I 1 I 1 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 P 11 E 1 I 1 ri I 1 r ill I 1 I 1 T 1 file I 1 I 1 1 1 I I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 4 I 1 la 17 6 I 1 9 0 Z I 1 1 I 1 1 I 1 V I 1 I 1 L 0 1 I I 1 I 1 I 1 r s t f 11 1 V I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 t I 1 I 1 I 1 a a N 16 I 1 1 cc I 1 I 1 I 1 1 halies charier ly I 1 I 1 if I 1 a I 1 V a 0 I 1 I 1 H s a I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 na 1921 1 dodmead and co alov it a I 1 I 1 I 1 SYNOPSIS inal in ina 1 1 ert 11 L ijohn I john bartley bartler noted crim investigator bator i ea tor recently returned from rom secret service si ace bortl ork during the war la is asked i by 11 the governor co vernor of now york to In invests vesti life te a mysterious attempted robbery of tho the robert home at circle lake l ake mar S su ut ta 1 a peculiar circumstances ot oi tile the c A 0 o into rest bartley and ho he ace acel acci L ts CHAPTER tl T W ih h his friend pelt 13 alloy goes I 1 Is 18 rake lake the h e pair bee ml lel the of bob cu currle r r le a an 1 t 0 old id fri tid 1 i visit the e homo home lyke layle I 1 rc ly ay resents relents Bart bartley leys cotillion ayin 4 tiered ui two men in prison attempted robbery guilty I 1 I 1 1 not next morna ing Is tc fc la in bed apparent I 1 ly Y bailee shot hot i bif U t 1 l let K potter the dead mans dans sister i 1 the village police chief roche r ni I 1 c family amily physician ician doctor king k killed physician thys led him self but bartl I 1 ho he was murd murdered e investigating illig I 1 r 1 binds evid evidence enco thit r that after actor a t I 1 i arty he h had given was shot allot on it t or of the house uni led iid and I 1 in bed during his hi absence from i r in someone gromov the r runolver ru olver tr fro I 1 n hara CHAPTER SV IV A twy working in the garage as erts hm ha eitard a shot during the night fight apparently a the air of X course really on the tower CHAPTER V I 1 lit starts out to inter view the merill a it if the card party he finds to hla his surp sum s that apparently we althy bro had offered to sell his friends whisky h E finds evidence that thi th men in jali jail or ir a tempted attempted 11 robbery of were fj fi c all carter I 1 turning from a 6 visit to Sar saratoga itoga B ii irv v pelt and C currle urrie com upon a it ii motor truck vitt without hout lights and oft off t fold they are dis ca cov red eddei to ascertain the lie anso number I 1 fired on the truck pets gets aay an ay T ft 8 9 come upon a long but buical fal apparently the lock Is new and B E I 1 nicks dicks it they find tho the vault botor ah lh whisky aid and also the revolver i had been found in s land hand i an seemingly well acquaint with wit t place arrives and thoe alio detain III hi it t Is missing chau lur ur A fiet af fire working for the revenue demarin it arrives and takes cha go ge of t the e e ui chapt V r etter considering consider ip all th t mysterious r I 1 ot of the case E bartley rt apparently app ie h no conclusion as to the rit murle urdel I 1 a to ll satisfied that dl dials LIS in I 1 1 om something ething t to 0 do it miss I 1 it belief in the ellija board d spiritualism also teems seems to inherit it t nim bartley continue hla his ch tor for evil cv ne n e nd ind apparently find finds k it a things it r ot oi value th the cp rt t beyts ank cini who Is the MU ru a 1 A irin inn and who had bee I 1 tah i i bui it is it A heavy torm in I 1 I 1 i ress rass doctor webster called in 11 testifies be llevis sl I 1 adult C artan i 1 1 I 1 IL norm form increases in ht if it a it hi aa th ir at pr crosses alt J it if ini artar ell eil il it ild d 11 abo til ch ill brur ur Is I 1 i i 1 lot th stand alad 13 before f if 19 13 a nence t t ii 1 ri ny the Ilig lits ja 3 t room a I 1 jl il d J a of 2 i i las ing hail hai I 1 I 1 1 11 I the c circuit iuri s g the eni 11 n ion on tile the fry Is perri hern i 1 of il by t ti ut i u Q of a lumu lu int mu hc fcc rit nf ing t R th h alio