The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-01-05
CHAPTER !
In Which an Old Crime Again Comes
to Light.

In Which an Old Crime Again Comes
That Friday afternoon, as / came
up the steps Of John Bartley's house
In Gramercy square, the sun was
shining for the first time in seven
days. Unlocking the door. / entered
the hall and went up the stairs to
my room.
This week of rain in the middle
Of June had spoiled Bartley's long
planned fishing trip. and had kept us
In the city. 1t was a trip he had been
looking forward to for long time,
since In the past few years there had
been few opportunities for such
things. In fact. since 1917 BARLEY
had passed very few nights In his
own house. About a year before we
went into the war. those who followed
criminal mysteries noticed that Bart
ley's name was no longer connected
with the solution Of crime. Perhaps
they wondered little at this. When
the full story Of the work of the Sc
cret Service in the war is told. recog-
milton will be given to the part he
played In bringing 1t to victorious
conclusion Until then, all can say
il that when he returned to New York.
In the spring Of 1920. his work for
the government had ended.
+. The first thing that he did upon his
arrival was to clear up pile of mail
that ran back for several weeks; his
next was to plan several weeks fish
ing In the lakes of northern Maine.
On the very day that we were to start
It had commenced to rain, and never
ceased for seven days. kilograms
told us that In Maine 1t was raining.
too. In sheer disgust BARLEY buried
himself In his library and went to
work on his long-neglected book, 1.-THE
Galante Literature Of the Eighteenth
Century"
As I glanced out of the window of
my room that Friday afternoon, saw
that the rain was at last over. / was
wondering whether BARLEY would go
10 Maine. after all. when there came
a rap at my door. Opening 1t. found
Rance, Bartley's old colored man. who
said with a grin, "Mr. John says, Mr.
Pelt, that you are to come down to
the library. for that man Rogers is
coming"
AS l followed him down the stairs, |
I wondered what IL was that was |
bringing Rogers. chief Of the Central |
office. to the house at this time of the |
afternoon. Although Rogers and Bart |
lev were the best of friends, and the |
chief had been forced more than once |
70 ask the aid of BARLEY In his cases.
he usually made his visits In the eve
ming. after the days work was over.
call at four In the afternoon |
seemed to promise that something I'M
usual had happened. something Of
such Importance that II could not
wait. Could he secure Bartley's aid?
knew that BARLEY had not intended
10 take up any more cases until he
had had a long rest. Still. II Rogers
had the problem Of some unusual
rhine to lay before US. he might
change his plans.
hartley was at his great desk when
entered the library. He gave me a
mile. then went on examining the
books which covered Its top. That
he had received great box
rom his French dealer. and he was
,usy with it's contents. AS he did
rot speak. l dropped into the great
Irmchalr by his side.
AS looked at him I wondered. as
had done so many times before, that
lie should be the great criminal In
lestIgator that he was. II was the
ast thing anyone would expect him
o be. His breeding. his family. and
Ibove all bis literary tastes. were not
uch as one would expect to find In a
nan who makes the running down Of
rimInsIs his life work His fine fsce