New Britain Herald Newspaper, August 2, 1921, Page 5

ASHLEY’S Wednesday Specials : $2.50 Tan Attached Collar Shirts $1.2 $2.50 Soft Cuff Shirts $1.45 $3.00 -Soft Cuff Shirts $1.59 $3.50 and $4.00 Soft Cuff Shirts $1.85 $1.50 Blue and Tan Working Shirts 59¢ $1.50 and $1.75 Bal Union Suits 85¢ $1.00 Nainsook Union Suits 69c $1.00 Silk Hose 59¢ 35¢ White Sole Hose 5 Prs. for $1‘00 35¢ and 45¢ Silk Lisle Hose 4 Prs. for $1.00 $2.50 White Soft Collaf Shirts $1.39 35¢ Silk Garters 19¢ $6.50 and $7.00 Panama Hats $2.95 $3.00, $4.00, $5.00 Straw Hats $1.00 ASHLEY THE UNLATCHED DOOR — By Lee Concerning a And a (Copyright, 1920 by T he Century Company.) (Continued from Yesterday's Hierald.) Richard Van Loo Schuyler, tke last son of one of New York's oldest and wealthy families, arrives home prartial- ly intoxicated one night, walkss into the wrong house and stumbles over the body of a murdered woman. Realizing the dangers of his predica- men. he flees to his home next door. In the morning he receives a call for help from a servant girl next door, to whom he has been attracted. She itells him her name is Nora and says she has just discovered the corpse of! her mistress, a Mrs. Rutledge, who.ap- peared to have been murdered during the night. In the absence of any one in the house except the servants, Richard takes charge and summons-a physician and the police. When he tells Nora what he has done he is surprised to hear her say, “I am going to ask something more of you, you know the best reward ifor having wrought well—" “Is to have more to do, Richard. \ Nora, whose surname proves to he Brady, asks Schuyler to keep for her a mysterious ' package, which she claims would prove embarrassing if found in her possession in the event of a police search. WHhile béing ex- amined by the police Miss Brady suddenly faints when the house- keeper, a Miss McLeod, states that she objected to engaging Nora when she was hired, because the latter had no references. Peter Clancy, a famous detective, ‘'working for the police department, learns that Mrs. Rutledge was out the night of the murder with a man named Pendle- ton who has subsequently disap- peared. Clancy also finds the inner sole of a man’s shoe, which Schuyler recognizes as having dropped from one of his shoes when he started to remove them the night before. After several attempts to get rid of the shoes, Schuyler finally drops them into the ash can. He is horrified t» find in the package given him by Nora a photograph of the murdered eman and a piece of the blood tained cloth. Nora, who has disappear- ed mysteriously, is thought to be liv- ing in old Greenwich village, her cor- rect address being known only to a man named Vincent Quarterly, whom Schuyler has met and followed on a train. Rutledge, when examined by ihe police, admitted being out the night of the murder wih another maa and two women, one of whom was Irene Claimont, an actress. He de- scribed Pendleton as a “sort of a lame cat,” and said he thought there was some mysterious understanding between his wife and Nora. Quarterly fipally tells Schuyler he will try to ‘e Nora telegraph him. ° answened O’Malley switched on the powerful electric lamp which hung above his desk and hitched his chair over to the right, making room for his young disciple. The increased light brought out every detail of the papers lying in front of him. O'Malley picked up a card and handed it to Clancy with- out a word. “Who sent it? « Can you make it out, captain?” Peter asked at last, his voice vibrant with controlled ex- citement. O’'Malley, who had been studying the envelope pushed it over to Peter. “Disguised hand, that's plain, and badly done,” he said. ‘Hard to read too. It's almost a wonder that it came at all.” Peter subjected the paper and en- velope to a close scrutiny. Then he turned back to the card. It was a man’s ordinary-sized visiting-card. On one side was written in a small hand: © o 11:30 Seaport Fairfield Mrs. Ralph Tooker and on the other side, engraved in old English lettrrs, was the name “Cuthbert Pendleton.” “Somebody’s putting it up, to us, all right, all right!”” exclaimed Peter. “Yes,” O’Malley replied quickly, “and it looks as if some one wanted Pendleton found and found soon. But they don’t want to appear in this. That's what