New Britain herald., 1924-10-24

nj Was quite evident that the foreman kept a sharp eye on me. I wondered what would happen if attempted to leave the factory.
 It was not until all the hands had gone that the foreman told me 10 come with him. We didn't go to the ordi. nary office. but to the private ofiice of the firm. where the secret recipes for the making of the pickles were kept, and where new ones were discussed and tried. Moss. the two other part ners, and Rawson were there If was dreary room, the two windows being higher than one's head. Only by standing on bench could you see out of them. r-- You dropped that bottle on pur. pose" said Moss, glaring at me savage ly. Why? Whats your game? Who are you? Out with it. F felt pretty safe with Rawson there. The rest of them looked rather a formidable proposition.
 Why should drop 1t on purpose ?" That's what we mean to find out" Moss answered.
 Rawson was looking at me search ingly, and with sudden wave of his hand he took command of the situation. You know who I am my man?" said I did.
 Speak then. Did you drop that bot tie on purpose?"
 Yes"
 "Why?'
 T thought it might help you to clear up the mystery here" I suppose it was the foreman who threw his arm across my throat from behind, and intuitively I must have been prepared for the attack. or the backward jerk might have broken my neck At this moment pandamonium was let loose. There was a blood curdling yell in the passage without, and at the same moment a fierce smashing Of glass. Half a dozen heads appeared at the two windows. The men must have been standing on a bench on the path outside.
 Stand where you are or we'll shoot the lot of you,' came the command.
 The next instant the door was burst open. I saw the bargee who had sat waiting for the return of his mats with the tug literally hurl himself across the room at Moss. Then Mrs. Wheeler rushed at Rawson.
 Tt pays to have confederate some times,' she cried. It was Mrs. Wheeler, out not her voice. The voice was Screed's.
 In spite of a Turkish bath, Betty de. clared that l smelt of pickles when went to the teashop next day to meet Screed. "The barge was a good idea" he chuckled. Tt enabled me to have my men waiting on the spot.",
 "Oh, you are always full of ideas. Jerry Betty said, but why didn't you take on the factory job instead of MT. Yates?"
 Because was feeling for evidence. and could not be bound to one spot. There have been big jewel robberies for some time past. Sometimes men have been caught but the jewels have gone, Quite a small incident in recent case turned my eyes on Chalworth. Almost directly afterwards came the tragedy at the factory. Rawson had the case in hand' curiously enough he had handled several Of the jewel cases. noted the fact in passing only until found out how he was handling this case. He was far too sharp man to be so futile l thought 1t possible that Moss's monev had tempted him not to be too sharr on this occasion. tested my main idea by going openly to the factory as Hardy's aunt and asking for work. let Moss know I was anxious to fn1 out the truth. I was refused job, as expected I should be. so I got Mir Yates to go. It was no good telling him what to look for. I could not be definite. but as he told things to the old lady. lodger she did her best to suggest subtly what his line of action should be. Mir. Yates. was quite smart. He discovered that the key to the tragedy was tho breaking of a bottle of pickles Rawson, Moss, and half dozen othel men were in it. Certain pickle bottles dispatched abroad have had jewels in them. Quite clever method of get ting them out of the country. Hardy broke a bottle by pure accident, anG in cleaning up the mess found some stones. He showed them to Finley, and together they took them to Nose He saw that discovery was imminen, and communicated at once with his partners, Rawson being one of them.'
 "RaTson partner!" exclaimed Betty.
 Yes. and he showed himself a very smart man indeed. Both men were. murdered to save the secret. Finley was allowed to float in the river: Hardy was in the river, too, at the bottom heavily weighted. His body has been dragged up this afternoon. When Raw son had the river dragged that partieu. lar spot where there is deep hole was carefully left out. Hardy had dis It was natural to assume he was the murderer Oh; Rawson is clever"
 Tt seems dreadful that g man like 
 My dear. there are villains in every profession. even in the church."
 You must make comic woman, Jerry"
 'Comis! Mir. Yates thought me a dear old soul and never suspected me. not even when he followed me to the factory that night"
 You knew!" I exclaimed.
 Part of the game, Mir. Yata Spurred you on to action, very muci iouht if ChalWorth Al. Pickles vii: continue to be on the market"