needless to say that l was keyed
UP to the greatest pitch of excite
ment during my interview with the
health commissioner, when I finally
got in to see him. I hadn't talked
to him long before a great light
struck me- and 1 began to see what
Craig was driving at. The commits
sicner saw it first.
IF you don't mind, Mr.. Jameson"
he said, after I had told him as
much of my story as I could. will
YOU call up Prof. Kennedy ana tell
him I'd like very much to be present
tonight myself?"