11
SYNOPSIS.
T.tnvir t-ir-f niakcley. lawyer. Roes to
!PlttslmrK with the forced note In tiio
Bronnon e-nno to got tho deposition of
John Gllmorc, millionaire. In the lattor's
homo lie I nttrnctod by rt, plctura of a
young sir!, whom tho millionaire explains
Is his crunddnUKliter. A huly requests
Hlnkelo to buy her n Tullman ticket. Ho
Klves her lower uleven nnil retains lower
ten. He ilndn a drunken man In lower,
ten and retires In lower nine. Ho nwu
Itens in lower seven and finds lila clothes
nnd ImK mlRslnp. Tile mnn In lower ten
N found murdered. Circumstantial cvl
denro polniH to both Blakoloy and tho
unknown tnitn who had exchanced clothes
with Mm. Hfnholey becomes IntefeHtfd
In n girl In blue. Tho train Is wrecUed.
Hlakeley In rescued from tho burning car
by tllo Klrl tn blue. Ills arm Is broken.
They (tn to tho Carter place for breakfast.-
TIiY plrl proves to bo Alison West,
his partner's sweetheart. Her peculiar
nellons mystify the luwyer. She drop
her Knlfl baK nnd lllakejev puts It In his
pocket, niakeley returns, home. Ho Undo
that he Im under surveillance. Movlnc
pIctnrcB of the train takon Just before the
wreck reveal to IJIakelcy a man leaplns
from the train with hla, stolen grip.
Hlakeley lcatna that a man named Sul
livan lenmtl from the train near M
ttd sprained his ankle. He stayed some
time nt the Carter placo.
CHAPTER XVII Continued.
"Wns tho name Dlnkoley?" J asked.
"It might have been I can't Bay.
Hut the man wasn't thoro, nnd thero
Vy'uk n lot of noise. I couldn't hear
well. Then In bulf nn hour down camo
tho other twin to say tho gentleman
was taking on nwful and didn't want
the message sent."
"lie's gone, of course?"
"Yep. Limped down hero In about
three days and. took the noon train for
tho city."
It seemed a certainty now that our
man, having hurt himself somewhat
In his jump, had stayed quietly in the
farm houeo until ho was ablo to trav
el. Hut. to bo positive, wo decided to
visit tho Garter place.
I gave tho station agent a five-dollar
bill, which ho rolled up with a
couple of others and stuck in his
pocket. I turned as wo got to a bend
in the road, and ho was looking curi
ously after uh.
It was not until we had climbed tho
lilll and turned onto tho road to tho
Carter place that I realized whero wo
were going. Although we approached
It from another direction, I knew the
farm house nt once. It was tho ono
where Alison West nnd I had break
fasted nine days before. With a new
restraint between us, I did not tell
McKnlght. I wondered afterward If
he had suspected It. I saw him look
Ing hnrd at the gatepost which had
figured In one of our mysteries, but ho
asked no questions. Afterward ho
grew almost taciturn, for htm, and let
me do most of the talking.
Wo opened tho front gate of tho
Carter place and went Blowly up the
walk. Two ragged youngsters, alike
tven to freckles nnd squints, were
playing in tho yard.
"Is your mother around?" I asked.
"In the front room. Walk In," they
answered In Identical tones.
As we got to the porch wo heard
voices, and stopped. I knocked, but
tho people within, engaged in anlmat
ed, rather one-sided conversation, did
not answer.
'"In the front room. Walk In,' "
quoted McKnlght, and did so.
In the Btuffy farm parlor two peo
pie were sitting. Ono, a pleasant
faced woman with a checked npron,
rose, somewhat embarrassed, to meet
us. She did not know mo, and 1 was
thankCult Hut our nttontlon wns rlv
eted on a little man who was sitting
lioforo a table, writing busily. It was
Ilotchklss!
He got up when ho saw us, and had
tho grace to look uncomfortablo.
"Such an interesting case," ho said
nervously, "1 took tho liberty "
"Look here," said McKnlght sud
denly, "did you make any Inquiries
at tho station?"
