The evening world. Newspaper, February 19, 1914, Page 19

The (Coprright, 1918, by H. Hesheth Prichard.) STNOPSE OF PRECEDING Crarrens, Cw ee — = and " i oe, tye Maint bvedens has dee. a yeang ma treul oa oneerrs have led ‘ius ing retained police to, wort a Caste ‘pppoe yaoer, uariigh extern clon. 6 eriet nrrivnich ‘Movemints race, Seiscl “ a ‘The feet wt ‘rather er, tt tite sinmuce a voluntary, and aw " Ctteat mia “iented™ the a the 1a a Yorrane, which eer vent," Waiter gaa ek tats the a a 1s. ‘money. wae ‘the bank, ol Martie yf) ‘eamployee - Anne chews het Evenin Pointarre and lived with the family at their now mill. Bo the ‘price !s twenty, or I'll na harness a horse for ye! “Then Til have to go on'to Simon Pointarre, I've hoard him well spoken i “Have ye now? That's queer, for Ne fond Maybe, then, it was hie brother,” id Jos quickly, ‘Which? “Tho other one that was with At- terson at Red River.” “There was nae one, only the old man Simon, and the two girls.” “Well, anyway, I've got iny sporte- Intereats to mind,” said No- ber, “and I'll ask the Pointarre’s price before I close with yours.” “I'll make @ reduce to seventeen dollars if ye agree here and now.” November said something further @ of Atterson’s high regard for Simon Pointarre, which goaded old Mc- Andrew to fury. “And I'll suppose it was love of Simon that made him employ that family,” he snaried. ‘Oh, yes, that's comic, ‘Twas Simon and no that grin- ning lassie they call Phedre—Atter- won? Tush! I tell ye, if ever @ man made a fule o' himself’— But here, despite McAndrew's pro- @ tests, Joo loft the farm. CHAPTER VI. {Continued,) , . The $100,000 Robbery. OYEMBER JOE aid not move ‘as Hobson, his wrist strap- ped to Atterson’s, disap- * peared down the trail by which we had come. weil,” I sald, “what next?” {Wl take another look around.” Jos leapt to his feet and went quickly over the ground. I accompanted him. “What do you make of it?” he said at last. “Nothing,” 1 anewered. “There are fn tracks nor other signs at all ex- these two or three places where logs have been lying—I expect A n picked them up for his fire. I don't understand what you are ge! ting at any more than Hobson docs.” , "Hub!" said Joe, and led the way Gown,to the river, which, though not mere than fifty yards away, was hid- dem from us by the thick trees. It was a slow-flowing river, and in the soft mud of the margin I saw, to mtysurprise, the quite recent traces oF'4 cafide having been beached. be the canoe there was algo on the one, ‘he big Chery @ paddle bay- t ‘ ing Mipounted. to it, The paddle had thought, fallen from tho impression it had left urface was very slight, long ago was the cance coe » iret LY nkaretr eds between E "rep! > Stnen don't wee how it helps y Ite coming can't bave do with the Atterson rob- , for the distance from here to ‘camp ts too far to throw a packet, the absence of tracks makes oar that Atterson cannot ha handed the loot over to a confederate im the hat at right?’ “Looks that way,” admitted Joe. “Then the canoe can be only @ 0o- dence es Nlovember shook his head. 1 wouldn't go ‘quite so far as to say , following a alightly to that by which we had ‘Then, taking the hatchet from fH belt, he split a dead log or two fire and hung up the kettle once & guessed from t that he least was still obscure and for more. ad seen at sSicanie to" me able to me. r pVonder ff Atterson has confessed to Hobeon yet,” I wald, meaning to @reMe way confesn about the rob- wes but he cons faut any one where ik 8. clang Fite Pinet before, Jee. You seem-very sure of it.” = “Tt am 8 Atteraon dosen't know, Neoause he's been robbed in bis tura.' “Robbe: I exclaimed, Joe nodded. “and the robber?” “'Bout five foot six; Hghtweight; ‘very handsome; has black hair: 1s, under twenty-five years old; ‘and lives in Lendeville, or near tt, “Joe, you've nothing to go onl” I re you sure of thia? How a pretty mean I may make him talk, though thought I wanted information not with it.” Ca ats , whose 1 - ‘es the, north of Scotland began Joe, ehance be bringing « ip on to River month ext for the moose-calling, your price for hiring two and a good buckboard and our outfit on from Burnt Lands by Sandy mai bes