The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-10-31

bring me into Millvale just about daylight"
 The bell boy regarded him cu- riously.
 Tt would" he said, "be a long way to go if the man had given Q phoney address. Lots of them do. you know"
 The bell boy grinned with the worldly wisdom of a youth who has made his living in and about hotels.
 Sidney Griff nodded thoughtfully. He handed the boy another $5 bill. He went to the telephone booth and put through call for the po- lice headquarters at Millvale. Within 10 minutes he had them on the line.
 You have city directory there. as well as a register of voters ?" he asked. ''This is Sidney Griff, the criminologist."
 What is it you want?" asked gruff voice at the other end of the line.
 q want to find out whether you have Harry Fancher registered III IOWIl, WIldt HIS OCCupdtlOu lS, and where he lives"
 Hold the line" said the voice, with a weary lack of curiosity, en- a mere matter of daily routine.
 After a moment the voice came over the wire.
 "Yes, there's a Harry Fancher registered. He lives at 1892 Ken wood avenue, and he's an inventor and machinist."
 Thank you," said Griff, and hung up.
 Harry Fancher, attired in tow seled pajamas, with his hair in wild disarray. regarded Sidney Griff with meek brown eyes.
 Did I get you up?' asked Griff, smiling cordially.
 Harry Fancher nodded his head, then added after a moment, I'm sorry"
 Griff raised his eyebrows. Fan cher went on to explain.
 "I shouldn't have slept so late" he said. Usually I'm up earlier but, this being Sunday morning, I stayed in bed"
 Griff regarded the man with cu- rious, speculative eyes.
 'I am the one who should make the apologies" he said. flor dis turbing you at this hour. But drove all night in order to get here night"
 ''To see me?" asked Fancher. that is, the best part of the raising his brows.
 Exactly" Sidney Griff agreed.
 Wont you come in?"
 Fancher led the way into the house, his slippers sliding along the floor. He waved a hand and indicated chair in the sitting room.
 'Im sorry" he said, "the room looks like this. It's just they way left it when I went to bed last night. I do quite bit of reading and research work, and Pm not al- ways tidy about putting my books back"
 Griff surveyed the filtered table and picked up one of the trade magazines at random.
 You're an inventor, I believe" he said. :.
 Well" Fancher said. 1T don't know as you could call me that. I'm a tinkerer. like to tinker with things"
 Did you know Frank B. Cathay of Riverview?" asked Griff.
 There was a flicker of fire in the meek brown eyes.
 "He had be come on wild goose chase all the way to the city" Fancher remarked. If he didn't want to finance my invention. why didn't he say so in the first place? Why did he go to the trouble of writing me letter and telling me how wonderful he thought my in- vention was. and then fail to keep the appointment he made with me?"
 "He wrote you?" asked Griff.
 "Yes"
 "Have you his letter available?" Griff inquired.
 "Why, yes, think so."
 "I wonder if I could see it?"
 Fancher's slippered feet made shuffling sounds as he crossed to writing desk. He opened the desk and turned to the criminologist.
 'I'm sorry" he said. about the condition of this desk. I haven't been able to get at my filing for a few days. It's in pretty much of a litter.''
 "Quite all right" Griff said. Don't bother to apologize"
 The inventor fumbled around through papers, finally brought out an envelope. From it he took a letter.
 Here it ish," he said.
 Griff examined the letter care fully. It was written on the sta tionery of Frank B. Cathay, sta tionery which read simply, FRANK B. CATHAY = INVEST First National Bank Building, Riverview."
 There followed date line, with the name of the city and state The letter, which was addressed to Harry Fancher, at Millvale, read,
 Dear MT Fancher: I have been very much interested in your cor respondence relating to your new static eliminator for radios. While, ordinarily, I do not finance inven- tions. would be very glad to have a discussion with you for the pur- pose of ascertaining upon what | profitable basis we can arrange for the manufacture and sale of your device.
 Will you please meet me at Hill crest Hotel on Monday. the 18th of March, at the hour of 10 o'clock D. m? will be glad to Ro into
 I