"A few," he confessed. "I went to
the theater last night I felt tho need
of a little rolaxation and the sight of
n picture thero, a cinematograph af
fair, started a new lino of. thought
Probably tho same clow brought you
gentlemen. I learned a good bit from
the station agent"
"The eon-of-a-gun," said McKnlght.
"And you paid him, I suppose?"
"I gave him five dollars," was tho
apologetic answer.
Mrs. Carter, hearing sounds of
strife in tho yard, wont out, and
liotchklsH folded up his papers.
"I think tho Identity of tho man Is
established," ho said. "What number
of hat do you wear, Mr. Blakoloy?"
"Seven and a qunrter," I replied.
"Well, It's only piling up evidence,'
ho enld cheerfully. "On tho night of
the murder you wore gray silk under
clothing, with the second button of
the shirt missing. Your hat had 'L,
11, In gilt letters inside, and thoro was
n very minute hole in tho too of ono
black sock."
"Hush," McKnlght protested. "If
word gets to Mra. Klopton that Mr,
lUakol'cy waa wrecked, or robbed, or
whatever It was, with a button miss
Ing and a hole In one sock, aho'll re
tiro to the Old Ladles' home. I've
heard her threaten it."
Mr. Ilotchklss was without n sonso
of humor, llo regarded McKnlght
uravely. nnd went on;
"I've been up In tho room where tho
man lay while ho was unablo to get
MAN '
LOWER T
AOTHOa or Urn rrxfrrr
ILLUSTRATIONS Jby lyi.
"You Don't Think Ho
away, and thero Is nothing thero. Dut
I found what may be a possible clew
In tlfe dust heap.
"Mrs. Carter tolls mo that In un
packing his grip tho othor day sho
shook out of tho coat of tho pajamas
some pieces of a telegram. As I fig
uro It, the pajamas wero his own. Ho
probably had them ' on when ho ef
fected tho exchange"
I nodded assent. All I had retained
of my own clothing was tho suit of
pajamas I was wearing; and my bath
robe.
'Therefore tho telegram was his,
not yours. I have pieces1 here, but
some nro missing. I am not discour
aged, however."
lie spread out some bits of yellow
paper, and wo bent over them curious
ly. It was something ltko this:
Man with p Got
Ur
Wo spelled It out slowly.
"Now," Ilotchklss announced, "I
make it something llko this: Tho 'p
Is ono of two things, pistol you re
member the little pcurl-handled af
fair belonging to the murdered man
or Is it pockctbook. I am Inclined to
the latter view, as the pockctbook had
been disturbed nnd the pistol had
not."
I took tho piece of paper from tho
table nnd scrawled four words on It.
"Now," I said, rearranging them,
"It happens, Mr. Ilotchklss, that I
found one of these pieces of tho tele
gram on tho train. I thought It had
been dropped by "somo ono oltfo, you
sec, but that's immaterial. Arranged
this way it almost makes sense. Fill
out that 'p ' with tho rest of tho
word, as I Imagine it, and it makes
'papers,' and add this scrap and you
lavc:
" 'Man with papers (In) lower ten,
enr seven. Got (them).'"
McKnlght slapped HotchklsB on tho
bnck.
"You're a trump," ho said. "Br Is
Bronson, of course. It's almost too
easy. You see, Mr. BJakeloy hero en
gaged lower ten, but found It occupied
by tho man who was later murdered
there. Tho man who did the thing
was a friend of Branson's, evidently,
nnd In trying to get tho papers wo
have tho motive for tho crime."
"T,here aro atlll somo things to bo
explained." Mr. Ilotchklss wiped his
glasses and put them on. "For one
thing, Mr. BInkeley, I am puzzled by
that bit of chain."
I did not glanco at McKnlght. I felt
Hint tho hands with which I was
gathering up the bits of torn paper
wero shaking. It seemed to mo that
this astute little man was going to
drag in the girl in spite of mo.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A New World.
