The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-08

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II thought I saw her lean over
the coat and I suppose I made a
noise She came over to the
bed and L It's awfully hard to
explain!
zone moment the woman was
looking down at me with great
angry eyes and then she seemed
to float away I felt prick in
my arm.
"I opened my eyes and she was
still there, then I slept again or
dozed until just now when you
came in. God! How the room
SWimS!"
Don't talk any more" Matrcs-
ser enjoined.
1t seemed a needless command,
for the man had closed his eyes
and was breathing heavily. Mat
reSSer crossed the room, picked
up the Norfolk jacket and thrust
his hand into the pocket which
Fergus had indicated.
He brought out two strips of
cardboard cut through the middle
and a sheet of oilcloth cut into
four squares. The place where the
letter had been was clearly indi-
Gated. But there was no letter!
SINISTER OBJECT
MatresSer stole back on tiptoe
to the bed. Fergus had closed his
eyes and seemed to be still doing
heavily.
Cautiously his visitor stretched
out his hand, stopped, picked up
from the carpet a sinister looking
small object which seemed to have
rolled an inch or two under the
bed.
He turned it over between his
fingers. It was a clinical syringe,
curiously shaped. He looked at 1t
more closely. After all, it might
be harmless.
Suddenly Fergus spoke-thickly,
eagerly-but there was a sort of
film over his eyes and his voice
was indistinct.
"You have it all right, sir?"
Matresser thrust the oilcloth,
the cardboard and the syringe into
his pocket.
Everything all right, Fergus"
he said. TRY and drop off to
sleep if you can"
The man on the bed drew sigh
Of relief. His breathing become
more regular. He slept.
The doctor was in the inner SUR
gerry making UP bottle of medi-
cine. MatreSser watched until he
had finished, then he drew him
back into the cosy sitting room.
II am going to let you into a
secret, Andrews" he announced.
"Your patient upstairs was bring.
ing a rather important letter down
to me from an official source in
London.
He was attacked on the road,
but he seems to have got down
here all right"
"The DEVIL" the doctor muir.
INJURED. HAS he handed the letter
over?"
"He thinks he has," Matresser
replied, "but as a matater of fact
he hasn't. It appears to have been
stolen"
IT can't follow you," Andrews
said simply.
LETTER GONE
"Trifle confusing, isn't it?"
Matresser observed. well then,
this is what happened. Fergus
his name is Fergus-told me in
which pocket of his coat to find
the letter.
I searched that pocket and I
found the oilcloth in which the
letter had been enclosed carefully
cut open, also the pieces Of card
board. The place where the letter
should have been was there. The
letter itself was gone"
; who does he think could have
got at it?"
"He doesn't know that it was
not there" MatresSer explained,
patiently. Listen, Andrews. The
mans ill-I'm sure of that. He
needs sleep and rest.
"He would not get either if ]
told him that the letter had been
stolen. I let him think, therefore,
that it was in my pocket and that
his job had been safely accom-
piiShed.
"You must back me up if he asks
any questions"
IF the letter was Of any impor.
tance." the doctor observed, you
are being very decent about it,
Mattresses"
Not at all. There is nothing
to be gained by worrying Fergus
and I am not at all sure that he is
pulling through quite as well AS
you think. However, that's not
the point for the moment.
Accepting his story of the whole
affair, which I am willing to do
without reservation, who is there
who has had a chance Of stealing
that letter."
CHAPTER VIII
Andrews reflected on the queS-
ton of who stole the letter.
THE person who attacked him