C .fr.i-Siii?'.ig' " i"5ft " . CP&
SYNOPSIS,
ikSH) l&Vktur mt caw" wj of Hi
' J rH iit, tank wM ftrtltr,
wii- Mil ImoAM tH Ut jmtur 4 o .
vriw-r. M It Utuud ttun txawttft iU
,(( ChmlUtH-r fair 44. A4r
f j 4trttMit liu, nwn h m-vt wai M
I ' la lit mw 'ffc feoM4 M4MDrr
J" Mue find 1J JMI CfcM0T M
i,lt mo4 H bwt, wtrtcfe Dwmi t
rtt-w HrAhrtH tt mttm Orrt.
-l l'4tv, AM WtMlUT, W -
ffar.l lfc p Um ) They I"!
MtMi CHtUir .fcWl 1rr4T A j
citr fwmrf ( tfc -f wf lr$4y I
MltrvMi t l the wpv J Mr. Casl
J'nr f be of Mlfri ft4
bu ljal)tr' 1S(, yy4 "O H" AM
r v Utlvm rxrv mm w kia hw
' j viritrr 4t-tA 'FM 1H
lr riyiW hr OrlnnA' UrtAhamnm.
Anrt rwwi kv villi Kwyialvr la 14-
"fy JtnHtmnum, wfc J to uMtv inert- 1
K i arli4 71 pM4r la rMl w
AU. nA HttAntrm rump wMh-
living i(SfKflt vMr tf T
4l .r f-orotner nt M ttnttiJne fifth
CHAPTER X-Cofrtlnued.
") rfo; It made a urwat UnrwAoa i
on w, 'I eLall lww for oar fsrtli
twitolnlsincft,' b &ld, 'W tor
( very tron (titwroxt In cowonn,'
And If vr h h'Jwau fw tyY'i 4o
juitly. It vaj hum at that uuimwt.
I thought It jrf)K from p;rjwnal lr
Uimut, mid t kv in" cournr,n to v'
iiJ') tlio lutnUon which hJ tako
ffjf placo of orery other filing anJ
Amll!on by which I bad blthrto bn
bv)yrj, Jf nhn could ltioro tb social
BUlf botWftHW UD, I inh Iv.it to.Uik'i
th lap. CovArdlcu had i;yr ben
A fault of mine, I xf.nWn-A that 1
wiit llrxt k-t Jior boo the manner of
(nun I wim and vhat llf nant to
wo and rnuiU uimw In her If the union
t conuunnlui'id nliould become an ac
tual fact. I wroto Iottr to her, but
I did not k'vo bur tny nddrmis or nvmi
rnqvint a roply. I yiu not rowdy for
any word from hurt I am not llko
other Intiti and I could wait. And I
did, for wi-oku, thun suddenly up
poartid nt her hotnl."
"Thl ww when?" put In Dr. Heath,
Anxloim lo brldRO tho patnm which
rwunt buv beoii vary painful to tho
llMtiiiiliiK father,
"Tho week nftor TluinkHKlvltiR. I
lid not hud her tho Jim I day, and only
cummlly the weeond. Hut tiliu bnew I
WflH In tho bulldliiK, and when I camo
upon her ono aycml;ik nt tho very desk
In tho iriozzuiiliio which wo nil have
such bitter rniiHo to romombor, I
could not forbear xproHBji mynelf In
t( way hUq could not mbtundurntand.
'flio roBtilt wa of a kind to drive n
man llko myxnlf to an extremity o(
holf-donuncliitlou and raKo, 8ho rone
up iih If IfiHulted, And IIuiik me one
pontenco and ono ponlonoo only boforo
oho hulled the elevator ami left my
premmco, A cur could not have been
dUmlflnod with Ichm oeretnony."
"Tina In not llko my daughter,
VVImt wn tho flentenco you allude to?
Lot ma hour the very wordM," Mr.
UlJulloiuir had come forward aud now
tood nwnKltiK hl reply, it dlgulllod
but imtliollo IlKiiro, which all must
view wHIi respect.
"I halo the momory of them, but
lneo you domuud It, I will repeat
Okjih Jut an they foil from Jior Upn,"
wnH Mr, Ilrolliomon'B bitter retort.