sald Joo, hs Gee ‘the old horses! . The -Bogtchman's al a chin-beard “*Tt would na’ pay to do it for o fe don’t want ‘there's others as will.” wnat misne fyi Dames ber" rew ironically, 7 Ley took up Bank-Clerk At- Jetson when he wan here aix weck ) © “you're wrang!" cried Mo- n> Mor Banke Atterson walked in with young Simos. me daylight in & ,, At the store, which was next visit- ed, we 1d the position of the Pointarre steading and the fact that old Potntarre, the daughters, Phedre and Claire, and one son, Simon, were at home, while the other sons were on duty at the mill, J i I walked together slong knocking at the door, It was opened by a twenty years of age; her bright brown eyes and hair made ber very good-looking, Joe gave her @ quick wlance. “I came to see your sister,” sald he. “Simon,” called the girl, “here's a man to sce Phedre.” “What's his business?” growled a voice from the inner room. & message for Miss Pointarre,” sald Joe. i “Let him leave it with you, Claire,” again growled the voice, “I wan to give it to hi else,” persisted Joe. Tl brought Simon to the door. He was a powerful young French- Canadian with up-brushed hair and a dark mustache. He stared at us. @ never seen you before,” he sald at last “No, I'm going south and I ined Ta leave a message passing throug! replied Joe. “Who sent you?” “Can't tell that, but I guess Mise Pointarre will know when I give her the message.” ‘Well, I suppose you'd beat see her. She's down bringing in the cows, You'll find her below there in the meadow;" he waved his arm to where we could see a small stream that ran under wooded hills at a distance of about half a mile. “Yes, you'l find her there below.” Joe thanked him and we set off. It did not take us long to locate the cows, but there was no sign of the girl, Then, taking up a well-marked trail which led away into the bush, ‘we advanced upon it in silence till, and no onc t round a clump of pines, it debouched upon a large open shed or byre. Two of three wows atood at the further end of it, and near them with her back to us was a girl with the sun shining on the burnished coils of her black hair. A twig broke under my foot and she swung round at the noise. “What do you want?" she asked, She was tall and really gloriously handsome. e come from Atterse:. seen him,” said November. TI fancied her breath caught for the fraction of a second, but only « haughty surprise showed in her face. There are many people who see him every day. What of that?” she ed. T’ve just retorted. “Not many have seen him to-tay or even yesterday.” Her dark blue eyes were fixed on “Is he 11? Wheat do you “Huh! Don't they read the news- paper in Lendeville? There's some- thing about Kim going round. I came taking you'd sure want to hear,’ said November. a ‘The color rose in Phedre's beautiful e. Se they're saying,” went on Joe, “that he robbed the hank where he ployed of a hundred thousand dollars, and instead of trying to get away on November, mean?” I the train or by one of the steamers, ‘made for the woods, That was all Heht if a Roberville farmer hedn't geen him. So they put the police on hin track and I went with tho police.” Phedre turned awny as if . “What interest, have I in this? It @nnuien me to listen.” “Wait!” replied November. “With the police I went, and soon struck Atterson’s trail on the old Colonial Post Road, and in time come up with Atterson himself nigh Red River, The Police takes Atterson prisoner and searches him.” “And got the money back!" she naid acornfully, “Well, it sounds slily enough. I don't want to hear more.” “The best is coming, Miss Pointarre. “ ‘They took him but they found noth- ing, ‘Though they searched him and all roundabout the camp, they found nothing.” im “He had hidden it, I suppose.” “So the police thought. And 1 thought the same, till” * © © (N aze left her face) “till I seo his eyes, The pupils were like pin-points in his head." He paused and added, “I got the bottle of whis- in his pack, It'll go in impatiently. drugged and the bank property stole from him, You wee,” continued Joe, “this robbery ens giant re Atterson's own idea.” “No, I guess he had the first tion of it when he was on his tion six weeks