Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-07-17
Iiyr' He was nervous ana he could NOT

| Tyr He was nervous and he could not
| conceal it.
"Well?" said the doctor.
From his memoranda book Devote
took out two pieces of paper. One of
them was that with the symbol of the
feathered serpent and the two words
1.-THE Sign" which once had been in
the possession Of Jim Hennepin; the
other was the check drawn by Comp
ton Parmalee to the order of his wife,
Brena Selcoss Parmalee, which she
had Endorsed. He placed this indorse-
ment up and not down as he put the
two pieces Of paper side by side upon
the table.
"Huh" said the doctor, bending
over them.
Peter looked up at him sharply.
That" said the doctor, putting
square-ended forefnger upon the
words '"The Sign
| "What?' asked Peter.
ut is an excellent example of an
attempt to disguise penmanship."
| DeWolfe felt it necessary to con-
tract his muscles to hold in an excla-
nation that had tried to leap from
| him.
THAT Is not the problem" said he.
"What is itY
1.-THE problem Is whether the same
hand wrote the words on these two
pieces of paper. Did they?"
did theyY repeated the doctor
scornfully. did you expect an answer
to that-at once-in a minute? Upon
the specimens you have brought? My
stars Man! There are only two words
on this piece"
II thought it would not require
much time
much timei" exclaimed the doctor.
"Well, it wouldn't require much time.
1t requires measurements, 1t requires
the microscope to pick out the arcs.
That is all. could get at it tomorrow
morning and in few hours"
Tonight" said Peter firmly. II
know that this sounds unreasonable.
Look here. 1t is worth thousand dol
lars for me to know tonight"
The doctor swallowed
''You want yes or no answerY
"And I want you to telephone me.
No matter what hour, shall be wait
ing. Here is my number. No matter
what hour. You understand. A thou
sand dollars"
The other swallowed again.
1T isn't worth thousand dollars"
ut is to me-" said Peter earnestly.
At half-past four in the morning,
when Peter was staring out at the first
color in the eastern sky, filled with
strange chill of sleepless night, his
! telephone rang at last.
He had his answer.
At half-past four in the after
noon five days later Brena Selcoss
walked into the office of Colby Pen
nington. She had come directly from
| the pier on the North river. Her face
was white, her sensitive lips moved
uneasily as If seeking to suppress
emotions of their own. Pennington
was moved by her presence
II am friend of Mr.. DeWolfe's."
she said. II have sent wireless adj
| dressed to him here. / have been on
the sea for eleven days"
Pennington held up the undelivered
envelope.
'Are you Miss Selcoss?" he asked.
''Well. Peter DeWolfe sent you cable
gram-something about advising you
to delay your coming. You had start
ed. Too bad. Just now Mr.. Dew olfe
| is out of town."
"Out of town.
"Why, yes. He went a few days
ago. He had something to investigate.
| We rather expected to hear from him.
He went off in a hurry-some hurry
and furry. l believe he had received
some kind of message"
Pennington stopped.
"For Gods sake what's the matterT
Brena Selcoss, leaning forward in
her chair, had thrown her arms upon
his desk and in the curve of one elbow
she had buried her face.
For a moment she appeared as life
less as If she had been struck crash
| ing blow upon the head.