ot of 09 V hta it 3 c G i tl 1 that has ham be it stal i 1 tic 11 1 1 ben becia seated enite i tj in n f fio I 1 c of t I 1 1 il I r lik l 1 ik ing koono no on 10 lg 0 I 1 i I 1 ditl n 1 t nl d anything a 11 thing un Us af I 1 i rek ek Fat farlly solly alitt wo I 1 brif I 1 I 1 i 1 ir to coo convey n V el the info tt it 1 I 1 1 d wi for to tile tho b I 1 i ilni 14 t I 1 0 0 ol 01 t the lh bolor top bir ind and trl tri t ti i rit ni aut ut tile person fth i h cl stab I 1 u ut t a before he be on con r r i to so I 1 i i I 1 i L it la adjourned t I 1 w I 1 L 0 ed without any a y 0 i bein i I 1 lite movements of ue the murde ir r ait C cn I 1 PTER toa kot k ot tit annale ot or the autley 13 au i 1 i n appa ebuy drra i in at al j J 1 v Y falch Is idi ual owal mill ailt 1 feind on a nui ine in I 1 1 and a d S si to ali it mu mii it 11 it ir i to it 3 ma M W a PC I 1 o oi blea deals I 1 in WJ ehly wy it BS I 1 1 il I L 1 sea geu him too to I 1 alt hunu 11 ll i i tia 1 had d had a veix 11 L juaire quaire tit in natt ni r ucris ul tell pelt he I 1 hill alila Bri aBar ca chartor I 1 1 i hy y dr 11 ie ne lie ase are r I 1 u L feat t Brit orts ur d in n b hi 1 evdua h li i it i i tit I 1 u hal hail fr anted the wa fa t i r J imn coan coo lct atod of th h ittin I 1 1 cl I the I 1 hou ru rid tl ILI i 1 I 1 1 11 Joel arian be b dm did 1 IAN dl il 11 ta 1 0 o abo bd bad bro et e into to lie c bearon real ron h he rave it A tilt 1 it it ha a lot ai 1 l morle ond nd 1 it I 1 i it I 1 lj let it to the boy had adi 11 I 1 tit no ait isted d con r 1 lulng wildly and lid il 1 l I 1 t his hament ta ment for 1 or T 1 rn ra I 1 P r bartley int in artru ta velt pelt I 1 ire n 1 H hoot hool slates II 11 he e tit ai 0 00 oo at as lo lithe 10 thein with ahou to 0 th thu I 1 i ell CHiP PTER TEB I 1 li i lt TOs ms out that thai Bartle 1 loois I 1 I 1 I 1 r a 1 spiritualistic sc n s toll ml tolls s I 1 b u it firm ral in 10 the lle be b hu ait I 1 t sit 1 1 1 bot ia gensag message froni from it lt of co rae e ar are to b 1 usco 11 hi L L XIN nani hnot 0 of the nie me te e ma M to ro rt iad on the alvi si 18 iia en ell I 1 i I 1 i jl it tl it N Loon tain no solution I lution of t L I 1 ahe are exene at n i it ii r c f rom roin tl th sll hil lf 11 1 arild ill d apparently th ai 11 1 ill annl 11 a its 10 appear ane anc iiii oua 1 11 nt C orn back to place m aro he bs i n i 0 n nin i that killed me e elbrig t c i 11 trim soma member ot the p 1 I 1 th ll 11 of thill cilito llila are turned on end the L itley announces to t the he t tr it alf h kiib who killed sly gly rna nd B a it 1 ir niril ling his orli orl i tir t 1 e cau cat tr 11 I 1 to to the lh diciro di cirt on the it to adle r 0 1 i iu etli nd on a maga nitaya aln lu 10 lida hail IF t ich ther other i evi dellIO irnell irn ll he ha d i 4 doctor king 0 f tho th murde I 1 r 1 J I ane physician in IL i 8 I 1 I 1 iii an n tho the knife 1 aused i C th as the mao man A aled d I 1 i fit 1 of liun film stear ear nol mt il 1 ii i i he I 1 1 t 0 er r of his em 11 1 I r nd ind 1 11 1 l hill hl name the th ut r sh si i m to 1 n unpremeditated ili ana a a moe I 1 ha I 1 i v g I 1 1 i I 1 it it the doctor af attar fort a whisky deals deala in vili h uie the tot t antly ln envold vold tilt ho I 1 i crier arout a lil rout bartl liidi li iii 1 1 4 airan airings gd for or tit alir in fit n t V I 1 t A aa a I 1 thu 1 app I 0 1 attim ih the aid a pro pr tort I 1 thi 3 i W is revived rei ret Ived ml KI bioli t 11 flad c a I i fooling of 0 ili ti U t 1 H took the beat U 4 y ivi tl of tu ill lot I 1 capter XIII out of the darkness Dark nest the butler seemed to expect us and ish owed us nt at once into the large room ain la which the inquest had been held hartley bartley placed his bag and the package of slates on a small table in the center of the room roche sat down heavily in a chair and the he rest of us tood stood until miss potter entered she seemed to be expecting us a also iso and ifor for the first time since I 1 had met her teemed almost at her