Nogales international., 1932-01-09
NINTH NSTALMENT
SYNOPSIS

Robinson and his sister, Alice, ana LIT.
Sperry, friends and, neighbors, are in the
habit Of holding weekly meetings. At one OF
them. Mrs Dane, who is hostess, varies the
program by unexpectedly arranging spirit.
ualistic seance with Mise Jeremy, friend OF
DR. Sperry and not professional, as the
At Tie first sitting the medium tells the
details Of a murder as it is occurring. Later
that night Sperry learns that neignDor'
Arthur Wells, has been shot mysteriousy'
At second seance, Miss Jeremy adds
details about summer resort where
Charles Ellingham was known to have been
at the same time that Mrs. Wells was
there. She also speaks Of a pocketbook
being lost which contained some impor-
tant car tickets and letters Mrs. Dane
alone of the women, seems thrilled oy the
investigation.
Johnson goes alone and investigates the
deserted house. He is frightened by strange
noises, as of an intruder in the house, but
completes his investigation.
He visits Mrs. Dane and tells her nov 10Y.
he had carried off the. hre-tongs and LETT
behind his overcoat in his excitement. Sne
then tells him she had advertised Tor the
finder of the pocketbook and turns over 10
Johnson an answer she had received from
~ Snerr1 announces he is to be married
to Miss Jeremy when the club meets again.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
cnerrv turned to me when he had
cone out. "That was Hawkins, Hor-
Ace" he said. "You remember. don't
YOU? The Wellses' butler"
II knew him at once"
"He wrote to me asking for posi-
zion and I got him this. Looks sick,
poor devil. I intend to have go at
his chest -
"How long has he been here"
"More than a week, think"
As.I drank my tea, I pondered.
After all, the Neighborhood Club
must guard against the possibility. OF
! fraud and | felt that Sperry had
I been indiscreet, to say the least. From
the time of Hawkins service in Miss
Jeremys home there would always be
the suspicion of collusion between
! them. did not believe it was so, but
( Herbert, for instance, would be in
clined to suspect her. Suppose that
Hawkins knew about the crimel Or
| knew something and surmised the
rest?
I was uneasy all the way home.
The element of doubt always so i'm
rninent in our dealings with psychic
phenomena. had me BY the throat
| How much did Hawkins know? Was
there any way, without going to the
police, to find if he had really beer
out of the Wells house that night. now
almost two weeks ago, when Arthur
i Wells had been killed?
That evening | went to Sperry'!
house, after telephoning that | wa:
coming. On the way | stopped iii a
Mrs Danes and secured something
from her. She was wildly curious, anc
made me promise to go in on my WAY
! back, and explain. | made a com
! promise.
Il will come in if I have anything
to tell you" l said
Sperry was waiting for me in hi
library, standing by the fire, with th'
grave face and slightly bent head O.
his professional manner.
Il wonder" l said, 'if you KEEP
! the letter Hawkins wrote you when n
asked for a position"
He was not sure. He went into hi
consulting room and was gone TO
some time | took the opportunity Il
| glance over his books and over tn
room
Arthur Weiss sticl, was standinl
in a corner, and l took it up ant
examined it. 1t was an English NAL
acca, light and strong and had sect
service. 1t was long, too long for NE
it occurred to me that Wells had bee;
about my height, and that it was od'
that he should have carried so long
stick. There was no ease il SWingin!
it.
From that to the memory of Haw
kin's face when Sperry took it, tn
NIGHT of the murder, i'll the hall 0
the Wells house, was only a step.
seemed that day to be thinking con
siderably about Hawkins.
When Sperry returned | laid tn
stick on the table. There can be n
doubt that | did so, for l had &
move book-racle to place it. One end
the handle, was near the ink-well, an
the ferrule lay OF a copy of Gibson
Life Beyond the Grave" which
Sperry had evidently been reading.
Sperry had found the letter. AS
glanced at it I recognized the writing
at once, thin and rather sexless. Spen
cerian.
Dear Sir: Since Mr.. Weiss dealt
I am out of employment. Before
took the position of butler with Mr.
Wells l was valet to Mr.. Ellinghan
and before that, in England, to Lor'
Condray. I have very good lette
of recommendation from Lord Cond
ray. If you need a servant at thi
time I would 90 my best to give sat
isfaction.
(Signed) ARTHUR HAWKINS.
put down the application, and too
the anonymous letter about the ba
from my pocketbook. "Read thi;
Sperry," / said. "You know the letter
Mrs. Dane read it to US Saturda
night. But compare the writing .
He compared the two, with a sligo
lifting Of his eyebrows. Then he pu
them down. Hawkins" he saic
"Hawkins has the letters! And tn
: bar! The question now is 70 Whot