"Willi Bald, 'Vou or all man Klmiilil reo
DHUht) tho iinuooinllrKicu or thono
proponlH, Had your lettom given
mo nny hint of tho foelliiRH you have
Junt exproHuod, you would iiuver havo
thad thin opportunity of npproiiohlni;
mo,' Thnt wun nil; but lier Indlijnn.
tlon wiih HcnthliiK. Laillen who hitve
Hupport oxolunlvoly off ullvor, uliow a
lino ncorii for the common waro of
tbo coltnser."
The aMsertlvo boldnunn tiomo would
nail It lirnvudo with which hn thun
flulliud ili Hlory of bin rolatloiiH
With thu ttoutl linlniDH, Heemed to bo
morn tluui Mr. Ohnllonor could Htnnd,
Willi u iook or flxtrvnw pain ami per
plexity ho vnulalied from the doorway,
Jind It full to Dr. 1 loath to Inipilro
"In thin loiter a letter of tin out
you will rumomber Urn only commu
ntanttou which paimud betwoen you
luul MIiib Ohiillouur after tliln unfor
tumito pamiaito of hiiiib at the Cler
mont?" "Yon. I linil no wlnli to iiildreim hor
akuIii. 1 bad oxhauuted tu thU one
oiltbiliHt whatever humiliation 1 felt."
"And Alio? Did Nho kIvo no iiIru,
miako ou ho nunwer?"
"None- whatever." Then, nn if ho
fouiid It ImpOHHlblu to lildo thla hurt
to lil pride, "nho did not even ouem
to coiwldvr mo worthy the honor of
un added remark, HuoU nrroi;nnoo Ih,
no doubt, commendable In u Ohnllon
or," Thin time JiIh hltternoHH did not
pntm unrebuked by the coroner: "Ho
membor the Kray halm of the only
Challoucr who can hear you, and ro
Upoct blu Kilcf."
Mr. UrolborRou bowed.
"I havo finished,' oald he. "l wimll
toavi uothlnR more to uuy on the nub
Jcct." Aud ho draw Ulumolt up In ex
pQCtatlou of tho dlumUiial ho evident
ly thought pundlng.
But too coroner wn not done with
him by any meant. Ho hail a theory
In rvgard to thla Inmoutablo Miilutde
whlcli bo hoped to eatubllah by'thtu
'! UvUxtouy, &&, U ymrmit of
tMj jwj, lit not tn&y tB'Motntd to Mr.
JiwiiKtrwa Ut reat bluMwU, test b
FA ui itnv. Ut 9m a ftmk Hue ut tx
aaHoatio by tmySmr.:
""m wOl pmiitnt me. If 1 prK tbie
wattr. I Uuy hw kItch u u4r
H4 Ut HotrfHbttutAUiK JtT
hrmk with JMtte CUafttHKtr, rem
iirti kitffi up your YinUx to the
CAnnsuMtl aud vchh mutt oh tbe spot
t tkn Urn of Jior death."
"Oa Utv epotr
"la tto boiof, I vaHtM."
"'rherii ytm are right; I nra 1 the
"M the Han of ber doatkr
"Verr nmr the time. I reuMwbw
tmtiK '! dJturbae In U lobby
tvhiu4 ihh, wt o I vsu pawrtn out
at Um JJroa4 Kay ADtraiico."
"'tm &M, 3Md 3ld not rftturH"
"Why boald I rotHrn? I aw not a
mu of Hmcb cmrioniiy, Tfer was no
raeoM vby I sImhiM connoct a sHddon
zUtm to tb lobby of tb Olftrmont
with zoy aH ot ix:fal lntr.st to
ntyuAL"
Tb yrsui to tra' and the look which i
&&mvnin& tho word wu to trunk
Out tint coroner beMtafjd a moment
btlorti he told:
"Certainly not, untaM well, to b
direct, unk-sM you had Juxt seen MIhh
Cballoner and know her isUto of rnlnd
an1 what wan likely to follow your
abrupt departure,"
"i bad no luUirvlow with MIks Cbal
loner." "Hut you aw her? flaw her that
evenlnif and JiiHt before the accldunt?"
