The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-23
THE RIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, BY T. Fl. Hanshe,v

Narkom. knew the ways Of his; famous
ally and sat silent till LennaTd pulled up.
the Limousine in front of G1eer cottage.
They alighted and Narkom was followed
by complete a specimen of a French
dandy as could be found in Paris.
A minute more and Cleek was in the
house-in the presence of Hammond and
Petrie-and Naxkom introduced him as IN.
Georges de LespGsre, distinguished French
eriminelogist."
Asked by Narkom if the house had been
searched. Hammond said:
Been from the top to the bottom Of it
me and Petrie and the constable here-and
not soul in it anywhere
"Ah, the constable, eh?" interjected
Cleek "You shall tell me, please, Mr.. Mar
kem, is this the constable who was at the
chasing the man in at the other? All, it
is, eh? Well--er-shall not we see the
keeper. too? Where is he?"
"Who-the keeper" said Narkom.
"Baest if know. Is he about my lads"
~Na. sir. Never thought of the beggar
until this moment, sir"
%Ner did L. said Narkom. "No doubt he
has gone back to the common and Why
are yosa smiling? Good God! shall I send
for the fellow? Do you want to see him."
''Yes, MIR. &arkom-if you can find him!
But you can't, Monsieur. What you will
find will be the real keeper, either dead or
stunned OF gagged. and his coat and hat
and badge removed by the man who per-
sonated him.
You don't mean to say
That you had the real criminal in your
hands and let him 60. 1t is the old trick of
that fellow who was called the Vanishing
Craftsman to knock down the fellow who
first gives the alarm, rip off his clothing.
and then lead the hue and cry until there's
chance to steal away"
In sort of panic Narkem turned to his
men and sent them flying from the house
to investigate tins startling assertion. Cleek
walked into the room where that awful
dead figure hung. He had taken but one
step across the threshold when he stopped
suddenly and began taA sniff the air.
God Lud, mani should say monsieur"
exclaimed the superintendent agitatedly,
surely you cannot find anything suspi-
cieus in the atmospheric?
There is distinct sdar Of eielets in the
room; 50 that we may set It down that a
woman has been here. 1t does ret emanate
from the dead man."
Geek d-oapeA on his knees, examining
every inch of the flooring with the aid of
pocket torch and a magnifying glass. For
some moments nsthing came Of this; but
of a Sudden NaFkem saw hin eeme to an
ab,-uvt halt. He brought his nose close to
the dirty boards, shifted again, hlew aside
the dust, and exposed to view grease spot
not bigger than chi4d's thanb nail
"Huile vi0letteY. he said. No wonder
the scent of vielets fingered Leeks here is
another spot-ana here another, he added
blowing the dust away and creeping On all
tours.
ooh, know this stuff well. nay friend.
he went on. +lFor many years its manu-
faetnre was a secret known only to the
Spanish menks whG Carried it with them to
Argentina and established there q meEas-
terry celebrated as the only source from
which this essential Oil could be procured
"Argentina?'' repeated NarkeHa, agitat-
eGiy.
|GeRsfy, Mr., Narkonl. 1 said 'could,'
recoNeet. 1t is still the chief point OF IT'S
manufacture, but the Turks low naanafAe-
ture an altar of violets just as they have
for years manufactured an altar of roses
= 1t is enormously expensive; for the verHese
drop of it is sufficient. with the necessary
addition of alcohol, to manufacture half a
mint of perfume. AT one time 1t WAS a
favorite trick of great ladies to wear en-
bracelet a tiny golden capsule containing
two or three drops of it and supplied with
a minute jeweled stopper attached TO
slender golden chain. l knew one woman
al, 1rb0 Tf0G1aSSQd SuCh