The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-02-17
CHAPTER IX-Continued

y
HE got to the foot of the staircase
Richard Fleming, mean." she was
facing the detective, now, "and he
had the blueprint you've been talking
about I had told him Jack Bailey
was here as the gardener and he said
II I screamed he would tell that. I
was desperate. threatened him with
the revolver but he took it from me.
Then when / tore the blueprint from
him-he was shot-from the stairs"
"By Baileyr' interjected Beresford
Rngrily.
81 didn't even know he was in the
housed" Bailey's answer was as in
slant as IT was hot. Meanwhile the
doctor had entered the room, hardly
noticed, in the middle of Dale's con-
fession, and now stood watching the
scene intently from a post by the
door.
"What did you do with the blue
printY" The detectives voice beat
at Dale like a whip.
II put it first in the neck of my
dress" she faltered. "Then. when
I found you were watching me, 1 hid
1t, somewhere else"
Ibid you give 1t to Bailey"
"No-I hid it-and then told where
II waste the doctor" Dale swayed
on her feet. All turned supposedly
toward the doctor. Miss Cornella rose
from her chair.
The doctor bore the battery of eyes
unfiinchingly.
That's rather Inaccurate" he said,
with a tight little smile. you told
me where you had placed 1t, but when
I went to look for 1t, 1t was gone"
"Are you quite sure of thatr
queried Miss Cornelia acridly.
The doctors voice gained strength.
Absolutely" he said. He ignored
the rest of the party, addressing
himself directly to Anderson.
"She said she had hidden 1t inside
one of the rolls that were on the tray
on the table," he continued, in tones
of easy explanation, approaching the
table as he did so, and tapping 1t
had brought for Miss Cornelia.
"She was in such distress that I
finally went to look for 1t. 1t wasn't
there"
do you realize the significance of
this paper" Anderson doomed, at
once.
Nothing, beyond the fact that Miss
Ogden was afraid 1t linked her with
the crime" The doctors voice was
very clear and firm.
Anderson pondered an instant.
Then
''Fd like to have a few minutes
with the doctor alone" he said, SOM
berly.
The group about him dissolved at
once. Miss Cornelia, her arm around
her niece's waist, led the latter gently
to the door. AS the two lovers passed
each other a glance flashed between
them-a glance, pathetically brief, of
longing and love. Dale's finger-tips
brushed Bailey's hand. gently, in
passing.
''Beresford," commanded the detec-
tive, take Bailey to the library and
see that he stays there"
Beresford tapped his pocket with
a significant gesture and motioned
Bailey to the door. Then they, too,
left the room. The door closed. The
doctor and the detective were alone.
The detective spoke at once-and
surprisingly.
doctor, I'll have that blueprint! !"
he said sternly, his eyes the color
of steel.
The doctor gave him wary little
glance.
But I've just made the statement
that I didn't find the blueprint" he
reaffirmed fatty.
81 heard your Anderson's voice
was very dry. snow this situation
is between you and me, Doctor Wells"
His forefinger sought the doctors
chest. at has nothing to do with
that poor fool of cashier He hasn't
got either those securities or the
money from them, and you know it.
It's in this house, and you know that,
too! Tonight, when you claimed to
be making a professional call, you
were in this house-and think you
were on that staircase when Richard
Fleming was killed!'
"No, Anderson, I'll swear l was
mott" The doctor might be acting,
but If he was, it was Incompatible
acting. The terror in his voice
seemed too real to be feigned.
But Anderson was remorseIess.
"Pll tell you this" he continued.
Miss Van Gorder very cleverly got
a thumb-print of yours tonight. Does
that mean anything to your"
His eyes bored into the doctor-the
eyes of poker-player, biuffing on a
hidden card. But the doctor did not
finch.
Nothing" he said, firmly. 81 have
not been upstairs In this house In
three months"
The accent of truth In his voice
seemed Sc unmistakable that even
Anderson's shrewd brain was puzzled
by IT. But he persisted in his at
tempt to wiring a confession from this
last suspect.
Before COurtleigh Fleming died
did he tell you anything about hid
den room in this house" he queried
cannily. "You haven't been trying to
brighten these women out of here with
anonymous letters so you could get
inY
mo. Certainly not" But again
the doctors air had that odd mixture
Of truth and falsehood in it.
The detective paused for an instant.
Let me see your key-ring!" he
ordered. The doctor passed it over
silently. The detective glanced at Nhe
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