The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-12-17

/ but at this present moment am
the most hOpelessly puzzled and badly
frightened man in London"
He half turned IN the big chair to
face his visitor, who now was stand
ing before the fireplace staring down
at him.
'One day last month"; he resumed
Il got out of my car in a big hurry
at the top of the Haymarket A fool
on a motorcycle passed between the
car and the sidewalk lust as 1 stepped
| down, and 1 knew nothing further
until l woke up in a drug store close
/ by, feeling very dazed and with my
coat in tatters and my left arm
numbed from the elbow. A man was
! standing watching me. and presently
when I had pulled round he gave me
his card.
/ He was Sir Charles Abingdon, who
had been passing at the time of the
accident That was how 1 met him,
and as there was nothing seriously
wrong with me 1 saw him no more
| professionally. But he dined with me
a week later and had lunch at his
club about fortnight ago."
/ He looked up at Harley. ION my
solemn word of honor" he said, that's
/ all I know about Sir Charles Abing-
dom
Then I can only suppose. " resumed
| Harley deliberately that the cause
| of your fear lies in the term Fire
Tongue'?"
Brinn again rested his chin in his
hand, staring f1xedly into the CRATE.
Mr.. Harley" he began abruptly,
you have been perfectly frank with
me and in return I wish to be as
frank with you as 1 can be. I am
face to face with a thing that has
haunted me for seven years, and
every step I take from now onward
has to be considered carefully, for
any step might be my last And
that's not the worst of the matter.
I viii risk one of those steps here
and now. You ask me TO explain the
significance of Fire-Tongue there
was a perceptible pause before he
pronounced the word, which Harley
duly noticed). Il am going to tell you
that Sir, Charles Abingdon. when I
lunched with him at his club, asked
me precisely the same thing"
What! He asked you that so long
as two weeks ago?"
He did"
And what reason did he give for
his inquiry?"
Nicol Brinn began to tap the fender
again with his foot
He referred 10. an experience
which had befallen him in India"
| came Nicol Brinn's helated reply.
In India? May I ask you to re-
| count that experience"
Mr. Harley" replied Brinn. sud
denly standing up. L can't
/ You cant?"
II have said so. But I'd give a
lot more than YOU might believe to
/ know that Abingdon had told you
the story which he told me-"
You are not helping, Mr. Brinn."
/ said Harley, sternly II believe and
/ I think that you share my belief that
| Sir Charles Abingdon did not die
from natural causes. You are repress-
| ing valuable evidence. Allow me to
remind you that if anything should
come to light necessitating a post
| mortem examination Of the body. you
will be forced to divulge in a court
of justice the facts which you refuse
to divulge to me"
4 know it." said BIinn, shortly
He shot out one long arm and
| grasped Harley's shoulder as in a
vice. I'm counted a wealthy man."
he continued, but I'd give every cent
| I possess to see paid put to the bill
of a certain person. Listen. You
don't think I was in any way con-
/ cerned' in the death of Sir Charles
Abingdon? ut isn't thinkable. But
you do think I'm in possession Of facts
which would help you find out wha
is. You're right"
Good Cod" cried Harley yet
you remain silentl'
Not so loud-not so loudr i'm
plored Brinn. repeating that odd. al
| most furtive glance around. MFR.
| Harley-you know me- You've heard
| of me and now you've met me. You
| know my place in the world. Do you
believe me when I say that from this
moment onward don't. trust my own
servants? Not my own frfends?" He
removed his grip from Harley's Shout
der. "Inanimate things look like enc
mics. That mummy over yonder may
have ears"'
I'm afraid I don't altogether I'M
derstand you"
See herer'
Nicol Brinn crossed to a bureau,
unlocked it, and while Harley watched
him obviously, sought among a num-
Der Of press cuttings. Presently he
found the cutting for which he was
looking This was said" he ex-
planned, handing the slip to Harley,
at the Players Club in New York,
after a big dinner in pre-dry days.
| 1t was said in confidence. But some
disguised reporter had got in and it
came out in print next morning. Read
| it,
| Paul Harley accepted the cutting
| and read the following:
| NICOL BRINN'S SECRET AMBI-
TIONS
| Millionaire Sportsman Who Wants to
Shoot Niagara
Mr.. NicOl Brinn of Cincinnati, who
is at present in New York. opened
his heart to members of the Players
Club last night. Our prominent citi-
zen. responding to toast, THE Dis
tinguished Visitor" said:
I'D like to live through months of
midnight frozen in among the polar
ice; I'd ike to cross Africa from east
to west and get lost in the middle
I'd like to have a Montana sheriff's