The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-02-01


ing" He added with a chuckle:
You'll get back quicker if l keep
her herel"
So Adam drove away alone; and
Tope told Bee what there was to
tell. The girl listened silently till
he finished. Then she said:
mo, the dead man isn't Mr.. Led.
forge. I had letter from him this
morning. Or rather Mr.. Eberly
didl" And she explained: "You see,
Mr.. Eberly and Mr.. Ledforge are
old friends. The bank had some
Utilities bonds, and that was one rea-
son 1t had to close; but Mr.. Eberly
never blamed Mr.. Ledforge. Mr..
Eberly left Saturday morning to 60
fishing in New Brunswick, and-I
used to be his secretary-he ar
ranged to have his mail deliver ed
to me so I could take care of it.
He's not married, so he often does
that when he goes away"
Tope listened without questions,
and she went on:
"This letter came this morning
from Mr.. Ledforge. He wants Mr..
Eberly to come over and fish with
him in the trout-pond above his sum-
mer place, tomorrow afternoon. Mr..
Ledforge wrote the letter himself"
"You sure?"
Eyes, of course. I've never seen
him, but I know his handwriting.
I'll show you the letter."
Tope said mildly: 'Why, I'd like
to see It," And he asked: "Any
way you can get in touch with Mr..
Eberly, Miss Dewain?"
Telephone" she said. Cor tele-
graph"
II wish you'd call him up, tell him
about this invitation" And he add
ed disarmingly: eff he doesn't want
to come back to fish with Mr.. Led
forge, ask him to fix it so l can 60
in his place. like to fish,"
"All right" she assented, amused;
and Tope asked:
"Mr. Eberly seen Ledforge late
ly, has hep"
She shook her head. mo. Mr..
Ledforge called him up about ten
days ago-Saturday, I think it was.
Wanted to see him; but Mr.. Eberly
was in Boston over that weekend.
The operator knows I handle some
things for Mr.. Eberly so she shifted
the call to me-"
Where did Ledforge call from?"
Tope wondered.
"Up here, I think" Bee replied.
"He said something about dropping
in Something casual. Not as If
he were in New York"
Tope nodded, and then they heard
a car turn in and stop by the Mill,
and Bee looked out and said: "It's
MIR. Cumberland, and Joe Dane"
"Call them up here" Tope direct
ed sharply. Before the whole world
knows they're here!"
He came to the door as Bee made
haste down the drive; but she was
too late to avert the danger Tope-
foresaw. Joe Dane was inflated by
the prospect of handling what prom
ised to become celebrated case. So
when they turned in off the road and
stopped beside the Mill, where Earl
Priddy was working, Joe called in
important tones:
Eli, Earl! Where's Inspector
Tope?"
Priddy Strengthened up and
scratched his head and stared. EN-
spector?" he echoed, his eyes wide.
Inspector of what? What's he In
spector of, Joe?"
Bee, arriving just then on the spot,
hushed him sharply. ''Never mind,
Earl! Its none of your business.
Go on with your work" She sum-
moned Joe away; the car moved
on to Cascade, where Tope waited,
and the two men alighted there.
Tope looked at Dane in mild dis
approval. young man." he said,
''you advertise too much!"
cts all right" Bee said reassur-
ingly. 81 told Earl it was none of
his businessl"
Tope chuckled. "Why, that's fine,
MISS" he assented. "After that,
Earl Priddy won't give it another
thought, I knowl You certainly fixed
that" And he added gently: "You
60 along now and telephone Mr..
Eberly. And let me see that letter"
And as the girl turned away, he said:
Come in, Mat. Come in, Dane. l
guess Earl doesn't matter. We
couldn't keep this thing dark much
longer"
And he added slowly. They've
located Holdom. He's in a private
hospital down near Hartford with a
broken head, a conclusion, maybe q
fractured skull"
Cumberland nodded, and he ex-
planned:
"New York says Ledfo. ge and
Holdom started up here last Friday,
in Holdorm's limousine, with Kell
driving. They left New York early,
about nine o'clock. Holdom went
around to pick Ledforge up at his
apartment; and the officer on the
beat saw Ledforge come out and
get in.
"They don't know when Ledforge
covon hack hI,t ho ,UaS u, HE oeGc,