made me think of Rut- ledge. This is meant to be a straight tip to us and it's up to us to make the most of it. How far have you got?” “Seaport and Fairfield must be the naines of two towns and Mrs. Ralph Tooker, whoever she may be, lives in one of them, probably. O’Malley had risen and now stood in front of a bookcase. He spoke over his shoulder. *“Witl you there. Now, what about the ‘eleven-thirty’?” “The way it's written makes me think it's the time of some train. “Same here,” said O’Malley. “Here we are!” exclaimed ' Peter after a moment’s study, pointing to a map. “Here's a Seaport on the north shore of Long Island and there's Fairfield about in the middle. Pendleton went to the Pennsylvania station on Friday morning.” “I'll bet our man's there!” ex- claimed Peter, exultantly, with his finger on a tiny dot. “Shall I go and get him?” “] want the card and envelope,” said O’Malley. “Going to see what I can find out about the writing on ‘em. It will mean almost as much to know who sent 'em as to find Pen- dleton himself. You see that, don’t ‘you, Pete? The person who sent 'em suspects Pendleton; or has a grudge against him and wants us to suspect him. It will be v-e-r-y valuable to know the why and wherefore of it. Might send us off on a new track al- together; who knows? So T'll keep these, with your kind permission, my lad.” He picked up the two articles as he spoke. “You can have that, if you want it,” he continued with a smile, pushing the half sheet of note- paper over to Clancy as he spoke. “You are such a great sleuth you ought to be able to get along with that.” e CHAPTER 1V. shard Reccives a Letter. got have to wait lon, NEW BRITAIN DAILY HERALD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 192 Thayer — Man ‘a Maid Murder Arriving home he found his mail laid out for him. Among the letters was a registered one for which his valet had signed. The writing was clear and distinc- tive. The unusual formation of many of the letters did not detract from its legibility, while giving it an ef- fect of character and originality. It was exactly the kind of hand he would have expected Nora to write and he experienced a distinct shock, on turning it over, to find that it was signed “Eleanor Wentworth.” than Caxton, to make some purchases for Anne. He had traversed over a mile when at the top of a hill, he saw two figures silhouetted against the sky. They were Quartley and Nora. He recognized them at once and cursed inwardly at the thoughts suggested by their friendly prox- imity. He was nearing the top of the hill, when, much to his surprise, Quartley appeared, topping the rise, and came toward him, alone.’ Dick met and passed him, but Quartley did not raise his eyes from the road. His brow was dark and angry and he seemed oblivious to all external things. Dick’s foot, almost of its own voli- tion, pressed down the accelerator and the car, with a sudden roar of the double jet, shot forward over the top of the hill. The rough banks at the side of the road were thickly studded with bushes and trees. Dick’'s quick eyes darted hither and thither among them and in a moment he caught a glimpse of a huddled little mass of white under the low-sweeping branches of a tree Then he realized: that Quartley had virtually admitted that “Nora Brady” was an assumed name. He turned back to the beginning of the letter and read: Saturday, May 6, '19. My Dear Mr. Schuyler: I cannot tell you how sincerely I appreciate your generosity and kind- ness in taking charge of the little package for me yesterday and I hasten to relieve you of the respon- sibility of keeping it. If you will be so very good as to send it, express collect, to this address, I shall be more than ever grateful. I did not have time to pack it very well and if it is not too much trouble, I would ask you to slip it into a box as the articles are somewhat fragile. I am most sensible of your con- sideration for me in my anomalous position which I could see that you partially understood. I have had a sharp and terrible lesson and am through with all masquerading, for- ever. I therefore sign myself Yours most gratefully, ELEANOR WENTWORTH. The letter was written on the first and fourth pages of a folded sheet. The signature was at the very bot- tom of the last page, leaving no