The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-01-09
CHAPTER XVIII-Continued.

thing this morning. The Sphere had
a picture of lone Ferriter. I sus-
pect that our competitor, Mr.. Duke,
bribed some cop to steal it from the
fiat across the hall. Anyway-he
tied a knot in my tail, or thought he
did. Now I'm ready to tie two in
his"
He paused to enjoy the drama of
suspense. The doorbeu thwarted him
Shannon strobe into the room. His
companion fingered in the hall,
satchel in hand. The Captain glared
at Cochrane, who beamed in reply,
and whatever question he was about
to ask concerning the reporters
presence was blown away by Miss
Agatha's voice.
Il sent for you, Captain" she said
precisely, because we have found
the knife that stabbed Mr.. Ferriter's
visitor"
At my side I heard Jerry grunt.
He uttered no other sound while
Shannon raped out questions and
Miss Agatha replied as calmly as
though she were giving census in
formation. The Captain strobe to
the table and gingerly undid the
handkerchief
Yes" he grunted, almost as
though he regretted it, sit looks like
it."
He held it by forefngers pressed
to point and butt and turned it this
way and that.
Blood" he proclaimed, and I
never knew before how ugly that
word could be. "As for finger
prints"
He wheeled and glared at me.
You didn't wipe it, or mess it up,
did your" he barked.
Miss Agatha's voice cut:
MIR. Mallory and I found it to-
gether as I told you. If we had
wished to suppress evidence, we
should have suppressed it entirely"
The bullying note left Shannon's
voice as she looked at him.
Right you are, Miss Paget," he
granted and turned to his assistant.
We'll be going over it, Al. Miss
Paget, is there a bathroom handy?
Wen make bit of a mess here"
Miss Agatha rang for Annie. They
followed the maid down the hall.
Cochrane looked reproachfully at
me and more alphabetically at
aunt and niece, who sat still and
stiff in their anxiety. The silence
grew unbearable. Jerry said at last:
And thought had hold of some
thing!"
Allegro did not seem to hear him.
Rigid and intent she watched the
doorway.
Miss Agatha asked:
And it has no Importance now"
Cochrane had forgotten his pre-
tense of Indifference. He frowned
and shrugged.
"It may, or it may not" he grum-
bled, according to what Shannon
finds on that knife. Dave has told
you of the mysterious siren who
called on him."
NO." said Miss Agatha wryly,
I've always understood gentlemen
don't talk of such things"
Cochrane grinned at her in admit
ration.
mutrered:
1T didn't seem important"
THAT was one of the things" Jer-
~ went on, that made me think it
might be The night our bright
young friend was jumped in the
basement, the night that knife was
lost, Dave had a call from a dark
young woman who wouldn't leave
her name with the landlady, good
Mrs. Shaw, no has a stern sense of
virtue and, what is better, an eagle
eye and an elephantine memory.
Because" said Cochrane, resum-
ing his sleepy air, "she has recog-
nized the picture of lone Ferriter in
the Sphere as Dawes would-be Wis
itor. There seems to be no ques-
ton about the Identification. Mrs.
Shaw is positive. Why should Lyon
Ferriter's beloved sister want to see
you, Dave?"
Allegro looked at me and turned
away. 1 did not answer at once.
Her glance and the derisive empha-
sis laid by Cochrane on "beloved'
had thrust an idea into my mind.
1t was so fantastic that I tried to
evict it but it stayed while I said:
'::You can search me-"
That's been done already" Coch-
ran crooned, ''by the late Mr.. Fer
ritter who was looking for that very
lnife. Dave, could it have been a
woman in the basement that night?"
His question chimed in so neatly
with the idea had branded as idi-
ocy that I gaped at him moment.
Il don't know" 1 answered at
last.
MOP" Cochrane asked. at Just
wondered, Dave. Don't let it agi-
tate you, laddie."
But the question had rocked me.
The wonder it had started did not
subside and heard, with odd in
difference, the clump of feet as
Shannon and his aid came along
the hall. Miss Agatha's head went
up. 1 could see by Allegra's stiff
face how tightly she held herself
and even Cochrane forgot to look
tired.
The thrust of Shannon's jaw, the
little narrowed eyes that darted at
each of US were ominous. He car
ried the knife no longer gingerly,
even a little scornfully. No one
dared to pry into his silence, until
Cochrane drawled:
"All right. I'll ask it. What did
you find, Captain?"
Nothing" said Shannon in a
bleak voice. I heard Allegro let 60