Show r 1 99 E ll E 0 S Throbbing Sensational Mystery of an Exclusive New York Apartment House III y MI JOHN VS ll O a All rr 11 11 99 III l THE STORY FROM THE START Spalding Nelson taking care of of the apartment of or his uncle great Rufus Gaston In the latter's temporary absence has been robbed of the family Jewels and now finds himself under arrest on a charge of murder Ills Isis neighbor Miss Barbara Bradford has liae been pursued by blackmailers and the papers connected with a hushed up marriage and divorce of her sister Claire have been stolen Nelson and Barbara previous to the tragedy In the fashionable apartment house where all aU these events eventa transpire have discovered a secret passageway inthe inthe in inthe the walls for which they are at a loss to account Nelson had Just put the case of the burglaries and blackmail In the hands of Gorman Korman a professional detective detective detective detec detec- tive when the murder of the actress Miss Lutan occurred The police pollee come and begin a very searching examination of Nelson CHAPTER VIII Continued easy to explain I retorted I was In my apartment directly ove oven ove this one My Iy bedroom is the one corresponding corresponding cor cor- responding to the one where Miss 1 Lut Lutan's ns n's body is I heard her scream i and then the shot It seemed to come from the floor right below me so I 1 ran I down to investigate Is that right he asked turning to Mx MJ WickI Wick I guess soi so said Wick That where his room is Hes He's only been here in the a few days I dont don't know much about hm him And that's all aU you know about it said the detective turning to me meI again o I hesitated Should I 1 or should I Inot Inot Inot not tell teU them of ot the wall safe that I had seen Mr Wick closing There I could prove It Undoubtedly Undoubtedly Un- Un Un Undoubtedly was no way Wick would deny having done so It would be his word against mine As superintendent his word would undoubtedly c carry rry I decided it would be best to withhold my Information mation time mati mation on to a more propitious There was Just a chance that the lock had not snapped shut That w would b be proof that it had been opened all I know kno except what Mr Wick has told you I said Very well said the detective in charge You can go now and you too Doctor Turning to his partner r he said sald You wait walt here and get the maids maid's statement and have her see if it anything's missing You might look lookaround lookaround lookaround around too and see if you can find out how tha the burglar made his getaway Ill I'll go out and round up the chauffeur and report r port to the chief You stay here until I get back Mr Wick was escorting the doctor had had withdrawn with with- to th the door The detectives drawn to the room where the body lay and were holding a whispered confer confer- ence I stepped quickly to the wall safe and making sure that I was unobserved unobserved unobserved un un- observed tested the knob It was se securely securelY securely se- se fastened I congratulated myself myself myself my my- self on having said nothing about It Wick I felt certain would deny havIng having having hav hav- ing shut It it and there was no proof that it had bee been opened when we we had entered As I 1 returned to my own apartment upstairs I was speculating on what the effects of this new development would be on the affairs of the Brad- Brad fords lords 1 I suspected that it t would mean meana a temporary respite from the threats ats of the blackmailers With the attention attention attention atten atten- tion of the police so closely drawn to the they would hardly dare make any attempts to molest molest- Barbara or her sister for the present Nearing the top of ot the short flight o of steps between the floors I was as astounded astounded astounded as- as to see a female figure flitting across the hall and entering the Bradford Bradford Bradford Brad Brad- ford apartment Though Th ugh I had opportunity opportunity tun ty for only a brief glimpse I 1 rec reo- her at once It was Claire Bradford IThe t I The door of my apartment was standing wide open I remembered that as I had run downstairs a few tew moments ago I had neglected to close it after me From the direction in which she had come it was plain that Claire Bradford had been paying another another another an an- other surreptitious visit to my q quarters ar- ar What could have been her purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose There must have nave been some strong impelling motive to make her dare the perilous Journey along the window ledge and now at the Imminent imminent imminent nent risk of ot discovery to pay me a second visit I began seriously to toI I doubt whether the explanation she had offered was the true one I made up my mind to urge Gorman t to en endeavor endeavor endeavor en- en I deavor to locate her former husband I 1 was wag beginning to feel that there was more than a a. possibility that she was again in the clutches of the unscrupulous unscrupulous unscrupulous lous rascal who had once been her husband Greaty puzzled I made a hasty surI survey sur sur- Ivey I vey of ot the apartment but could find nothing that appealed d to have been I I disturbed Going back to my own room I hastened to place a handkerchief handkerchief handkerchief I chief out of my window as a signal to B Barbara for I knew she would be I anxious t to know the meaning of the thel I sounds we had heard below I felt I sure that as soon as she could do so I without risk of discovery she would t I signal me In a a. very few moments I II II I It heard the tap of her riding crop on I my sin sill and hurried to answer I I What What was it she asked in an excited ex cited whisper Daisy Lutan an actress who lived I on the floor loor below has been murdered shot shot Who did it I I dont don't know Mr Mr- Wick and I went I into the the apartment together There Ther was no one there I How terrible she exclaimed It is Indeed I 1 answered but it may help h lp us us What do you mean With the police in the house making making mak mak- ing investigations therell there'll be no mor more threats from the Blackmailers for awhile They wont won't dare bother you for the present Do you really think so she questioned questioned questioned ques ques- with a little tittle sigh of relief Im sure of it Ha Have ve the police pollee been called caned In Yes es two detectives are downs downstairs airs I now now Im glad she said With the de detectives detectives detectives de- de here they wont won't dare molest us will they Of course not I answered t Is your sister at home Yes she answered Our guests have hav Just gone Mother has retired and Claire Is in the living room writing writing writ wrIt- 1 ing a note note- They heard nothing so Idid I Idid I Idid did not tell them anything about It it t 1 That was wise Th They'll hear it soon enough Has your sister been in the apartment all evening I I She hasn't been out all day unless she went out just now to drop the letter letter letter let let- ter she was writing down the man mall manch ch chute te in the h hall all Why do you ask I r Ivas r was vas merely wondering If there was any way she could learn of the murder I How could she Isn't It too terI terrible ter ter- ter- ter I about bout Miss 1 Lutan But I II I mustn't talk any longer Good night Wait Valt a a. moment I cried l There are some things I must discuss with you before I meet Gorman Cant Can't you lunch with me aga agan n I 1 cant can't possibly tomorrow But I must see you How about meeting me at the Astor at 11 11 I cant can't promise but Ill I'll try Goodnight Good Goodnight night There was nothing further that I 1 could do and I felt sadly in need of rest Throwing off my coat and waIstcoat waistcoat waistcoat waist waIst- coat I began making preparations for bed The notion tooK me to once more investigate the passageway I pushed sharply on the panel as I had done before but this time I could not budge It I tugged and worked and pounded but it stuck fast in spite of all my my- efforts As I 1 was struggling to force it open there came a sharp ring at the bell ben of the apartment As AsI I was in my shirt sleeves I 1 answered it The two detectives I had seen downstairs stood there What is it It I asked What can I Ido Ido Ido do for you 7 I arrest you for tor the murder of Daisy Lutan said one of them and with that they sprang forward and pinioned my arms More tomorrow w |