Jlotchkiss jotted down the bits of
telegram and rose.
"Well," ho said, "we've dono some
thing. Wo'vo found whero tho mur
derer left tho train, wo know what
day he went to Baltimore, and, most
Important of all, wo have a motivo for
tho crime."
"It Booms the Irony of fato," said
McKnlght, getting up, "that n man
should kill another man for certain pa
pers ho Is supposed to bo carrying,
find ho hasn't got them after all, tie
cldo to throw suspicion on another
man by changing berths und getting
out, bag and bnggago, and then, by tho
merest fluke of chance, tako with him,
CART
- AX.. ta rrn r
G. 1JTTNER I
Locked tho Door Himself?"
In tho valise he changed for his own,
tho very notes ho was after. It was a
bit of luck for him."
"Then why," put in Ilotchklss doubt
fully, "why did ho collnpso when ho
honrd of tho wreck? And what about
tho telephone message the station
agent sent? You remember they tried
to countermand it, and with somo ex
citement."
"Wo will ask him thoso quctylonB
when wo 'got him," McKnlght Bald. We
wero on tho unrnilcd front porch by
that time, and Ilotchklss had put away
his notobook. The mother of tho
twins followed us to tho steps.
"Dear mo," sho explained volubly,
"and to think I was forgetting to tell
you! I put tho young man to bed
with a spice poultice on his nnkle;
my mother always was a firm bellevor
In spice poultices. It's wonderful
what they will d6 In croup! And thon
I took tho children and went down to
seo the wreck. It wns Sunday, and
the mister had gone to church; hasn't
missed a day since he took tho plcdgo
nine yenrs ago. And on the way I mot
two pcoplo, u man and a woman.
They looked half dead, so I sent them
right hero for breakfast and somo
soap and water. I alwayH aay soap is
better than liquor after n shock."
Ilotchklss was listening absently;
McKnlght was whistling under his
breath, staring down across tho field
to whore a break In tho woods showed
a halt dozen telegraph poles, tho lino
of tho railroad.
"It must have been J2 o'clock when
we got back; I wanted tho children to
see everything, because It Isn't likely
they'll over seo another wreck llko
that. Kows of "
"About 12 o'clock," I broko In, "and
what then?"
"Tho young man upstairs was
awake," bIiq went on, "hammering at
his door like all possessed. And It
was locked on tho outsldo!" Sho
paused to enjoy her sonsatlon.
"I would like to seo that lock,"
Ilotchklss said promptly, but for some
reason tho woman demurred. "I will
bring tho key down," she said and dis
appeared. Wheu sho returned nhe
held out nn ordinary door key of tho
cheapest varloty.
"We had to break tho lock," sho vol
unteercd, "nnd tho key didn't turn up
for two days. Then ono of tho twins
found tho turkey gobbler trying to
swallow It. It has been washed since,"
she hastened to assure Ilotchklss,
who showed an Inclination to drop It.
"You don't think ho locked the door
himself and threw tho key out of tho
window?" tho llttlo man asked.
"Tho wlndowb ar. covered with
mosquito netting, nniled on. Tho mis
ter blamed It on the children, and It
might have been Obadlnh. He's tho
quiet kind, and you never know what
he's about."
"Ho's about to strangle, Isn't he,"
McKnlght remarked lazily, "or Is that
Obadlau?"
Mrs. Carter picked tho boy up and
Inverted him, talking amiably all tho
time. "Ho's always doing It," sho
said, giving him a shake. "Whenever
we miss anything we look to seo If
Obadlnh's black In tho faco." Sho gavo
another shake, and tho quarter I had
given him shot out as If blown from
a gun. Then we prepared to go back
to tho station.
From whore I stood I could look
Into the cheery farm kitchen, whoro
Alison West and I had oaten our nl
fresco breakfast. I looked at
tho tablo with mixed emotions, and
then, gradually, tho meaning of some
thing on It penetrated iny mind. Still
In Its pnpers, evidently Just opened,
wns a hat box, and protruding over
the edgo of tho box was a streamer of
vivid grcon ribbon.