room for the address. In the corner the word “Over” was written very small, Dick opened the sheet and found: Please address, Altonville, Pa.. Care Mrs. John B. Adams. ‘“‘Altonville!” repeated Dick aloud. *‘“Why that’s only about twelve miles ficom Caxton! I've driven over there with Anne Wallace lots of times. Rot- ten roads; but a bully little town, I Temember."” A short time later he had crossed to the Jersey side and -was speeding rapidly along the road which would lead, he hoped, to the answer to his perplexed anxieties. Schuyler had driven down to his bamk and secured the packet which now lay buttoned inside .an inner pocket. Richard found his cousin, Anmne Wallace delighted—as she al- ways was—to see him. But her hus- band was away and she was busy with her farming, a pursuit to which she was devoted. This gave him the op- portunity he wanted to run over alome to Altonville in his car. From the Altonville postmaster he learned that Miss Wentworth was stopping witn the widow Adams who some- timas took boarders and whom “Nora” had come to know by rea- son of having been detained in Al- tonville while on an automobile tour a year or so before. Dick also learned that a man answering the description of Vincent Quartley was stopping at the willage inn. Without difficulty he discovered the house of Mrs. Adamsi. : His 'hear! beat loudly as he knocked on the front door. How would his unexp¢cted appearance be received? A heavy footfall sounded in the hall and the door was opened by a large, comely woman with a pleasant, smil- ing face. “Yes, sir. I think Miss Went- worth's in,” she replied in answer to Dick’s query. At a 'quick, light step on the stair Dick turned and, with quickened pulse, faced the door. She had been in his thoughts and in his dreams for days, but it seemed to him now that he had never before realized 'her loveliness. “Mr. Schuyler!” she exclaimed in her sweett, low voice, advancing to- ward him. *“How could you get here so soon? I wired late yesterday aft- ernoon.” “I hope you'll forgive me for not waiting for your wire, Miss Went- worth,” he said. *“I am visiting my cousin Mrs. Wallace in Caxton and your letter came just before I left New York."” ¢ “You—you haven't lost it?” she questioned anxiously as he returned from closing the door. For answer he drew the packet from his breast pocket and laid it in her hands. “But it wasn't like this when I gave it to you,” she said. *“All those seals—" Briefly he explained the accidental opening of the package and his de- sire that she should assure herself, in his presemce, that the contents were intact. “I am deeply regretful that it hap- pened,” he concluded. “I can’t help feeling that I, have, most unwilling- ly, betrayed a trust.” She opened the small leather case and held it out to him. “That was my aunt who brought me up,” she safid softly. ‘“Wasn't she beautiful?” “A beautiful face,” he said as he 'handed the portrait back to her. “I have almost never seen one more lovely.” Dick stooped and, picking up the folded cloth from among the papers on the floor, held it out with the clean side toward her. *“Would you mind telling me where you got this?” he said and turned it slowly over in his hands. “J—see,”” she said, slowly. *“You think—'* she looked at the cloth with its horrible smear-—‘"dear God! What do you think?” Her words came pantingly from an over-charged heart. “You!" she continued. “And I be- lieve in you! I trusted vou'! I was sure that you believed in me in spite of everything! Go, 'please go! I can't bear any more.” Dick stood for an instant speech- on the high bank at the left. He ran his car well off to the side of the road, crossed over, and, clearing the bank with one great leap, was by her side in an instant. Nora lay, a crumpled, pitiful little heap, on the grass. Her head was buried on her arm, which rested against a boulder. She gave no sign of being conscious of his presence. She was weeping silently. “‘Miss Wentworth,” he exclaimed saftly, “what has happened? Oh, please, please do\'t cry like that!" Nora: with an effort recovered her- self. She thanked him for s in- terest in her and seemed about to tell him the whole story of her con- nection with the Rutledge case; but appeared unwilling to aceount for her recent distress. “I know you