back. * * © Hew in love with @ wonderful handsome girl, Blue eyes she had and black hair, and her teeth was ai yours, She pretended to be in love with him, but all along she was in love with—well, I can't say who she was in love with—herself Ikely, Anyway, 1 expect she used all her influence to make Atterson rob the bank and then light out for the woods with the aft wants, On his wai stuff, He does way to the woods ects him with @ pack of food jecessaries. In that pack was a bottle of drugged whiskey. ~ “Ghe asks him where.be's going to W o V{HESKETH PRICHARD camp that night, he suspects nothing and tells her, and off she goes in a canoe up Red River until she comes to opposite where he's lying drugged. She lands and robs him, but she don’ want him to know who done that, she plays an old game to conceal h track: She's a rare active young woman, so she carries out her plan, gets back to her canoe and home to Lendevillo, Need I tell you any more about her?” During Joe's story Phedre's color had slowly died aw: er!” she sald very cl ut why should you tell me all this?” ‘Because I'm going to adyise you to hand over the hundred thousand dollars you took from Atterson. I'm in this case for the bank.” “I? she exclaimed violently. “Do you dare to say that I bad anything i whatever to do with this robbery, that I have the hundred thousand dollars? Bah! I know nothing about How should 1?” “Then 1 ‘beg your pardon, Migs Pointar and I say goodby. I must go ani make my report to the police anc them act their own way.” He tur but before he had gone more than step or two she called to him, “There is one point you have for all your cleverness, sald, “Buppose what you have ie true, may it not be that the girl who robbed Atterson took money just to re- turn it to the “Don't seem to be that way, for she has just denied all knowledge of the property, and denied sho had tt before two witnesses, Besides, when Atter- son comes to know that he’s been made a cat's-paw of, he'll be Hable to turn King’s evidence, No, mise, yous only chance is to over the stuff here and now.” “To you!” she acoffed. “And who are you? What right have you"—— 'm in this case for the bank. O14 McAndrew knows me well and can you my name,” , ‘What is it?” : “People mostly call me November Toe. She threw back her head—every at- titude, every movement of hers was wonderf: “Now, supposing that the money could be found... what would you do’ “I'd go to the bank and tell them I'd make shift to get every cent back safe for them If they'd agree not to pronecute anybody. “So you are man enough not to wish to see me in trouble!” November looked at her. “I was sure not thinking of you at all,” be said simply, “but of Bank Clerk At- terson, who's lost the girl be robbed for and ruined himself for. I'd hate to see that chap over-punished with jened be apt to think the less maid about he robbery the better. 6o if you my advice—why, w'a the time to seo old McAndrew. You see, Mi! Pointarre, I've got the cinch on you.’ She stood for a while. “I'll see old man McAndrew,” she cried suddenly, ‘It lead. It's near enough this way: Joe turned after her, and I fol- lowed, Without ai ing = Me- Andrew's suspicions, Joe satisfied the girl as to his identity. Refére dark she met us again. “There!” she sald, thruating a packet into Joe's band, “isut look out for yourself! Atterson isn't the only man who'd break the law for love of me. Think of that at night in the lonely bush! I saw her sharp, white teeth grind together as the words came from be- tween them “My! ing afte bad loser, ain't she, Mr. Quaritch?” ‘We went back Into Quebec, and Joe ma over to the bank the amount of their loss as soon as Har- ris, the manager, agreed (rather against his will) that no questions should be asked nor action taken, The same evening I, not beini under the same embargo regardiag questions, inquired from Joe how in the world the fair Phedre covered her tracks from the canoe to where ° Atterson was lying. “That wan simple for an active girl. She walked along the paddio, raturn to the canoe threw n the mark it made in the . plan's you notice how faint it ‘But when she got on shore—how 404 she hide her trail then?” “It's not @ new trick with her in the couple of short one down and cance, Firat sh step onto it, then ‘4 put the other one farther and step onto that. Next she'd litt the one behind, and so on, Why did she do that? Well, I reckon she thought the trick good enough to blind Atterson. If he'd found a woman's tracks after being rol he'd have suspected.” * “But you said before we left At- terson'’s camp that whoe rebbed him was a middie height, @ light- weight, and Log m was #0 “But the black hair?” q ed. “That was the surest @ lot, and put me wise to it and Phedre at the start. Twisted pack she gave found sev. strands of splendid, black hair. She must ‘a’ pee i ig A aa in the buckles while ing it.” “But, Joe, you also said at Red River that. the person who robbed Atterson was not more than twenty- five yeara old?” “Well, the Bair ved it was a voman, and t but being in love with her face would make a slap-up bank olerk like Atterson have any truck with a settler’s girl? And them kind are early ripe and go off their looks at twenty-five, I guess, Mi bw aad her age was a pretty safe shot,”” CHAPTER VII. Mystery of Fletcher Buckman WAS dozing. It seemed to me deep in the night. The train that November Joe and I had boarded late the Previous evening on our retura from a trip in Quebec was passing, with « rattle and a roar, between the woods which flank the metals, when sud- denly there rang out shriek upon shriek, such as mark the top note of grief and human horror, Upon’ the instant the whole sleep- ing car awoke; half a dozen passen- were sprang to the carpeted floor, surprise and consternation eloquent in their faces and attitudes. “It's from that private car,” orled some one. “Who's in itt” A bearded man answered, “Fietch- er Buckman and his wife.” “It was a woman's scream.” “We.must see what's wrong.” The bearded man and two others ran down the corridor, and at that moment the cenducter stepped in- side the door and confronted them equarely, “What's happened?” gasped a voice, “There's murder doing. Here, let's pass!” The conductor's hard face checket them. “Bah! Mrs, Buckman's had nightmare. That's all there's to {i he said roughly. 1 knew that his words were mero invention, Tim next act made mo even more certain, for he locked the door behind him, walked quickly throvgh the car, paying no attention to the dabble of questions, remon- strance, incredulity and advice thrust upon him from all aides; and a min- ute later he reappeared with Nov ber Joe, who, seorning sleepers, was travelling in the car ahead, As he passed Joe whispered, “Come on.” 1 followed, hastily pulling on my coat, for I had lain down dressed. We stepped out from the blaze of electricity into a cold, white light of dawn, at which the massed trees on either side loomed biack and wet 2s the train steamed forward, On the open platform hotwoen the ra the cunductor sald a few words to Joe, “! brought you along Novem- ber, for [ want a witnon - an we entered the private It would Le Impossible to forget the sight oul emung lends of enining oe, was white as chalk, and, though she hod Jost consclousnesz, it was still drawn with terror, But my eyes passed by her to the wide of the car, whore, close to the bed-place, tho body of a man was dangit ng by the neck to a stout brass hook. I could see that he was th with a drooping mustache and out- Tageously bald. = Hy lurched and gwayed to the swaying of tho train, but ft was th dful pink head lent the last touch nish, and his bare heels Deat a tattoo against the side-boarding of the bunk. In ¢ second we had cut him down; but as the rigid body sank its ig upon our . we knew that lite muat have left it some yood while bofore. “It's Fletch Buckman, sure enough,” sald the conductor; “and he's had time to stiffen. No hope, I reckon! ¢ ¢ © There's no doc on the carn, but we can get a couple of women to Gee to Mrs. Buckman, We'll start to carry her out of this right now, be- fore she comes to.” The conductor and I rained her tn our arms, ond within two minutes we had left her in kindly hands, When we got back Joe was atill engrossed in his examination of the body. He put up his hand to warn us back an we appeared at tho door. “Wait a bit,” he