On tho plea that I wished to nsk
Mrst Carter n few moro questions, I
lot the others go on, I. watched them
down the flagstone walk; saw Mc
Knlght stop and examine tho gate
posts and saw, too, tho quick glanco
he throw back at tho house. Then I
turned to Mrs. Carter.
"I Would llko to Bpcnk to tho young
lady lipstalrs," I suld.
Sha throw up her hands with n
tlutck'gosturo or surrender. "I've dono
all Jl ;could," sha exclaimed. "She
won't like It very well, but Bho's in
the. roin over tho parlor."
I went eagerly up tho lndder-llko
stairs, to the rag-carpotcd hall. Two
doors wore opon, showing Intorlors of
four poster beds and high bureaus.
The door of tho room over tho parlor
was almost closed. I hesitated in the
hallway; after all, what right had I
to Intrude on her? But sho sottlcd my
difficulty by throwing open tho door
and facing me.
"I I beg your pardon, Miss West,"
I stammered. "It has just occurred
to me that I am unpardonnbly rude. I
Baw tho hot downstairs and I I
guessed " ,
"Tho lint!" she snld. "I might l'o
known. Docs Rlchoy know I am
horo?"
"I don't think so." I turned to go
down tho stnlrs again. Thon I halted.
"Tho fact is," I said, in an attempt at
Justification. "I'm In rather n moss
these days, and I'm apt to do irre
sponsible things. It Is not ImpoBslblo
that I shall bo arrested, In a day or
so, for tho murder of Simon Ilunlng
ton."
She drew her brenth In sharply.
"Murder!" sho echoed. "Then they
have found you after all!"
"I don't regard It as anything more
than or Inconvenient," I lied. "Thoy
can't convict mo, you know. Almost
nil tho witnesses nre dead."
She waB not deceived for n moment.
Sho camo over to mo and stood, both
hands on tho rnll of stair. "I know
Just how grnvo It Is," sho said quiet
ly. "My grandfather will not lenvo ono
stono unturned, and ho dan be terrlblo
terrlblo. But" sho looked directly
Into my eyes ns I stood below her on
tho Btalrs "tho tlmo may come
soon when I can help you. I'm
afraid I shall not want to; I'm n
dreadful coward, Mr. Blakoloy. But
I will." Sho tried to smile.
"I wish you would let mo help you,"
I said unsteadily. "Let us make It a
bargain; each holp tho other!"
Tho girl shook nor head with a sad
llttlo smile. "I am only ns unhappy
as I desorvo to be," sho said. And
when I protested nnd took a step to
ward hor - bIiq retreated, with her
hands out before her.
"Why don't you ask me nil tho qucs
tlons you nre thinking?" sho demand
ed, with a catch In hor voice, "Oh,
I know them. Or nra you afraid to
ask?"
I looked at hor, at tho lines nround
hor eyes,' nt tho drawn look nbout hor
mouth. Thon I hold out my hand
"Afraid!" I said, as she gavo mo hers.
"Thoro Is nothing In God's greon
earth I am afraid of, save of troub'lo4
for you. To ask questions would bo
to Imply a lack of faith. I ask you
nothing. Somo dny, perhaps, you will
come to mo yoursolf nnd let me help
you."
Tho next moment I was out In tho
golden sunshine; the birds woro Blng
Ing carols of joy; I walked dizzily
throught rainbow-colored clouds, past
tho twins, cherubs now, swinging on
tho gate. It was a now world Into
which 1 stopped from tho Cnrtor farm
houso that morning, for I had kissed
her!
(TO UK CONTINUED.)
He Could Not Recommend It.
Tho editor of the Flunkvlllo Argus
was seated at his desk, busily engaged
In writing a fervid editorial on tho no
ccsslty of building a new walk to the
cemetery, when n battered speclmon
of tho tramp printer entered tho ofllco,
"Mornlr.', bosB!" saftl tho caller. "Got
any work for a 'print'?"