ease case As slie she I 1 greeted us the bell rang and a nio irio ment later the butler ushered in doctor king lie he glanced at bartley then gave us all a word of greeting we seated ourselves around the 1 table ble N with eirtis vi the exception of bartley who r remained ened standing at one end aile lie was a different cartley bartley from the ione one who had laughed and joked with ius us during the past few days ills face was stern and ills tired eyes glanced from one to the other of us soberly the butler brought in a glass of water and placed it on the table bartley waited until he had left the I 1 room ccora again before he spoke his volet voice low and hesitating 1 I have brought you here tonight lit et miss hiss potters request she believes that it Is possible to get la toufic tench ufah ilie sp spirits ifill ZI til the la eado ard vint that we may receive a message from sir air that will tell us who killed jilin him she has asked us to be present as witnesses currle currie looked at me as it if he thought that bartley had gone crazy I 1 was too surprised to offer an excuse A glance at balgley showed that he was in earnest and I 1 sank back la in my cliner bewildered I 1 know that be did not believe in spiritualism though he be was familiar with the question from nil all sides and had made a special pedal study of 0 it I 1 was puzzled as to why lie he should stoop to this pretense doctor king seemed more surprised than any of us after a startled look at bartley he shrugged Us ids shoulders and whispered something to roche ahola who in turn shook his head while I 1 was in new york bartley continued 1 I arranged for a certain medium who is claimed to have had bad wonderful results to meet us hero here tonight I 1 did not tell him what we expected or anything about the circumstances lie he will be here la in la a few moments meanwhile I 1 am going to try a little experiment of my own ile he paused then continued you know it Is believed by thousands that messages from the spirit world are written on slates by unseen hands the test of the genuineness of such messages Is the absence of an opportunity for fraud ou oil the part of the medium and the fact that it Is in the handwriting of the person who Is be cleved to be sending them if these tests are met we can then assume that the message was not the work of the medium but comes from outside sources I 1 have a number of slates here and am going to try to secure a message on them I 1 am not sure it if I 1 can do it however currle currie interrupted to say but jolin john if the lights are turned out how are we to know that you did not write those messages yourself without a smile on his face bartley replied 1 I did not intend to turn out the light I 1 am going to do what few mediums ever attempt to do that la is to see it if we can secure a message on these slates in full light there have been so many frauds in slate writing stances that a test made in tile the dark has no value As lie he spoke he tore the wrapping from the package and disclosed a number of ordinary school slates tied together with ath a string when lie he had cut the string und and placed the slates on the table before him he added you might claim that these slates already have a message written on them so I 1 will wash the surface of euch each with water it if there was any writing on them it will be wiped out with our eyes following every movement lie took a piece of cloth dipped it into the glass of water and carefully washed one side of a slate As ile he was beginning to wash the other side he paused and said to aurrie you may think I 1 have not washed the slate thoroughly enough suppose currle currie you take it and wash the other side yourself make a good job of it curries Cur rles earnestness was almost laughable as he took the slate and turned it over and over examining both surfaces when lie had finished he whispered to me there was not a darned thing on that slate elate 11 the same method was employed lerith n alth the other slates