The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-07-18

then, n II not liking the task, Roche
went over and placed his hand on the
Doctors shoulder. At his touch the
doctor stiffened. He knew too well
what 1t meant. Shaking off the hano,
he slowly rose and walked, with an
effort, TO where BARLEY stood.
"Mr. Barley" he said, his voice
trembling. will you shake hands with
me? l bear you no i'll will. It's 9
long journey before me-"
Into Bartley's eyes came a look Of
comprehendlng pity, and even ad-
miration. He grasped his hand and
silently the two men, one murderer.
the other the detective that had ap-
pretended him, looked into each 9TH
er's eyes Then slowly their hands
fell upart and Roche led Doctor King
from the room.
None Of us spoke until BARLEY
broke the silence by saying, almost in
whisper, Poor chap. God alone
knows what he has gone through"
Suddenly Currie demanded. John,
what about those states and that aw-
full ghost? l never was so scared In
my life"
For the first time a smile crossed
BartIey's face.
1.-THE slates7 Why I wrote the
messages"
"Youl But we washed them" Cur
rie exclaimed.
surely, you washed them That
was the whole trick. / wrote those
messages with a camel's hair brush
in hydrochloric acid with bit of zinc
in IL. When that mixture is washed
with water, the writing Is blotted out
until the slate dries again. You re-
member 1 always washed one side
first; that was the side with the writ
ing on it. Then l let you wash the
other; and, of course, that made you
sure that there was nothing on the
slate. Had you not seen Ii washed
with your own eyes? When the slate
peared."
Miss Potter had been sitting, over
come by what had taken place But
as Bartley's explanation ceased she
cried, Then I did not receive a mes
sage from Mr.. SlykeT'
mo, Miss Potter" BARLEY said
alphabetically, you did not. You
must forgive me. l knew that King
was guilty. and 1 had to make him
confess by frightening or startling
him. He half believed in spiritual
ism. and / thought that If / could
stage a seance 1 might make him con-
fess. There was a medium In New
York l had once saved from jail and
I brought him here with two assist
ants"
But the rapsy she questioned.
''Oh, l produced the raps. Almost
all Of that sort Of thing is fake. you
know. You remember that 1 had you
place your hand OF the table. Then
1 rose and turned out the lights
When came back 1 slipped you the
thumb and little finger Of my right
hand. You thought, of course, that
both my hands were being held They
were not. You only held one, while
the other was free to give the raps-
The medium was tied and gagged.
but you can't tie one of those chaps
SO surely that they cannot speak and
move when they want to-"
Currie gave a long sigh Of disap-
pointment Then 1 never saw 4 I
ghost at ALP
mo, Bob" came the answer. you
did not Everything was staged to
lead up to the words you heard that /
figure say. What you saw was one OF I
the mediums assistants painted with 1
so that he would glow in /
The dark. He was covered with a
black velvet bag. made in sections; /
md another man, wearing black 4.
gloves and a mask TO make him In 4
-isible. removed the sections of the 1
gag one by one This gave him the I
appearance of Undertaking. suddenly +
,ut of the air. The head was mask
from a photograph OF Slyke. !
When the figure vanished. the second
nan had simply covered him from
lead TO foot with a black cloth, thus
MIN from your Slsnl- Inc
Whole trick has been used again and
gain by so-called mediums"
Black rose to his feet saying, Mr..
sartley. you have solved three prob
ems by one solutiOn-the two muir
erS and the robbery"
AS BARLEY was about TO answer
he telephone rang and he left the
DOM as if he had anticipated the
leSSage. We could hear his cool.
DIV voice say. Yes. this is Mr.. Bart
". Yes. Roche. No. / am not sur
rised. Its the best thing. after all.
nat could have happened"
When he returned to US his face
as very grave and sad, yet with
of relief in it.
Roche tells me-" he said slowly.
that when he reached the station
ing was dead. Suicide"
The news did not startle me- /.
70. felt relieved BARLEY was silent
moment. playing with the bag be
re him on the table. Suddenly he
Used his head