"I have," answered the editor. "You
happened In Just right this time. I'vo
got only a boy to help mo In tho ofllco
and I need a man to sot typo for about
a wcok. I h'avo to make a trip out
west. You can tako off your coat nnd
begin right now. I start to-morrow
morning.''
"All right," Bald tho typographical
tourist, removing his coat. "What
road nro you going to travel on?"
"Tho X., Y. & Z., mostly. I'vo never
been on It. Know anything about It?'
"I know nil about it. I'vo traveled
It from ono end to tho other."
"What kind of a road Is It?"
"Punk!" said tho printer, in a tone
indicative of strong disgust. "Tho ties
aro too far apart!" Youth's Compan
ion.
Must Walt for Remarriage.
In Louisiana tho law permits a wld
ow to marry again only provided she
has waited until ten months aftor tho
death of her husband.
Queer Questions.
Queer questions como over tho telo-
phono to tho newspaper offlcoB. Horo
was ono that tho man who chanced
to answer tho phono had put up to
him tho othpr day:
"Bay," began tho unknown seeker
after tho truth, "do you do you ro
member who it was that killed Abol?"
Why, Cain, of courso," ropllod tho
nowspnpor mnn, who put In several
years nt Sunday school, "Who'd Ju
suppoco?"
"well, observed tho man nt tho
other end In nn annoyed tono, "doggon
It I nln't gono and mndo a fool o' my
self. Course It was Cain, now that
you mention It, but I made a two to
ono bet with a follow that 'twas
Goliath, and now I'll havo to go with
out a now ovorcoat, I reckon, this next-
winter." Cleveland Plain Denloi'.
TRY MURINE EYE REMEDY
for lied, Weak, Weary, Watery Eyoa
nndGrnnulntodUyolltls. Murine Doesn't
Smart Soothos 13yo Pain. Druggists
Sell Murine Eyo Remedy, Liquid, 25c,
GOe. $1.00. Murlno Kyo Salvo In
Aseptic Tubes, 2nc, 11.00. I3yo Books
and Kyo Advlco Frco by Mall,
Murlno ISyo Remody Co., Chicago.
Indications.
"I might know, this conservatory be
longed to a basoball enthusiast."
"Why?'
"Because It hns so many pitcher
plants."
The tto&ao-i ts larger factor la "lite, liberty and. the pnr
suit of happiness" than most people era aware. Patriotism
ean withstand hunger but Dot dyspepsia. The confirmed dye
peptlo "Is fit (or t re i on, stratagems aad spoils." The maa
viho goes to the front (or his country with a weak stomach
will bo a weak soldier nod a (ault finder.
A sound stomach makes for good cltlzeasaip ea well as io
health and hspplneas.
Diseases ol the stomach and other ergeaa of digestion aad
nutrition are promptly and permanently cured hy the use of
Dr. PI ERSE'S GOLDEX MEUIS71L DISCOVERT.
It builds up t&9' body wltk nesaef fleak mail
solid musclt.
The dealer who offers a substitute (or the "Discovery" Is
only seeking to make the little more profit realized on tb
sale of lesa meritorious preparations.
Dr. Pierce's Common Sense Medical Adviser Is seat frit
on receipt of stamps to pay expense of mailing ertty. Send
21 one-cent stamps for the paper covered book, or 31 stamps
for the cloth bound. Address World's Dispensary Medical
Association, R. V. Pierce, M. D., President, Buffalo, N. Y.
No One Else
Guarantee Shoes!