sus- said Nora, “‘and so do the But Dick assured her that he did not suspect her. His pleading face and voice were in accord as he held out his hand. The girl laid her own in it and returned the honest grip of his fingers. His heart was singing with joy as he helped her down the steep bank to the road. His spirits rose as with a great sweep of wings, and the girl caught the contagion of his mood as the gallant little car sped on its way. e CHAPTER V. A Cold. Trail. Peier Clancy arrived at Seaport the middle of Monday afternoon and took the stage to Fairfield. All that he could find out for certain was that a man answering more or less accurate- ly to the description Fox had ob- tained of Pendleton had arrived at Seaport in time for the first stage trip on the Friday morning after the murder. He appeared to be familiar with the place—at least had asked the driver no questions. Oh yes, the driver knew Mrs. Tooker and her hus- band, Ralph. The place the old driver pointed out as belonging to Ralph Tooker was a charming old house. Aa old man with snowy hair and beard stood just inside, leaning heav- ily on a crooked cane. “Good aft- ernoon,” said Peter, in his winning, twinkling Irish way. “This is Mr. Ralph Tooker, isn't it?” “I swan, you're right there!” ex- claimed . the old man, smiling. “Though I don’t know how you know it, bein’ a stranger to me. I ain't never seen you before, have 12" “I don't believe you have,” said Peter. “I'm not as well known as I'd like to be, I'll tell the world.” Pulling off his hat, Peter stepped across the threshold and followed the old man through the hall into a low- ceiled room. . Beside the window a little woman sat reading. She looked up quickly as the two men entered. Peter noted that she was much younger than her husband and rather pretty. He stepped forward eagerly: “This is Mrs. Ralph Tooker, isn’t it? I'm so pleased to meet you! Heard a lot about you. My name is Smith, John Smith. I ran out from New York to see Mr. Pendleton. He's still here, isn’t he?”, The little woman glanced up at him in surprise. ‘Mr. Pendleton?” she said. “I never heard of any Pen- dletons in these parts; did you, Ralph The old man looked at his wife and shook his head slowly. “I don't want to alarm you,” Peter said, “but—" With a quick motion he disclosed his police badge. The old man’s glance shifted from his wife’s determined eyes to Clancy's threatening ones. Peter took a neat paic of shining handcuffs from his pocket and sat playing with them. The action was too much for the old man’s inexperience to withstand. “I'll tell you all about it, since she won't,” he said. “The man you want was here, all right. I'll lay to that. He said his name was Smith, same ez you did, and I thought at first you might be a relation of his, though I must say you don’t look much alike.” “Do you know where he went?” “Ain’t no idea. He went over to the village again to meet his wife in the afternoon—"" “His wife!” Peter exclaimed. “Yep. Been expectin’ her all day. He went over to the two o’clock stage to meet her and he seemed awful worried when she didn’t come. He was nervous and unsettled-like all gday. Couldn’t sit still a minute.” “And when he came back the sec- ond time what did he do?” “He told Mirandy that he found he'd have to go back to the city right away. He'd paid in advance for the rooms and board for over Sunday and he didn’t want none of it back, so there wasn’t no kick comin’ from us. He took his valise and left; and that's all I know.” National Meat Stores Co. 70 WEST MAIN WEDNESDAY MORNING SPECIALS Sirloin Steaks . 35¢ b loss with remorse. When he found his voice she was gone. Legs Lamb honped B b 32¢ b 1~ GIVING AWAY SHOES BATTEY’S THIS WAY Buy any pair of Shoe§ (except Keds) ‘in the store, pay just what the Red Tag is marked (and by the way, that’s a Battey price, !ower than anywhere in the city) and we will give you an- other pair exactly the same kind or same valne “FREE That’s two pairs for the price of one pair. If you don’t need 2 pairs—pay the clerk just HALF WHAT THE RED TAG SAYS and take ’em away. This Is a Genuine Half Price Sale As we have Shoes for Men and Womén marked $2.98, $3.98 and $4.98—see what you get—for $1.48, $1.98, $2.48 — HALF PRICE. 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