Hweetvatcr'u papcre rattled; It wan
the only eound to bo beard in tbat
moment of Hlloncc. Then
"WJiat do you mean by thore
wordu?" inquired Mr. UrotherKon, ltb
Ntudled compoHtiro, "I havo Kald tbat
I had no Interview with Ml Challon
nr. Why do you ak mo then, If I uaw
hor?"
"Ilooauun 1 believe that you did
From a dlntance pomilbly, but yet' db
roetly and with no poHMlblllty or mix
take," "Mo you put that au u quetlon7"
"I do, Mid you nee her llRiiro or
face that nlKbt7"
"I did."
Nothluf; not oven tho rattllnn of
Bw,otwator' paperftdliiturbd the
Blleuco which followed thin admlBHlon.
"From whoto7" Moctor Heath aiikiid
at hint.
"From a point far enough away to
make any communication between iih
ImpoHnlble. I do not think vyou will
require me to recall thu exact spot."
"If It wore one which made It poh
ulblo for her to hco you aa clearly a
you could nee hor, I think it would be
vory advlimblo for you to Hay no,"
"It wan uiich a pot."
"Then I think I can locate it for
you, or do you prefer to locate It your
olf?" "I will locate It mynolf. 1 had hoped
not to be culled upon to mention
what I cannot hut conulder a most
unfortunate coincidence. 1 mot MIrh
Ohalloner'M oyo for ono inatnnt from
tho top of tho little talrcano running
Mr. Orotheron Roo na Ho Heard It.
up to thu mosxiuilno. I hud yielded
thun far, to an Impuloo I had rroquont
ly combattod, to ueek by another In
terview to retrieve the bad oftoct
which miuit have boon made upon bur
by my ainjry note. I know that hIio
truquontly wrote lettom In tho moj
caplne tit thla hour, aud not iib far an
tho top of the tttalrciiHo In my oftort
to Join her. Hut I got no further.
When I Haw her ou her foot, with ber
fncfl turned my way, I roniombyrcd
tho neorn with which nho had re
ceived my former honrttult proponalu
and, without takliiK another atop for
ward. I turned away from hor and lied
down thu HtepH iviul no out ot tho build
Iiir by thu main entrance. Hho anw
mo, for bur band flow up with a
Htartlod Routine, but, 1 cannot think
that my premmco on, tho tmmo floor
with her could havo cauuod. her to
tsll Ike the blow which terminated her
llfo. Why Bliould IT No woman two
illlcoa hur llfo out of mro regrot tor
Bv .ANNA KATHARINE GKEEN
Author of "the iavttnvo-bth rAsc"
nrr .. ..-. . . . .-V.......... Z TL'TT. l
injt r JJUUtt; JAW. J.ilUUU3i, oritJCV4TI15PERIKG HfiE5
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
CHAKLE3W. ROSSEB
CO
PYRIOHT J91I
o
trirHsutvr xoxx
Ik'i dfKdala b hut ebowu a tun the
hn UJtu no pins to u&atsixad.-
"Yoh m MHk CbzlUnmr Ml bar
hand, yon a WJtleb Uo4, aad wbat
waw fa h? Any tiling r
-MUe lined hr rtRbl baad, bat It
wowld hn lM;fM for mt U tell you
vfkatker tlre wan anything la It or
ot. I tfimjriy saw th raoveraoi be
fore I tanMsd away. It looked Mke ome
ot alalia to me I felt tbat like had
tn timsou tur tala. Jib a comW sot
know that H'wac in raataaee I came
rather than la fJSlMist of ay
throat."
A tg from ta adjolMias rooai. Ur.
Rrotb'rgoa ron, zx Un hmra It. jib4 In
dotnp no met tins' dear ye of &&
vntQT tlxtjfl poN bis owa. It Ian
KHHiit w.ik, uo dwabt. peeallai; aad It
feemed to facdnate blm for a too
umt, tor be aUrU-d a If to approach
the detective, but forook tbte lo'len
Mon almost ltarsodfatly. aad address
tim th coroner, gravely remarked:
"ll-r il"hih followloK to qaJckly up
on thla abortive attempt of wise at an
interview jsUrtled me by II coinci
dence its much an It dos you. If la
the woalrjieiHi of bor wowan'a nature.
