Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-17

nelther the presence nor the absence
of Hollands employees would make any
difference to the writer.
X x
60 Holland decided to go alone Had
- he been told TO go alone, prudence
would have compelled that he be
watchfully escorted. But the careless
ness of the writer with regard to this
vital matter convinced Holland that
back of the letter lay genuineness OF
intent.
Lacking opportunity to find out
physical facts. he had logically de
duced spiritual facts.
Sanity and earnestness were obvious
In the phraseology of the note: gen
uineneSsd of purpose was indicate
by the writer's failure to take those
precautions which inevitably accom-
pany each malign invitation to a Sc
cret meeting.
Holland was not a regular church
goer. yet he possessed. of course, the
formal apparel required for attend
ance at a fashionable church.
And II st. Andrews was anything, 1t
was fashionable. And then, even as
he was brushing his high hat. he
changed his mind.
He was conceited; he knew that he
was as prone to error as any one else.
Although those unwritten things in
the letter seemed to point to a Ger.
tain sincerity on the part of the writer,
there was always the possibility that
Malbron might be it's author.
In which case the less conspicuous
Holland was the more certain his
safety. Instead of the formal clothing
dictated by custom, he wore a blue
sack suit and plain gray hat.
II Malbron intended evil, Holland
would not be quite such shining
mark for bullet.
Fifth avenue he smiled at his owr
precautions.
If Malbron intended TO emerge, OF
murder bent from that haven in the
underworld into which he had fed
some weeks ago, he would not do so or
shining Sunday morning on Fifth
avenue.
Night and some baser part of the
city would be the hour and scene OF
Malbron's temperance.
However, though he found cause for
mirth in his own fears, he respected
those fears exactly as he would have
respected the fears Of another man
whom he knew not TO be overtimor-
Gus. He was as alert as he entered
the church as he would have been AT
entering a known haunt of the arch
criminal.
1t was that Indian Summer season
when fashion which has taken up its
Winter abode in the city flies to the
country for one last week end of golf
ST. Andrews held less than half of its
winter congregation this morning. So
that Holland had no difficulty at all in
getting the seat mentioned in the let
ter. The last few rows were vacant.
Sljnna6 int 10 laS
the right-hand side. He sat down in
the end seat.
Tense, he awaited a sign of some
sort. None came. An hour later
somewhat chagrined, he made his way
out from the gloom of the church into
the glare of Fifth avenue. He almost
expected a group of practical jokers-
his club contained members who
might not be averse TO having bit of
fun at his expense-to greet him with
jeers.
But nothing untoward met him.
Nor, though he fingered on the steps
until the last worshiper had departed,
did any one seek to attract his atten-
ton.
Well, despite all his logic, it had
been a joke. Not q very elaborate
joke. either. Whoever had planned it
had evidently been content to chuckle
quietly. He had not cared to force
his merriment upon Hollands notice.
x y x
HOLLAND looked at his watch. He
had planned a days golf. There
would not be many more Sundays like
this-Fall would soon merge into Win
ter.
Well. he could catch a train, first
snatching luncheon at the station,
and get in IS holes.
Tomorrow he would let some one in
the Office study the anonymous letter.
And next week Hansen might be able
to do something with II.
In the meantime, he'd forget il.
But next morning when he awoke
Holland found that the letter still oc.
cupied his thoughts. Unless all his
logic was at fault. it had been written
by no practical joker. Some one had
wanted him to attend st. Andrews
for weighty reason. That the some
one" had failed to come forward, had
failed to communicate in any way
with Holland, did not necessarily dis
prove the detectives logic.
And then with the advent of the
morning paper he forgot for the mo-
ment the mysterious letter.
For the paper was extremely inter.
esting.
Torrance Calvert had been murdered
on Madison avenue
Calvert was the son and heir of one
OF the wealthiest bankers in. New
I ork. His death would have been a
news story; his murder was a matter
that called for screaming headlines.
Entirely aside from his professional
interest in all crime, Holland felt a
personal interest in this murder For
he had played golf once with the
young man; he had handled. with sue
cess, case for the elder Calvert.
Eagerly he read the voluminous &C.
counts of the murder. which, boiled
down. amounted to this:
Calvert had attended st. Andrews
yesterday morning. He had left the
church with Oran B. Morphew, the
traction magnate. They had walked
north on Fifth avenue as far as Fifty
sixth street. Here they had turned
east. Morpheus residence was just
few doors from Madison avenue
Morphew assembled the steps and Cal
vert continued toward Madison ave
nue.. AS the traction man rang his
doorbell he heard a shot from the di-
rection of Madison avenue. AS he
explained to reporters. it might
have been the back-f1re of a