said. “You can talk from there, Steve. You were saying”-— ‘The conductor took up what was evidently the thread of the story he had been telling to Joe when he first called him. “As I was explaining to you, I heard the screech and looked in just as sire dropped. I stepped over and got at Fletch, but I knew by tho fee! of him it was too late to try any reviving. Next I wént for you"—— Ho paused. slept in tho bunk here, like night,” continued the conductor, “Guess it’s suicide, Joe.” He was leaning forward and looking into the bey Ar pa dead face on the pillow of " “Co.1e in now, abruptly, and passed into Mrs. Buck- man's sleeping room, fro which o door opened to the rear platform of the car. While was busy moving in and out, Steve, the conductor, went round, making his own observations. And here I may an weil give slight deacription of the cai it waa not @ large one, but was comfortably Atted with a couple of arm-chairi the bunk already mentioned, said November nm A rolled-up hammock for use in the ” weat her was strapped inet the panelling, and the Rook which had upheld poor Buckman’s body was intended for supporting one end of hammock when slung. Te the left was an office bureau with writing materials upon it, also a typewriter and an open leather bag containing folded papers. There were windows on both sides of the car; but while the one on the left was still gaq covered with its slatted shutter, the ee of the opposite windows was are, and the dark night cioud sinking in the West. Steve uttered an exclamation, and I saw he was reading some words typed on a sheet of paper fixed in the machine. Nove who was still tanding by the of the dead man, looked around. Steve cressed over to him. “It's sure suicide,” he said; ‘though what made bim do it, and he already @ milliohaire and likely to be richer every day, me!" “Buicide™ repeated Joe softly. “Why suicide?” “That's his own belt he waa hung ‘up with,” replied Stev: ‘there's his name on ft. And better proof than that you'll gnd over there. You can read it for your- welves.” TI joined Joe at the table. The upper part of the sheet of paper, which was still in the machine, held some nine or ten lines of a business letter; then, an inch or more below, a few words ote out uy the plain whiteness “Heoven ip mel T aan bear it longer!" “That's the sort of slush they most- ly write when they're waiting to jump off the edge of the world,” remarked the conductor, “That nettles it.” “That's so,” sald Joe. “Only it wasn’t Buekman wrote that.” ‘« ed hima.” “Who elee co “The man that i The cosductor gave a snort of ‘ven you surmise that some one came in here and hanged Fletch Buckman?” “Just that.” “O' cou Buckman consented to being hung!" jeered Steve. “Buckman was dead before he was hung!” said November. “What's that you're saying?” cried ov e. “If you examine the hedy"——-, be- to gan Joe. ‘The conductor made a forward move- ment, but Joe caught his arm. “Let's see the soles of your boots hefore you get tramping nahout too much. Steady, hold on to the table, Now!" He studied the upturned sole for a minute. “Huh said = he. over to the bedy, Look gt tho throat, ‘There in no mark of a belt. But see hore." He indicated some roundish, vid bruises, “No strap ever made Thorne were made by a man's Buckman was throttled by pair of mighty atrong hands.” Steve looked obstinate. “Rut he was hanging!" he argued, “When he was dead, the murderce slung him up with hin own belt, exnect he remembered the notion of suicide would come in conventent to give him a start, anyhow, so the man went to the typewriter and Printed out thore wor right cute trick, and It e wonder- ful near serving its turn,” Joe paused, Bteve raised on altered face. “It's a cinch afraid,” he nd- mitted. “And a durned mean thine for me, The company’! fire me over “When did you lost ace Ruckman alive?" ingulred Joe. “At midnight. Juat before panned Silent Water Siding.” “Wan he alone? “He wan the Mra. Buckman had gone to hed. Rut he had beon talk- tnp: te a fellow ‘bout half an hour be- ut--&® mon with @ beard, I fon't_krow his name.” “Hi atill an the cere: we ha: Hopped cines.” “Now come It was a we on the typewriter sent al “gure,” “Then he