u wan more than thte If lb sorn
bo bad previously ehown rne was a
cloak he lntlnctirHy awjuraed to
hl'Je what abe -vraa not ready to dis
5'.oe. nsy remorte will be aa Kreat as
nny one hero could wtoh. Mat the
iroof of all thbs will have to be -very
("onvincliiB btforc- my present couvlc
tlona -ttlll ylabl'to It. 8obh other and
more poignant aourwi m-IH hare to be
found for that lnhtant'u Impulelre act
than Id supplied by thl jslory of my
unfortunate attacbmenL"
TDootir Jloatb wau convinced, bat be
waa n-tlllriK to concede eozaething to
tho eenret demand made apon him by
Swfletvater, who v.-aa bundling up bla
papers with much clatter.
IxJokHi;; up with a amlle which had
element! In It he wan hardly coniscloua
of porlrapM hlmKeir, be aslfod In an off
hand way:
"Thin why did you take such pains
to wah your bands or the affair the
moment you had left the hotel:"
"1 6) not understand.'
"Von passed around the corner Into
utrect, did you not?"
"Vocy Jlkely. 1 could go tbat way
an well as another"
"And stopped at tho first lamp
poat?" "Ob, I hoc. Homo one saw that child
ish action of mine."
"What did you moan by It?"
"Just vhat you havo suggested. I
did ro through the pantomime of
wabhlng my hands of an affair I con
sidered deflntely ended I had resist
ed an Irrepressible impulso to see and
talk with Miss Challoner again, and
was pleased with my firmness. Un
aware of tho tragic blow which bad
Just fallen, 1 was full of scir-congratu-latlonsit
my escape from tho charm
which had luri'd mo back to this ho
tel ngaln and again In splto of my bet
ter Judgment, and I wished to symbol
ize my roller by nn act or which I
waif, In another moment, ashamed.
Strange that there should havo boon a
wltnufln to it. (Hero bo stolo a look
at Hwoetwater.) StraiiKor etlll. that
olrcuniHtnncoB, by tho most extraordi
nary or colnnldoncoH, should hnvo glv
on bo unfori'seen a point to it,"
"You'nro right, Mr. Urothorson. Tho
whole occurrence Is Btartllng and
most Htraugn. Rut llfo la mado up or
tho unexpected, as none know better
than wo physicians, whothor our prac
tice be of u public or private char
acter." Ah Mr. HrotherHon loll tho room,
thu curiosity to wliloh ho had yioldod
once boforo, led him to emit a glanco
of penetrating inquiry behind him full
at Hweotwuter, and If either felt om
barranament, it wnn not tho bunted
but tho hunter.
Rut tho reeling did not lent.
"I've almply mot the atrongost man
I've ever encountered," wna Swootwa
tor's encouraging comment to hlmsolf.
"All the more glory jr I can find a
Joint In bin armor or a hidden pass
ago to IiIh cold, secrotlvo heart."
CHAPTER XI.
Alike In Essentials.
"Mr. Qryen, 1 am elthor n rool or
tho luckiest fellow going. You muBt
decide which.''
A grunt from tho region or tho li
brary table, then the sarcastic re
mark. "I'm JHt In the mood to settle that
quoHtlon. This last fnllimv to my ac
count ought to make mo an excellent
Judge of another's roily. I've med
dled with the old buslnosa for the laBt
time, Bwectwutor You'll havo to go
It alonu from now ou, Rut wluU'u the
matter with you? Spook out, my boy,
Something now In the wind?"
"No, Mr. (Iryco; nothing new, You'ro
not oatlslled with tho coroner'B ver
dict lu tho Cballonor case?"
"No. I'm satlatlcd with nothing thnt
leaves all endo dangling. Suicide was
not proved. Thorn was uo blood-Btatn
on that cuttor-poliit."
"Nor any ovlilonoq that It bad over
boon there'."
"No. I'm not proud of tho chalu
$y street & -smTJf v
fry DOPu.WEAimco
wU'h lacks a llak wbere It sboatd be
strongest
"Tbat cbaia ire smct tarew away."
"And Jorge aixOwr?"
