The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-04

and followed him to the door of the car. As they descended the steps to the plat form she instinctively drew her veil.
 few paces away stood Marshal Metcaf eagerly scanning the disembarked passen- gers as if searching for some one.
 Without trace of hesitancy, Nerissa walked up to him and extended her gloved hands.
 "You are looking for me, are you not?" she asked. q am innocent, but I will go with you whenever you wish.''
 Col. Judson Bainbridge sat in the offices of Bainbridge & Bristow. His ruddy face wore an expression of grave anxiety, and something of the nervous state of his mind, was indicated by short, savage puffs at the long black cigar he gripped in the corner of his mustached mouth Between the spurts z of smoke he addressed pointed and force- full remarks to a gentleman who occupied chair at his right.
 This individual was Rodman L. Davis, prosecuting attorney. He had an undersized body and an oversized head. His complex ion was florid. Beyond the silken lapels of his Prince Albert coat showed an immacu- late white vest, a shiny silk tile reposed on the desk at his elbow and the gloves with which he slapped the palm of his left hand by way of emphasizing his rejoinders to the coloneps remarks were of the finest kid.
 Both men were visibly excited.
 Il tell you, Rod," Colonel Bainbridge was saying heatedly, "there is not an iota of evidence to connect Gordon with the murder of Dr. Selden. I am confident that he has simply followed up the clue to the strange case, as he telephoned last night. You know he has penchant for mysteries and, confound it, sir, he has in him the making of great criminal lawyer"
 Davis nodded, frowning at the memory of one or two defeats he had suffered at Bristow's hands in the legA arena.
 'T concede his predilections and his abil- ity," he admitted "but why should he dis appear on the heels of this girl? I am assured by no less authority than Dr. Craig that he is in love with her. There's no folly like lovers folly, you know
 The colonel snorted wrathfully.e "Dr. Craig! Why can't people mind their own business?"
 My dear colonel,' responded Davis, "I have heard from a widely travelled man that he never knew of but one time when he found everybody .minding his own business that was on shipboard and everybody was too sick to attend to each others affairs"
 What if Gordon is in love with the girl?" The colonel waved an argumentative finger. "He shows internally good taste. Circumstances point strangely to her as the slayer of her father, but circumstances are not always reliable, and have known them to alter many cases, even in court"
 *
 The prosecutor smiled in ironical assent.
 What IS your opinion?" he asked. not unkindly.
 There IS possibility responded the colonel with less heat, 'that some member of the band with which the dead man was animated committed the crime and ab- ducted the girl. But as for Gordon. he grew up under my own eyes and I know him better than most fathers know their sons. Take my word for it, Rod. he will he able to explain everything to our satisfac ton when he returns"
 "Perhaps-when he returns" said the prosecutor with unconcealed skepticism.
 Colonel Bainbridge was framing an irate retort when a messenger boy entered with telegram. The old lawyer tore open the envelope and ran his eyes hastily across the typewriter lines. When he looked up the angry light in his face had been replaced by one of satisfaction and triumph
 "Gordon has found the girl and is bring ing her here on the next train "He says she is innocent-that she did not know of