can wait while’—— November was not destined to say po nore Just then, ‘The door behind us Was wrenched open and Mra, Huck- man stood there, 1 could nee the peering faces of the fromen who had been attending on murdered, mur- Casts mete "hin talk of wui- do folly. He would never hav bet himself—never pret mate le was wild with grief, but th terror had gone from her ta: she had only one thought her husband, he shock of tne lee 0 blow of the Vets Ned eoait her, ee eee be, ir de Poor dear! She don't know what ‘el one ut forge seving: murmured ‘Bo silent! I do know! I tel that my husband has been rune Won't any of you believe me?” shi a! eer ane, clenching her fin. wera togethor. “Won formes ware ‘on't one of you November stepped forward, “I do, ma’am,” he said, “I've been looking" — ae made an effort to master her- aclf. “Tell me what you've seen. Don't spare mo. He's dead, and all that is left to do ts to find who killed bim! Tt was murder! You know tha‘ ald “I was just going to look around, but perhaps you ght to answer me a few questions first.” “Ask me anything! But, oh, send away those peopl Joe glanced at Steve. “Lock the door and don't let thing be touched or disturbe: said, Then he led Mra. Buck the further compartment any- "he it; her whole body baorbed in the sin, i rought you and M ‘Where were you ‘Just what Buckman here, whole story, whatever you can of, nothing is too trifling.” In ter rapid sentences Mrs. Buck- man gave us the following facta: “You have probably heard the name of Buckman before. Moat people have. My husband was one of the greatest and most trusted oll experts in the States, He had large holdings in the Giant Oil Company. Al fortnight ago a situation. developed which made it neceanary for him to id leave New York and come down to the Ti Lily Oilfield, The Giant Company were thinking of buying it, or rather of buying a controlling in- tereat in it. Before doing eo they wanted a first-hand opinion, and it ‘was suggested that my husband should travel down to look into the matter.” Sho glanced at November's intent face and went on: “Perhaps you know that this lina runs closo to the Tiger Lily tion, so we had our private car attached and came along. That was on Thursday, a week ago, fe hi the car run onto a siding, and days since my husband been hard at work. He finished the day befora yesterday, but an there was no ox. presa earlier than this ovening, wo waited for it and just before dark our car was linked to this train, “We dined together, and after din- ner a man, Knowles, who was on the train, sent in to ask my husband to gee him, My husband was much an- ¢; noyed, for it appeared that Knowlen had been mannger of a large retail depot, from which he had been dis- missed for some carelewsness. How- ever, my husband made it a rule to give personal interviowa whenever he could, and he ordered Knowlen to ba long. A@ soon as he appeared but I saw ho was a big, sour-looking man in shabby clothes, “I came into this compartment and began to read. For a good while only the murmur of their talking reached me, then @ voice was raised, and T caught some words distinetly: ‘You ‘won't put me back? Think! I have a Toeaking. “it ta" imposstota, es yon ng. ‘It ie im) an you know,” said my husband. ‘Giant ‘on never reconaiders a decist look out for yourself!’ shoutes door, T #o threatening and bitter; and I at once opened the terrified, the man looked bat the in- stant I appeared he whipped round and went out of the car.” 5 Mr. Buckman tell you any- thing more about him?” “Not much,” whe answered, & sort of trembili was o little annoyed that I should have come in when I heard Knowles angry, But that was soon forgotten, and we sat talking for about an hour, At 10, a I wan fooling tired, I naif I would go to bed. My husband told me he had work to do which wonld keep him another couple of honrn, and he would sleep in here no as not d\nturh me," “Do you know what work it waa? “Yoo, it was his report on the Tiger ¢ Lily Otlfetd. “The report that wos to deelte whether the Glant people would buy it or not?” She made a movement of assent “suppose it would bave been worth a great deal to ce people if they could have found tho