The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-01-23
nEGIN n,nn ronAY

Paul Harley. criminal investigator.
"a engaged BY Sir Charles Abingdon
10 inNoatigate the reason OF the sur
NeillAneo 90 Sir Charles by persons
dining az the Abingdon home. sir
charles falls from hts chair In a dy-
ing condition The last words utter-
cd By Abingdon are "Nicol nrlnn''
and "Flre~Tongue."
Or MeMurdoch pronouneea death
duo Go heart-failure. Harley insists
that Sir Charles WAS poisoned and
calls on Niool hfinn 60 ask him the
meaning 81 Fire Tongue" nrinn
admits that he learned ia meaning
IN india but refuses TO divulgo his
secret,
Paul investigates ths life Of Or
nu4 Khan, an Oriental with whom
PM Abingdon. daughter OF Sir
Charles, Is friendly.
Now co ON WITH THE STORY
When. presently tho eobbler
emerged from the elevator. below.
he paused before leaving the hotel to
mop HIS perspiring brow with a large.
sollcd handkerchief. The perfume OF
hyaclnths seemed 10 have pursued
him. bringing with Il a memory OF
tho handsome. effeminato ivory faco
Of tho man above. fe was recalled
10 his senses By tho voice OF tho i'm.
pudcnt page.
been kicked out. gov'norf'' tho
youth inquired. You're tho third
this morning"
IT'S that sos answered Parker.
who wcre tho other two. lad7"
The girl wot comes 20 do his nails.
A stunn!n' bird. too, She came down
cryin' a few minutes ago. Then"
shut up. Chlversr' cried tho hall
porter, ''You'rc asking for the sack.
and I'm the man 10 get Il for you"
Chiyers did not appear 90 DO vastly
perturbed by this prospect. and he
grinned agreeahly at Parker az the
latter made hia way out Into the
courtyard.
Any one sufficiently interested 90
have done so might have found mat.
ter for surprise had he followed tina;
conscientious bootmakcr as he left
tho hotel lie did not proceed 20 tho
shop % Mr., Jarvis. but. crossing the
Strand. mounted a ely,bound motor
bus and proceeded eastward upon Il
as far as tho Law Courts. Here he
dismounted aud plunged into that
rnazs Of tortuous lanes which dis.
scc,s the triangle formed By Chan.
Gerry Lane and HoIborn.
Ills step was leisurciy. and once
he stopped 20 light his pipe. peering
with interest into the shop window
OF law stationeF. Finally no camo
to another lille shop which had once
formed part OF private house. II
was OF the lookup variety. and upon
the gauxe blind which concealed the
interior appeared tho words; The
chancory Agency"
Whether the chancery Agency was
a press agency. n literary or a dfa,
matte agency. was not specified. but
Mr. Parker was evidently well nc.
qualnted with the establishment. for
he unlocked the door with key
which he carried and. entering tiny
shop. closed and locked the door be-
hind him again.
The place was not moro than ten
yards SQUARE and tho ceiling was
very low. II was barely furnished as
an office. but evidently Mr.. Parker'a
business was not Of nature TO de.
tain him here. There was q second
door TO be unlocked: and beyond II
appeared a flight Of narrow stairs
az some time the servants stair OF
the partially demolished house which
had occupied that site In former Gays
Relocking this door in turn. Mr.
Parker mounted the stair and pres.
entity found himself In a spacious and
weiifurnIshed bedroom.
This bedroom contained an extra
ordinary number OF wardrohes. and