BA water approached aad Eat
dOttU.
fcya. I WMere w caa do K; yet
I bare oaly ou iadtepaUbte fact for
a -y.rUtr. Ut. Oryee, I doa't trast
Urcbtraoa. Tboagh be sboald tell a
eur ta tines or plaaslble than
pi- ooe with which be baa battened
Vkf wrong's jary. I woald still listen
to b'at witb more aria glrlac? baa cos
Sdetioe I'rbapE ft Is slsnply a deeply
root aaHpatby oa sy part, or the
rae oa feels at Sdtag be baa piaeed
Ms finger oa tbe wrong man Again
It may b
-What, Sweetwater?"
"A wH-foiaded dlatntEC Mr, Gr)'ce,
I'm gotng to sak you a question."
"Ask away. AjpSc fifty If yoa want
to'
"Did yoa ever star of a case before,
tbat in teata of Its details was similar
to this?"
"So. It stands alone. That's why It
He so puzzling."
"You forget. The wealth, beauty
and social consequence of tbe present
rkflrn has blinded you to the strong
resemblance wbicb ber case bears to
on joa know, la which the sufferer
bad noae of the worldly advantages of
Miss Cballoner. I allude to"
"Wait! Tbe washerwoman In Hicks
trwt'"
"The same. Mr. Coco, there's a
starlliBg similarity in the two cases
If you study the essential features
only Startling, I assure you."
'Y$, you are right there. Rut what
if tbere Is We were no more suc
cessful In solving that case than wo
bate been In solving this. Yet you
took and act like a hound which has
struck a hot scent."
The young man smoothed his tea
tares with an embarrassed laugh.
"I Eball never learn." said be, "not
to give tongue till the hunt is fairly
started. If you will excuse me, we'll
first make abre or the tlmllarity 1
have mentioned. Then 111 explain my
self. I have some notes here, made at
the time It was decided to drop the
Hicks street case as a wholly Inexplic
able one. Shall I read them?"
"Fire away, my boy, though I hardly
see your purpose or what real bearing
tho affair in Hicks street has upon
tbe Clermont one. A poor washer
woman and tbe wealthy Miss Challon
er! True, they wore not nnlibo in
their end,"
"The connection will como later,"
smiled the young dotectlvc, with that
strange roftenlng or his reaturcs
whfch made ono at times rorget his
extreme plainness.
And he read;
"'On the afternoon or December ,
1010, tho strong and persistent scream
ing or a young child in one or tho
rooms or n rear tenement In Hlcka
ntrcet, Rrooklyn, drow the attention
or somo or tho inmates aud led them,
atter several Ineffectual efforts to
gain an entrance, to tho breaking in
ot a door which bad boon fastened on
tho Inside by nn old-rnshloucd door
button. " 'Tho tenant, whom all Icnew for an
honest, hard-working woman, had not
Infrequently rasfonod hor door lu this
mannor, lu order to safeguard hor
child who was abnormally active and
had a way of rattling tho door open
when It Was iot thus Bccured. Rut
she had never retused to open beroro,
and tho ehlld'B cries were pitiful.
"'This was no longer n matter or
wondor, when, tho door having been
wrenched rrom Kb hinges, they all
rusliod'lu. Across a tub or steamlug
olothe3 lifted upou a bench lu tho
open window, thoy uaw tho body of
this good woman, lying inort nnd
seemingly (load; tho frightened child
tugging at her skirts. Sho was of a
robust niako, fleshy and tnlr, and had
alwaj'H been considered a modol ot
health and onorgy, but at tho sight
ot hor helpless figure, thus strlckon
while nt work, tho ono cry was 'A
stroke!' till Hho had boon llftod off
and laid ujion the floor. Then somo
discoloration In tho water at tho bot
tom of tho tub led to a closer examin
ation ot her body, and tho discovery
or a 'bullet-bole lu hor breast directly
over tho heart,
"'As she had been standing with
race towards the window, all crowded
that way to see whero tho shot had
como rrom. Aa thoy woro on tho
fourth story it could not have como
rrom tho court upon which tho room
looked. It could only have come rrom
tho rront tonomont, towering up be
roro them somo twenty toot away. A
slnglo window or tho limumcrnblo onos
confronting thorn Btood open, nnd this
was tho ono dlroctly opposite.
