Evening star., 1923-10-14
THE DOUBLE CHANCE
Fascinating Wrongly accused
BY T. S. FLETCHER
Author OF "Rayner,Slade Amagamaion" etc

his forehead very badly in coming down
the other. After that he said they were
too steep and too narrow. and that ne d
been an old ass for having them made;
and, to tell you the truth, sir, don't
think he ever used them again."
"An the same, they're both there, -
said Inspector Cortelyou.
"oh. they're both there, inspectoor,.. or. .
answered the butler. would you like
to look into this one, sir?'
'Tt's locked" said the detective.
1--WE tried it,
mo, it's not locked, sir" said
Dauncey. '"There isn't lock; it's
spring. See-this is 1t. You press your
finger there
He pressed projecting portion Of
the paneling, and the door flew open.
Inspector. Cortelyou saw a very mar mar
sfssr,S s3w stairWay air va the Of s dark wood gong
like to GO up it. sir:'' asked
Dauncey. 'If so, I'll go up first and
open the top door. There's plenty of
light from the gallery"
mot just now, thank ZEE" said In
spector Cortelyou. SHOW me the sim
liar stair in the library. will you?"
with pleasure, inspector" replied
the butler. But If you don't mind, sir.
Wen go round by the corridor. 1.-THE
fact is, / can't a-bear to pass my poor
creeps."
"Ah. I don't wonder" said the de-
tective. TITS very natural"
Dauncey led the way round TO the
library, and pointed out the companion
stairway. Then, at Inspector Cortel-
you's request, he took him up the great
staircase in the inner hall and showed
him the stairway doors in the gallery
"They all open the same way" re-
| marked the butler. demonstrating the
secret of the panel on each case. Like
to go down, now that you can see?'
mo" answered the inspector shut
| them up again. Now, look here. have
| you got such a thing as g. particularly
| strong lamp in the house-a very strong
| one?"
Dauncey could not think of anything
at first. but suddenly remembered hav-
! ing heard Fisher. the footman. talking
| In the servants hall recently of a very
| powerful bicycle lamp which he had just
bought. And he took Inspector Cortel-
| you down again. and sent for Fisher
and the lamp, and had its capabilities
| demonstrated.
/ And now don't let anybody disturb
possessing himself of the lamp, land
don't allow those stairway doors to be
| opened. Mr.. Dauncey. / want to ex-
anime those two places carefully"
Then he went back to the study and
| locked himself in again, and, coming
through to the library, he also locked
| the door of that apartment. And then
| with the aid of the acetylene lamp, he
| began an examination OF the staircase
! set in the walls-and he began with
| that in the library first.
| If any one had been there to watch
| him, Inspector Cortelyou's thorough
i ness and patience would have seemed
| as wearisome as it was amazing. Hour
| by hour went by. and found him going
| over every inch of the doors and the
walls of the staircases. The walls were
of smooth, highly polished wood. tbs
doors were paneled. He paid the most
scrupulous attention to the projections
| in the paneling which contained the
secret springs by which the doors
| opened peering at them and about
them through a pair of special glasses
| which he had produced from his pocket
| with as much anxiety as If he expected
| them to speak. And 1t was already
growing toward dusk when he at last
shut off the lamp In the quiet study
put his glasses in their case with g
| decisive snap. and knew that his labor
| had been successful.
| i've got him! I've got him. he
said triumphantly. "And I'll hang hin
! as sure as my names John Cortelyou"