The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-09-01

TO suggest CnaJ MIS- 4diUcL1 AAu-
mapped herself?"
aOnly far enough to suggest that
the two abductions were planned
by the same understanding to q
similar pattern. -. / think, Inspec-
tor, that the time has come to con-
fesS that Mr.. Jaspar has not been
entirely frank with you. happen
to know"-the clairvoyant ignored
the buffers startled outcry-"that
he has some evidence that ought to
help"
Christine was the only one in
a position to watch the medium
after he had stepped into the al
cove where his desk stood. 1t seemed
to her that he fumbled unneces-
sarily long in an upper drawer be-
fore he came back and handed the
inspector a folded sheet Of paper.
1t seemed to her, too, that In
spector Parsons spent an inordi-
nate time over 1t; and that when
he finally raised his eyes to Cham
dra's, a look of intelligence flashed
like an electric spark between the
two.
At length the inspector said,
Perhaps we might pass this around.
Someone might-have q suggestion.
He handed the paper to Bill, who
read 1t and passed 1t without COM
cent to Jaspar.
Jaspar adjusted his glasses and
scanned the paper with startled
attention before he put 1t into
Christine'S hand.
Removing the sun glasses she
still wore. Christine thought, after
first glance, This Is impossible.
Yet as she read on, fragments
of conversation, strange encounters,
bits of coincidence which had
seemed entirely normal happenings
tumbled about in the chaos OF her
memory.
With shaking fingers she passed
the sheet to Mr.. Wilmet.
The little man also adjusted his
glasses, tilted the paper to a more
favorable light, and perused 1t slow
ly, nodding once or twice as he die
so.
IT think Mr.. Chandra is right
Inspector" he said. This should
have been handed to you at once.
Whatever Christine had expected
it was anything but this. For the
paper, written In small, but cleal
script, with ink barely dry, hae
read:
"You will find that one person
in this room will be unable to reat
this. He will pretend to, and ma!
offer some harmless comment; be-
cause Of all those here, he canno
allow 1t to be guessed. that. hi
vision is very bad. He will hav'
no reason to suspect that this Il
not actually one of the message
he sent to Mrs. Talbert. The papel
and the arrangement on the shee
are identical with those Of one O
the extortion notes Mrs. Talber
showed me. Have you noticed
that Mr.. Wilmet stumbled in findin.
. chair, and almost fell over a foot
st0ol?"
"You are right, Chandra," tn,
inspector said quietly. "The repor
that came few minutes ago from
Mrs. Tlbert's oculist makes 1t clea
that the fragments Of lens we foun
in that wheelchair did not com
from her spectacles. You ar
all wearing glasses-or Miss loren
son was. Mr.. Wilmet'-his voic
dropped into a pool Of silence
well begin with you. OF cours
you won't mind giving us the nam
Of your Specialist"
"Why Of course" Mr.. Wilm'
looked startled but entirely cor
fident. 1--WE got my glasses frol
the same man for years"
But not those glasses" tt
clairvoyant said softly. 'Naturall
people with vision as poor as YOU
always carry an extra pair for emei
gencies. You had yours with 70,
If you recollect, when you came
my studio on the afternoon befor
Mrs. Talberts murder. Probabl,
since you are above everything els
an opportunist, 1t was pure inspira
ton that made you slip into you
briefcase that dagger you had see
me wearing while Miss Thorenso
drew my picture, and which 70
guessed hundreds of people woul
be ready to Identify
Inspector" Mr.. Wilmet broke II
this man must be crazy"
Perhaps" The inspectors ton
was dry. Lets see just how HI
madness will carry him."
II wear that dagger only on par
ade," Chandra went on. when 70
came, 1t was lying on a low tabl
near the chair you took. I didn
miss 1t till some time after 20
went. No doubt should hav
notified the police at once. Blu
how could I guess that 1t would b
used to commit a crime?"
II thought you called yoursel
a medium?" Mr.. Wilmet looked to
ward the inspector for applause.
That's what the inspector call
me. I call myself student of huma
nature. You see, I make 1t my bust
ness to remember things other peo
pie hardly notice. And anon
other things, Inspector, although
have seen Earl Talbert only twice
recall certain peculiarities whicl
we're common to both him and hi
aunt. They were both superstition
~ ~