ture of thet report?” natd Jon. “My husband told me that any one who could get inowledge of it in time could make a fortune.” "Cau you tell me just how?" “My husband explained that te me one day while wo wore down at the ‘Tiger Lily, A month ago the shares of the Tiger Lily atood at elirht dol- Jars, but when rumors got about that the Glant Company meant to buy ft they rose to twelve dollars, which ie about the price they stand at to-day, My hurband said, that if hia report were favorable the shares would fump to twenty, or even thirty, but ‘iat If it were unfavorable ‘they woull, of course, sink very low in- dew.” T understand.” Mrs, Buckman went on: “Riven 1 knew nothing of whether hia dect- rion was for or against the purchase, Me never told me business secrete in cose 1 thould inadvertently let lin some information, [ have no {dea whut line hin report wax to tak “War it not rather strange that Mr. Beckman should delay the writ. ing of the report to the last mo- ment? OU paved hi bout @ pb; ion.’ ‘Then ¢ with w breath, “for he By Hesketh Prichard AUTHOR OF **DON @,"' Bte. uestions?” he cried, 4 “Because Buckman was mi choked to death in the small beans of this morn! ally travelling ’ hor appeal.’ you see him? T couldn't. 1 tried, but a r ed conductor. quired Navembe! has had to deal with many secrots snapped out BI ture with bi ind it was one of his the siceper just before he was killed. ” sons sible moment.’ s gt never saw Buckman but esas, after you wont to bed?” 1 fell asleep. questioni Knewles When I awoke I ft I tr od. a - as all was quiet I fell aioe; Againat Buckman, hands, but after a minute she mas- “Hecause the light. It wa rm won’ know what I saw. him dead, You won't you an; Sepling to who could have done thi?” asl T'm speaking the truth,” Knowles looked a ‘Then Joe astonished us, Steve, who had hung in the door- Ms but whe hardly seemed to hood, “The man who wae in “Remember, I'll spend “1 can explain that," replied Mrs. Buck: “In bis life my husband wu d great commercial val What do you that secrecy had become second na- know Son paseed clone tare invariable rules never to put any- You wero seen. Wi 4 thing into writing until the last poss Knowles bad ne “dead, white, be § “There's reason in that,” said Joo. last night. “And now, did you hear anything canon, what were you doing in @e sleeper “{ heard my hueband working on joe had stood juring Steves the typewriter until 4 rat heard jurned to him, moving about and I called to bim to “1"1) tell go to bed. Ho did not annwer, and he sald If 1 ha: got up then I mikht have pi; Bhe hid hor favo in her erhen wy ‘aiane tered her emotion. "Tho next time I door Started up in a fright and turned on ba) < snatched at my wrapper and rushed om oat’ se into tho next compartment. You for I can prove it's a lie. The “One more question, ma'am, and found thcr stay es went then I'll troubt uno more, Have he got down to turn the ki = Joe, after a whort thee bung Mmout wp ageinT nce, ywies, “thor "L don't know what to say— oer non ts8 Sev Os desperate man. f heard his threat. But who are you « and why"— h way while this conversation was Ing on, now interposed to explain fore he concluded she put both her hands on November's arm. peed the last cent 1 possess if you will only find that meee ‘What are you going tv Steve thrust ont hie i ut go? Well, until he's in Danacutte oad caper mure that Knowles don't ess “I munt examine the oar, I haven't ” had time to-do that thoroughly yet” Ph eR sald Joo. “But wait a minute, Look Syomlen let mo have « ma Ghrowah hie ba and ee ff tue report pone les pulled @ box from Mie or iy ia in it.” 4 Tt was not to be found, And after quien’ way, our hand flat om the that Stevo took Mra. Buckman away, ‘ble.” wont on Joe. for now that the strain of telling her gag lasee Baad, with: tte L downward for our inspection. story was over she seemed as | woul “J collapac. Took at the “There's a woman for you!" ex. “Iaok ai thumbe,” said claimed Joe. “Bay, Mr. Quariteh, I'l) ‘There was no more sald tot we hunt that man for her til he drops in Were again alono with Steve. his tracks "it undertake to smash any Joe and I remained in the car and YOU get up against Knowles, ho