"'Nobody wns to bo soon thoro or
In tho room beyojid, but during tho ox
cltcmont, ono man ran off to call tho
police nnd another to hunt up tho Janl
tor and ask who occupied tbts room.
" "Ills reply throw them all Into con
fusion. Tho tenant ot that room was
tho beat, tho quietest nnd moat ro
spoctablo man In olther building,
'"Then ho must be Blmply careless
and tho shot an accidental ono. A
rush was made for the stairs and
soon the whole building -ass in an up
roar. Out wben this especial room was
reached, it was found locked and on
tho door a paper planed up, on which
tbse words wore written: Gone to
New York. Will be back at 6:S0!
Words that recalled a circumstance to
the Janitor He bad seen the gentle
man go out an liour before. This ter
minated all inquiry In this direction,
though some few of the excited throng
were for battering down this door Just
as they bad the other one. Hut tbpy
were overruled by tbe janitor, who
saw no use in uoch wholesale destruc
tion, and presentl) the arrival of the
police restored order and limited tbe
inquiry to the rear building, where It
undoubtedly belonged.
"Mr. Gryce." (here Sweetwater laid
by his notes tbat he might address the
old gentleman more dlroctly), "I was
with the boys when thoy made thoir
first official Investigation. This is
why on can rely upon the racts as
here given. I followed the Investiga
tion closely and missed nothing which
could in any way throw light on the
case. It was a mysterious one from
the flrBt, and lost nothing by further
inquiry into tbe details.
"The first fact to startle us as wo
mado our way up through tho crowd
which blocked halls and staircases
was this: A doctor had been found
and. though he had been forbidden to
make more than a cursory examina
tion of the body till tbe coroner came,
he had not hesitated to declaro after
his first look, that the wound had not
been made by a bullet but by some
sharp and slender weapon thruut
home by a powerful hand, (You mark
that, Mr. Gryce.) As this Beemed im
possible In face of the fact that the
door bad beeu found buttoned on tho
Inside, we did not give much credit to
his opinion and began our work under
tho obvious theory of an accidental
discbarge of some gun rrom one or tbe
windows across the court. Hut tho
doctor wafi nearer right than we sup
posed. When the coroner came to
look Into the matter, be discovered
that tbe wound was not only too small
to havo been mado by the ordinary
bullet, -but that there was no bullet to
be found In the woman's body or any
where olao. Her heart bad been
reached by a thrust nnd not by a shot
trom a gun. Mr. Gryce, have you
not heard a startling repetition or
this report In a case nearer at band?
"Up three flights rrom tho court,
with no communication with (ho ad
Joining rooms save through a door
r ..rded on both sides by heavy pieces
or rurnlturo no one person could han
dle, the hall door buttoned on the in
bide, nnd tbe fire escapo somo flttecn
root to the left, this room of death ap
peared to be as removed rrom tho ap
proach of a murderous outsider as the
spot in tbe writing-room of tho Cler
mont where Miss Chnlloncr fell.
"Otherwise, the place prosentcd tho
greatest contrast possiblo to that
scene of splendor and comrort. I had
not entered thq Clermont at that time,
and no such comparison could havo
:
"I Was With the Roys When They
Made tho First Official Investing
tlon." struck my mind. Rut 1 havo thought
ot it stneo, and jou, with your oxporl
once, will not find it difficult to pic
ture tbe room where thla poor worn
nn lived and worked. Rnro walls, with
Just a newspaper Illustration pinned
up hero and there, a bed tragically
occupied at this moment n kitchen
stove on which a boiler, halMlllod
with steaming clothos still bubblod
and roamed an old bureau a largo
pluo wnrdrobe against an Inner door
which we later round to havo boon
locked tor months, ano the key lost
bome chairs and most pronounced or
all, becauoo or Its position directly be
roro tho window, a pine bench support
ing n wnab-tuo ot tho old sort.