first hartley bartley would wash one side then would call upon one of us to examine the slate and wash off the other side I 1 was left until the last and I 1 examined nay my slate very carefully before I 1 I 1 touched it t with the cloth on the side I 1 hartley bartley lad had washed little drops of 0 water still flung clung the univa unwashed shed side was dh dirty ty but showed no BO traces of having been written on when I 1 hall had finis finished lied my task dartley bartley bartill took one ol of the slates and ill you have seen there was no writing of any kind on these slates I 1 am going to give one to each of you miss potter should place hers her under her feet Currie might sit on his the rest of you can place them under under your coats ile ho gave us each a slate elate and we lid did as lie he suggested I 1 wondered us as I 1 placed mine under my coat just what bartley expected to discover somehow the whole thing seemed so absurd ire he was so serious about it pg however wever that mat began beean ta 9 blile believe ve that he must expect to receive a message of some sort we sat silent and expectant pec tant 1 I tor for one feeling a little foolish 4 hartley bartley who had glanced at his watch several times waited tor for five minutes to pass before he said suppose currle currie you look at your slate currle currie grinned as if to say bay he considered it all foolishness but did as requested As he glanced at ills hla slate the smile left his face his jaw dropped and his eyes grew big with wonder ue ile looked at it several sees seconds as if be could not believe ill his eyes then slowly passed it to me I 1 took it eagerly glanced at it and in my turn was startled there however in a sprawling hand running across the slate that had been blank a few moments before was written currle currie people who steal whisky out of a vault nt at midnight will come to a bad end almost unable to credit my eyes I 1 stared nt at the slate both sides had been so thoroughly washed that when currle currie had taken it they were abill wet how the writing had gotten on the slate I 1 could not imagine miss potter gave a sudden cry she had bad risen to her ter feet with shining eyes holding her slate in one trembling land bond she tried to speak failed then cried triumphantly its a message a message from mr 1 I 1 knew it would come and sank back into her chair adding as it if unable to believe the evidence of her own senses its in his own handwriting his very own and he tells ells me what to do bartley took the slate from her trembling fingers a curious expression on his face ile he placed it on the table and we crowded round to examine it this time the entire surface of the slate was covered with writing in the same sprawling hand that had writt written e n on curries Cur rles and mine the letters letter s were large and looked as it if the person who had written the message had been very weak too astonished to speak we bent and read all will be well with me it if you aid those lot who are trying to discover who injured me for my peace do this listen to the medium and the message trailed oft off in a large S its sir mr writing miss potter cried excitedly 1 I recognize it there was nothing on the slate when I 1 placed my feet on it bartley faced her gravely with something in its his manner that eliat gave me the impression that he was not at all surprised at hat was happening then you are absolutely sure it Is in his writing lie he asked not trusting herself to speak she simply nodded at that moment the bell rang and the butler passed through the room on his way to the door in the second before his return I 1 saw doctor king steal a look at his slate and from the startled look on his face I 1 knew that he be too had received a inessa message ge sleeting meeting my eyes lie he gave me a faint wondering smile and shook his head doubtfully it the man whom the butler ushered in was the medium that bartley had secured in new york lie ile was very tall and thin dressed in