Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-14
Continued From Yesterdays starr
EIGHTEENTH INsrALLMENT.

~ ECAUSE Alva Cropsey thought
- he could do his deductive rea-
Soning better with a trout roc
| L. in his hand, he was late fol
supper. And because he was
| late for supper he again missed meeting
his mysterious fellow boarder.
Mr.. Watts had eaten and gone
straight to bed. With q headache.
Miss Malvina informed him as soon as
he set foot in the Apple Blossom.
Cropsey had his lamb outlet and
cherry turnover alone. Then he took
his coffee to the comparative quiet OF
the floor above.
Mr.. Watts door, he noticed as he
passed was closed.
Weighing the possibilities which the
situation afforded it became apparent
that wingchair in Miss Malvina's sit
ting room would give the best view OF
the short hall.
True to expectations, the door of Mr.
Watts room opened presently, and the
youngster in baggy golf trousers and a
sweater emerged. He had a Small-a
very small--muStache and light brown
hair. There was nothing to distinguish
him from 9 out Of any 10 young men
one might meet of morning in the
New York subways. Cropsey felt disap-
pointed. Even a mousy villain ought to
| look little villainous.
After a cautious survey. which en-
tirely failed to take cognizance of the
watcher in the wingchair, Mr.. Watts
tiptoed along the hall and down the
stairs.
Cropsey gave him full minute be-
fore he followed.
The young man had gone around the
side of the house toward the barn. He
returned presently pushing bicycle.
IN 10
but follow as rapidly as those same Ions
| legs could carry him and to trust to
| luck.
Luck has a feminine way Of accom-
modating those whose trust is egotls-
! tical enough. In Cropsey's case she pro-
vided a farmer going to Hales Crossing
in a Ford.
The managing editor asked for a lift
and got it. Rafting along beside the
gaunt, hard-faced New Highlander, ne
tried to make himself agreeable, and al
the same time to get on with his
sleuthing, but the moment he used the
word murder" his companion Shut up
like clam at low tide.
"Let me off at the Wood road" said
the exasperated Cropsey at last.
When the Ford came at last to a
jerky halt, the farmer seemed to have
arrived at a conclusion Of some sort
1UdT 5 LIE WODQ IUdu, pOllltllls W q
lane between rows of trees, but if you
be a stranger in these parts. take my
advice and keep often it-tonight."
Cropsey paused in the act of swing
ing himself out. why tonight?"
But the clam had retired into Its
shell again, and the best he could get
was a surly remark to the effect that
Hales Crossing folks was jest about sick
an tired of the goings on down that
way.
Proceeding as fast as he dared for
fear of missing the trail at the end OF
the first half mile he nearly overran his
quarry.
Mr.. Watts had been forced for some
reason to dismount He had stopped in
a patch of light which the early rising
moon had considerably let down
through the interlaced branches of the
trees, and was doing something to his
bicycle.
CropSey came to a precipitous halt In
a ditch half full of mud and water.
Mr. Watts seemed suddenly satisfied
with his repairing job, for he started of
again at heart-breaking speed.
The remaining two and half miles
to Brides House we're in the nature of
an endurance test, but they were
covered at last.
Cropsey judged it must be about a
quarter to 9, as having given the
low. white dwelling wide berth, hunter
and hunted began what seemed to be
an aimless circling Of The red barn. But