Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

Il HAb 'IAAa
ttem?" .A.
!, 81 recovered the letters, all right,
and I had them, until a. little while
ago." replied Bradley, when Mr.. elf.
ford took them from me at the point
of gum"
The woman turned upon Clifford.
You have the letters?"
Yes. But there's something crooked
here that you ought"
Give me the letters." she fran
tically interrupted. IT don't care what
happened between you and Mr. Brad
Clifford regarded the pretty little
fool. Whatever had. happened be-
tween the disappearance of the let
ters and the present moment. under
the existing circumstances the letters
should go to Mrs. Fownes. He handed
them to her. ;sr~
She jerked off the elastic band and
skinned each letter.
They're all here-ali 10 Of them
sh> sobbed in relief. She turned to-
ward Bradley. Il can't tell you
how grateful I am. I'll see you to-
morrow and pay your fee. I know
you'll understand that-just now-I
must get home and destroy these
dreadful things! Good nightr'
What that she was gone. Then
Bradley's voice broke the silence.
"You see, Clifford. the thing In a.
I told you. That letter Is genuine;
Mrs. Fownes' coming here has proved
that"
Clifford slumped into the chair at
HlArrsu ~ Ia
again her face puzzled him: In It he
sensed surprise. wonderment.
Clifford let his gaze drop to the
desk on which lay the carbon Of
Bradley's letter to Mrs. Fownes.
Mechanically, he read 1t. Then his
gaze moved to the desk drawer. open
before him. He noted in the drawer
the carbon copy of another letter to
Mrs. Fownes. Mechanically. he read
1t; 1t was identical in wording with
the first letter-6bviously Bradley had
And then the difference of Just one
detail shot through the fog Of Cliff.
ford's bewilderment. The letter In the
drawer was dated one day earlier
than the letter on the desk. F mi
A moment later he stood before
Bradley. a-se :,
1--WE told you, Bradley, that you
are the cleverest crook In the country.
I'm going to. tell you how you worked
this last trick" ~ 80.
I'm not interested. Clifford.
You are going to hear, just the
same. AS a detective you are in a DO
sition to learn about family skeletons.
You feared of these letters and hired
Fletcher to steal them. Your agents
began to frighten Mrs. Fownes into
paying for their return. Luck played
into your hands. Mrs. Fownes came
to you for help.
That much we know" Clifford
went on. You saw there was danger
of the letters being found on you be-
fore they had been turned over to Mrs.
Fownes in this $4,000 Matchmaking
scheme. You made this plan: Every
day you have typed this Identical let
ter"-Clifford tapped the carbon-''and
have left the sealed original in the
hands Of an accomplice, who 10 a ser.
want in this house. II anything broke
wrong, message from New York. q
code telegram, a signal-and within
two minutes your letter would be In
Mrs. Fownes' house, proving your
good faith. =
Before I came through those win
dows you had no intention of handing
over those letters. But you were
SL6PPSu. OO YOU Oh your
abb. Leaning against your desk-I
remember the business clearly now
you signaled your accomplice with
those push buttons. An instant later
your letter was on its way to Mrs.
Fownes. That's how 1t was 'donev'
Bradley yawned.
"A fantastic theory. Even II true
I've earned Mrs. Fownes' gratitude
and few Of $4,000 for professional
services"
49, And nd d d,ye saved her from paying
Even If true" Bradley mockingiy
continued. you'll have hard work
proving the thing to others"
I'm not going to try. It's enough
that you have proved to me what I've
believed-that you are the most adroit.
resourceful and ruthless criminal In
the country. / have slipped in this
case, but l have proof of what YOU
are. I'm going to get you, Bradley"
The two men looked at each other
unwaveringly. Both knew there was
to be no quarter.
Clifford turned to Mary Regain; now
pale, expreSSionless. st.
Miss Regain. I'm certain you are
through with Bradley. I'm going to
take you back with me-" -"
Clifford thought he saw a light of
impulse nash into her eyes. She
seemed to hesitate. Then that look
was gone and her face was expression.
less. 80
mo. thank YOU" ers"
"Tht should be CROUCH for youw
Bradley cried. i've beaten you in this
Fownes matter! And I've beaten you
out with Mary Regain! Mary Regain
and L. I guess YOU understand!
Now, get out of here!
A furious desire possessed Clifford
to cry out that Mary Regain was his
wife. But he held himself in check
and glanced across at Mary. She was
erect, staring breathlessly at
him. But she said nothing.
Clifford walked out into the night,
his whole being turmoil of deter.
mination. Oh. he'd get Bradley!
Somehow. somewhere-no doubt Of IT,
: But those strange looks he
had seen on Mary's face-particulariy
that strange look, almost of triumph,
when he had taken the letters from
could those looks
mean? What could they possibly, pos
sibly mean? Is
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