The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-02-10

imprint Of a mans right thumb-the
doctor's-stood out on the paper be-
low the broken line Of writing. The
doctor had not noticed the staining
OF his hand, by the blackened bag
handle, or, noticing, had thought MOTH
ing of it-but the blackened bag-han-
die had been trap, and he had left
an indelible piece of evidence behind
him. 1t now remained to test the
value of this evidence.
"a thumb-print," muttered Ander-
son. s"Whose is it2"
doctor Wells" said Miss Cornelia
with what might have been a little
crow of triumph in any one not
Van Gorder.
Anderson looked thoughtful. Then
he felt in his pocket for magnifying
glass, failed to find 1t, muttered and
took the reading-glass Miss Cornelia
offered him.
TRY this" she said. my whole
case hangs on my conviction that that
print and the one out there on the
stair-rail are the same"
He went out, rather grimly, paper
and reading-glass in hand, to make
his comparison. 1t was then that
Beresford came in, new and slightly
rigid Beresford. and crossed to her
at once.
Miss Van Gorder," he said, all the
fiippancy gone from his voice, "may
1 ask you to make an excuse and call
your gardener here?'
Dale started uncontrollably at the
ominous words, but Miss Cornelia be-
trayed no emotion except in the in
creased rapidity of her knitting.
"The gardener? Certainly-if you'll
touch that BELL" she said pleasantly
Beresford stalked to the bell and
rang it. The three waited-Dale in
an agony of suspense. The detective
re-entered the room by the alcove
stairs, his mien unfathomable by any
of the anxious glances that sought
him out at once.
"It's no good, Miss Van Gorder," he
said quietly. "The prints are not the
same"
"Not the same!' gasped Miss Cor
nelia, unwilling to believe her ears
Anderson laid down the paper and
the reading glass with a little gesture
of dismissal.
"If you think I'm mistaken, TIL
leave 1t to any unprecedented person
or your own eyesight. Thumb-prints
never lie," he said in fiat, convinc-
ing voice. Miss Cornelia stared at
disappointment written large on
her features.
81 still believe 1t was the DOCTOR"
she said stubbornly-but her tones
were not the tones of utter conviction
which she had used before.
sand yet" said the detective, ruth
lessly demolishing another link in her
broken chain of evidence, "the doctor
was in this room tonight, according
to your own statement, when the
anonymous letter came through the
window"
Miss Cornelia gazed at him blankly,
for the first time in her life at loss
for an appropriately sharp retort. 1t
was true-the doctor had been here
in the room beside her, when the
stone bearing the last anonymous
warning had crashed through the win
dow pane. And yet
Billy's entrance in answer to Beres-.
ford's ring made her MID turn to
other matters for the moment. Why
had Beresford's manner changed so,
and what was he saying to Billy now?
"Tell the gardener Miss Van Gorder
wants him-and don't say we're all
here" the young lawyer commanded
the butler sharply. Billy nodded and
disappeared. Miss Cornelia's back
began to stiffen-she didn't like other
people ordering her servants around
like that.
The detective, apparently, had some
what of the same feeling.
II seem to have plenty Of help in
this casep' he said, with obvious sar-
casm, turning to Beresford.
There was a fateful pause, for an
instant, while Dale roved nervously
from one side of the room to the
other. Then Jack Bailey cane into
the room-alone.
He seemed to sense danger in the
air. His hands clenched at his sides,
but except for that tiny betrayal of
emotion, he still kept his servants
pose.
"You sent for mel" he queried of
Miss Cornelia, submissively, ignoring
the glowering Beresford.
But Beresford would be ignored no
longer. He came between them be-
fore Miss Cornelia had time to answer
"How long has this man been in
your employw he asked brusquely,
manner tense
Miss Cornelia made one final at
tempt at evasion.
"Why should that interest your"
she parted, answering his question
with an icy question of her own.
It was too late. Already Bailey
had read the truth in Beresfords eyes.
II came cnis evening"" he admitted
still hoping against hope that his
cringing posture of the servitor might
give Beresford pause for the moment
But the promptness of his answer
only crystallized Beresford's suspi-
cions.
Exactly" he said, with terse final
ity. He turned to the detective.
ave been trying to recall this
mans face ever since / came in to-
night" he said with grim triumph
snow, I know who he is"
WINho iS ha2o