Our Plan Shatters tho System
tho Public of $5,000,000
Merer before ha-re ho been sold on a BIX
KrornnTuiiiiiii mna oi n wiuttkn UUAUA-NTKE. Wo are
mo iriiiai- ami ukiy mnnurncturcm timt wero over ADLE i
raako a popular priced shoo GOOD KNOUOU to guarantee,
nunpij urcauie Tf e are me vnux mnmtraoturera who nave
cione away wnn man nalnrlra truTrlliitr
biff expeuRei the ONLY manufacturers
reel lo me dealer by letter lur only the
It cents the nhoe manufacturers of thtaconntrr
uirrn,iwj,TOnjrar mr iraTeim? men's salaries,
uuin uuih, rauruau tare ana oilier neiiing ex
prnnen. it Tory cent oi ime in paia oy you
hoe buyers. You pay fully one-Qfth morn
than the actual value ot erery pair of
boert you bur to HKLl the shoe manu
facturers KBKP ON paying these big ex
penses and Malarleu.
lesnoyers "SIX MONTHS" Shoes
Guaranteed for Full Six Months' Wear
Our Immense naYlng on selling expense jroea
Into leathers thut others can't afford. Our
HttIsbox Holes nre from Hwluerland hides-,
the best procurable. The tippers are from
l'arla Veals-llietuuirbeBtutiu llKBTruvr ma
terial for uppers. W e use Army Duck lining
that coxts twice an much an ordinary llnlna.
The uppers are sewed together by lock-Mtltcu
uiucaiuua itiiu ma uigucat tfrauo biik turcau.
Btyllsh-Llght-Hoat These shoes com
bine style, tlnlsh and quality In n degree
never before equaled In a shoe Belling at
anywhere near the price.
Horo Is Our Written Guarantee
If either the soles or uppers wear out within
Sind for Dialtr's Hams and
Dcsnoyers "Six Month" Bhoes are mode for
work. Write a postal today for style book and
near you who handles our "Six Months" Bhoes.
DESNOYEBS SHOE GO. , 2234 Pir.e St. ,
Net Income -
$3,000
From 28 Acres
of California Land
The original price per
acre was $40. Planted to
peaches, plums, grapes and
pears it yields $3,000 a year
net, and would be cheap at
$500 an acre.
This is only one example of what
has been done in a climate that draws
tourists from all over the world.
Union Pacific
Southern Pacific
Standard Route of ike WW
Electric Block Sldnals
For further facts and accurate inform
tion about California call on or address
GERRIT FORT. P. T. M.
V. T. R. R., 87 1 rsraass HI.
OMAHA, NEB.
W. L. DOUGLAS
"WSiiVf0 SHOES
KEN'S tt.00, 3.80,3.O0, 93.fiO,H.0;.M
WOKEH'S 2.50, 13,3.B0, 9i
SOYS' 98.00, T2.00 to 93.00
THE STANDARD
FOR 30 YEARS
Theyars absolutely tho
most popuUr And bestshocs
for tho price la America.
Thsv ara tho leaders ererv
where because they hold
tneif stupe, nt mum,
took better and wear loo
ser than other makes. ,
Thev are cosltlvMv the !
moat ecosomlcal shoes for voa to buy. W. h.
Douglas name and the retail price an atsjapt
on the bottom value euaraateed.
TAKE NO aUBSTITUTKl it year dealer
cannot supply you write for MU Order-CaUkr.
W. U DOUGLAS, Breektwa, Mm.
Patriotism
Ever Dared
That Robs
a Year
MONTHS' gv
I. W
men and their
wlio sell dl
cost Ot
Styli
FOR MEN
Dress-Business Work
four months -we airreo to furnish a new
pair of shoes entirely free of charge. If
either the soles or uppers wear out during
the fifth month we agree to refund &I.U) In
cash. If either tho soles or uppers wear
out dnrlnir tho sixth month wo airreo to
refund $1.00 lu cash. In other wordb, tf
these shoes should not irlve full sir months'
wear we refund mora tbuu the proportion
they fall short.
You do oat havo to asnd your shoes
to the factory to hm redeemed or 'to se
cure the ratund. You have no itaaltods
at all with atrauders. Your own dealer
will "make ioad" our guarantee.
Style Book
dress, business or
name of a dealer
(11)
St. Louis, Mo.
OuwntiA
1
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isssWKItHsBBBBl
jBssssssssssLmsr JVHHsKM9MMHH
mum