"As It was hero tbo woman foil, thla
tub naturally received tho closest ox
amlnatlon. A board projected from
Its- further side, whither It bad evi
dently been pushed by tho weight of
hor railing body; nnd from its top
bung a wet cloth, marking with Its
j lugubrious drip on the boards bo-
neath tbe first heavy moments of bI
) lenco which Is the natural accompanl-
ment of so serious a survey. On tho
floor to the right lay a hair-used cako
or soap Just aB It bad slipped rrom her
hand. Tbe. window was closed, tor tho,
tomporature was at the freezing point,
but it had been round up, and It was
put up now to show the height at
which it had then stood. As we all
took our look at the houso wall oppo
site, a cound of shouting camo up
from below. A dozen children woro
sliding on barrel staves down n slopo
or beaped-up snow. They had been
engaged in this sport all tho afternoon
and wcro our witnesses later that no
one had made a hazardous escape by
means or the ladder or tbo Ore escape,
running, as I have said, at an almost
unattainable distance towards the left.
"And that is as tar aa we ever got
The coroner's Jury brought in a verdict
of death by means of a stab trom somo
unknown weapon in the hand of a per- '
son also unknown, but no weapon
was ever found, nor waa it ever set
tled how tho attack could havo been
mado or tbo murderer escape under
tho conditions described. Tho woman
wob poor, her friends few, aud the
case seemingly inexplicable. So after
creating somo excitement by its pe
culiarities, It fell of Kb own weight
Rut I remembered Jt, and in many a
spare hour have tried to see my way
through the no-thoroughfare it pre
sented. Rut quite In vain. Today, tho
road 1b as blind as ever, but " here
Sweetwater's face sharpened and his
oyea burned as ho leaned closer and
closer to the older dotectlve "but
this second case, so unlike tho first In
non-essentials but so exactly like it in
Just those points which make the mys
tery, has dropped a thread from its
tangled skein into my hand, which
may. yet lead us to tho heart of both.
Can you guess havo you guessed
what this thread 13? Rut how could
you without tho one clue I have not
given' you? Mr. Gryce, the tenement
whero this occurred is the same I vis
ited tho other night in search of Mr.
Drotherson. And the man character
ized at that time by tho Janitor as the
beat, the quietest and most respect
able tenant In th'o wholo building, and
the one you remember whoso window
01
Mr. Gryce Finds an Antidote for Ofd
Age.
"Sweetwater, how came you to dis
cover that Mr. Dunn of this ram
shackle tenoment in Hicks street waa
identical with tho elegantly equipped
admirer of Miss Challoner?"
"Just thla way. The night before
Miss Challoner'e death I was brooding
very deeply over the Hicks Btrcet
case. It had bo possessed mo that I
had taken this street In on my way
trom Flatbush. I walked by the place
and I looked up at tho windows. No
Inspiration. Then I sauntered back
and entered tho houso with tho rool
intention of croaslng the courtyard
and wandering into tho rear building
where tho crimo had occurred. Rut
my attention was diverted and my
mind changed by seeing a man com
ing down the stalra before me, ot bo
fine a figure tbat I involuntarily
stopped to look at him..
"My interest, you may believe, was
in no wiao abated when I learned that
he was that highly respectable tonant
whope window had been open at the
tlmo when half tho inmateB ot tho two
buildings had ruBhod up to biff door,
only to And a paper on It displaying
these worda: Gone to Now York;
will be back at 0:30. Had he returnod
nt that hour? I don't think anybody
had ovdr asked; and what reason had
I ror such Interferonco now? Rut nn
Idea onco planted In my brain sticks
tight, and I kept thinking or this man
nil tbo way to tho bridge. Instinctive
ly and qulto against my will, I round
mysoir connecting him with soma
previous remembrance In which I
Boomed to seo his tall rorm and Btrong
features under tho stress of some
great excitement Rut there my mem
ory stopped, till suddonly aB I waa
entering tbe subway, It all camo back
to me. I had met htm tho day I wo'nl
with the boys to investigate tbo cass
In Hicks street He was coming down
tho stalrcaup ot tho rear tenement
then, very much ns I had Just Been
blm conning down tho ono in tront
(TO I1E CONTINUED.)
Little Misunderstood.
Ono morning MIdb Lillian Do Vin
cent, leading lady or "When a Man'a
Married," No. 2 road company, con
cluded she would press some collars.
"Rrlng mo a hot Iron,'" she told tho
hallboy, who answered the bell. In
a Tow moments ho returned empty
handed. "I can't got it tor you. lady.
Tho bartondor says as how there's
lots ot them rancy New York drinks
be ain't never learned how to mix."
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