wet about his examination in his &# 4 jury of cottontal! rabbits peculiarly swift yet minute way, The Convict him,” said November, carpet, the chairs, the table, the wall i'd Mike to see you do it!” all underwent inspection, | He af “Listen, then. There was by (he Chr a window for some kinds of matches on the floor in 5 * pp Oe ie pens and car—here they are.” J: sheet in the typewriter on which the out toe” Menon rie At the the he Knowles's ee % “That fact won't carry a jury? “Not alone,” said Joe. “Bat fone one wil roken nail Ki thumba "had "om nighes. two were wooden and one of ‘age three cigar stumps and @ little heap fragmenta of mud, si i arches were nearing their conclusion when he caught eat ot the knob of a drawer which had rolled into a dark corner under the bunk. He fitted thie to a drawer of oe deak. Tho finding went over the carpet onca more, pausing a long time under the ete Unshuttered window. Then he turned to the body and Instly fixed his rt- a peta on So eta nee the pi ya called “ face downward. sila “Read himeelt to bag “Not much deapal aosek ake ies wen . nat Xo “It was a man twent T nodded and made an inquiry. then Knowles, pod Mech ‘A carpet'n mighty poor for track- stro! A chap, trims woods why, Td be ane to eee Fate, fairly educated. "He tf well + a uble to ral rly educated. He more than that he’ = Quainted with this line The conductor pushed open tho He boarded the door and stepped in hurriedly, when Buckman ‘Say, Joe, the « fe getting Asleep at some to be Abe sure thing he exclaimed. cere sme by hoy hr tery gray eyes dwelt on other's on 4 exicted fave for a pt SO) * pearching for it when ‘Against”—— and jumped at bim.” ? Who else? “Why in thunder didn’t Buckman through a alarm?” car after midnight.” lompaon, ol with the red head--next berth to this He saw Knowles slip by, a think anything of it then.’ “Let's talk to Knowles,’ ‘We wers soon face to he surpocted man, Mrs. Buek- th man's description, “sour looking and self!” shabby,” fitted him very well. Ha “That's so; but it appeared to be about fitty, with the murderer took it out. stooped but he showed and in his ea. ‘A In the daylight looked more if he’s got a revolver than shabby, his whole person was do the business more in t ant negiected. At firat The finding o' that revolver miatrusted him, and cvery maybe, have spoiled the notion T spent in hig company I suicide.” od him and his shifty, vindictive steve face worne. At the first 1 seemed he would not speak to any pu: but at length Joe's bonhomie an bacco thawed his reserve, ‘There were four of ua in the fegatortamte privacy of the cook's gal- vont his shouting. ‘ nd he'd done it teo “Yes,” sala Knowles, “it's true T was be te had a bad five mint manager of the Trevilie depot YY the he was fall of cunning, and he it Ol three months ago, and that him up as a blind. Thea he Muckman got me fired on nome Har’s the door and sat there in evidence, 1 lant evening, chair and emoked one of nnd 1 told him what I thought of cigars. ‘i him.” “What? said Steve, “With Judie “To be exnet, you sald: ‘Took out hanging there?” yourself?" interposed Steve, the jure! There were three nductor, stumps. Two of them Buckmas "You were eavesdropping, were amoked through a holder, but Le you?" Kno: eald, looking a little the third was all chewed. startled, “I may have sald something murderer sat there of that rort.” amoked and thought out what “But what about the gecond time do, for Buckman’s death was you anw Buckman?" went on Stevi jn two or three ways. He sat there. “I did not see him a second time.” for nigh on twenty minutes and pew Joe spoke. @ truth Is and again he'd go to the window the your best card,” said he antetly, he'd alipped the shutter from and nowles glared like a trapped ant- out, mal, “Why you waking me. ail (To Be Continued.) He wan the sleeping and Joo “Buckman put up @ geod fi the other was too to- ‘Phat fellow cigars man—I un- —hut he had to wT Next Week’s Complete Novell © “THE SKY MAN” the story of an can youth who learned to fly—net by ic Arctic ice plain ] f° like tie best THE SKY MAN By Henry Kitchell Webster WILL BEGIN IN NEXT a ae you just the cold Es tata wo alone. twee ened ae and pel