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Show I mmm I Wr I I lAIf S ' fflk w$L ! I LHh KWJiwfflMtfAV T lima fi '? ; t-mt-- JLmmtf'U :-L W r trail YtmmmOMK m I " f y ANNA KimiARINE GREEN 1 V J-iliW I I rSM WSWLI AUTHOR OP wTffi LEAVENWORTH CASE" tf- x -flfo. A l3HffiE8W I I f U I THE HLIGBBE BAIL THE HOUSE OFTUEWUISPERma PiNB -(SJkS JSmBSm& ' I H SYNOPSIS. flHl Qeonto Anderson and wife see a ro- Snrknblo looking man come out of tho ermont hotel, look nround furtlvoly, H Wash IiIh ImndH In tho snow nnd pans on, H Commotion attracts them to tho Clermont, H whoro It In found tlmt the beautiful Miss B Edith Chulloncr has fallen dead. Andor- Ron describes tho man ha Baw wash his ands In tho snow. Tho hotel manager H declares him to bo Orlando Hrothorson H Physicians nnd tlmt MIsh Clmllonor wiw H tabbd nnd not shot, which seems to H clear Ilrotherson of suspicion. Oryco, nn B nared detective, nnd Hweutwntor, Ills hb- M Distant, tnko up tho caso. They bellovo H XIIhh Cluilloncr stabbed herself. A papor B cutter found near tho scene of tragedy Is believed to bo tho wonpon used Mr. Choi- B loner tells of n batch of letters found In PJI his dnuRhtor's desk, slijnod "O. H." All are love letters except ono which shows that tho writer wns dlsplonsed. This lot- tor was Binned by Orlando Ilrotherson. Anderson goes with flweotwator to Idnn- tlfy llrotherson, who Is to address n moot. lriR of nnnrchlits. Tho place a raided by the police nnd Hrothorson escapes with- out being Identified, Hrothorson Is found living In n tenement under tho name of Dunn. Hn Is nn Inventor. Ilrothcrson .. tM0 enroner of his ncqualntnnco with Miss Chnllonor and how she repulsed him with scorn when ho offered her his lovo. Bweetwnter recalls tho mystery of thn murder of n washerwoman Iti which sotno detail wero similar to tho Chnlloner nf- y1'1'. Chnllonor admits his daughter was fafafj S.ocp!y Interested, If not In lovo with Brothorson. Brntherson Rives tho police plauslblo explanation of his conduct. Bweetwnter plans to dlseulso himself ns f enrpentor nnd seek lodlnKs In tho samo DulldlnK with Orotherson. H CHAPTER XVI-Contlnued. 1 And bo It enmo to imbr that nt nn 1 hour whon nil tho othor hnrd-worklng m pooplo In tho building woro nsloop, 1 or at least Btrlvlng to sloop, thoso two 1 men Btlll Bat nt their work, ono In tho H light, tho othor In tho dnrknees, fnc- H lng ench othor, consclouBly to tho ono, H unconncIousIy to tho otlior, ncroBs tho H hollow well of tho now silent court. H Elovon o'clock! Twclvo! No change H on Drothoreon's part or In Brother- H son 'a room; but n doclded ono In tho H plnco whoro Swootwntor sat. Objects M which had boon totally lndlstlngulsh- H ablo oven to his penetrating oyo H could, now bo soon In ovor brighten- H lng outlino. Tho moon lmd reached H tho opon spaco nbovo tho court, nnd H ho was getting tho full bonoflt of It. M But It was a benefit ho would havo been glad to disponso with. Darkness V Was like a shield to him. Ho did not A feol quite auro that hji .wjyuJdU H lj;-- - , tb-UgytkaA?TrTWlth -no curtain to Fg7!u'Wllndow and no shado, and all this Hf twllllanco pouring Into tho room, he Br iNirod tho dlsclosuro of his prosonco H' lore, or, If not that, some effect on V Ims own mind of thoso memories ho P vb more anxious to boo mlrrorod In p Mther'a discomfiture than In hlB i Was It to escape any lack of con- H ntratlea which these samo memo- H Ties might bring, that ho rose and H stepped to the window? Or was It k- vnder oae of those Involuntary lm- k pulsea which boot us In splto of our- H aelves to do the Tory thing our judg- H Bient disapproTCit H No soonor had ho npproachod tho H sill than Mr. Drothorson's shado (low H way up and he, too, looked out. Their H glunces mot, and for an Instant tho H hardy detoctlvo oxporlencod that in- L voluntary stagnation of the blood H -" which follows an Inner shock. Ho V felt that ho had boon recognized. Tho H moonlight lay full upon his faco, and H the other had soon and known him. B Elao, why the conatrainod nttltudo and Budden rigidity obsorvablo In this H confronting Hgure, with its partially H lifted hand? A man like nrothorson V makeB no pauso In any action howovor' A ' trivial, without a reason. Klthor he B had been transfixed by this gllmpso of Kr his enemy on watch, or daring H thought! had seon enough of sopul- H chral suggestion in the wnh face H looking forth from this fatal window j j" to Bhako him from his composuro and h let looso tho grinning dovil of remorse j from its iron prlBon-houso? If so, the B movement was a momorablo ono, and H the hazard qulto worth whllo. Ho had B gained not he had gained nothing. H He had been tho fool of his own 1 wishes. No one, let nlono Brother- B son, could havo mistaken his faco for that of a woman. Ho had forgotten H nl8 newly-grown beard. Somo other F cauBe must bo found for tho other's P attitude. It savored of shock, If not BBF 'ean If Jt woro fear hon had ho jyj rouBod an emotion which might ro- ifflfj bound upon himself in sharp roprlaal. jstfW Death hnd boon known to strlko CJU&D w people standing whoro ho stood; rays- iSBt terlous death of a Bpocles qulto unroc JHE ognizablo. What warranty had ho S, that It would not atrlko him, nnd now? jOft None. v&J Yet it was Brothorson who moved Wf' first. With a shrug of tho shoulder ftM plainly vlslblo to tho man opposite, f$&LtJL ho turned awy trom tne window nnd $gS without lowering tho Bhnde, bogan W$&$M gathering up his papers for tho night, wKwvwivl Bd ,ater hanking up bis Btove with WiiSn MheB- MmMm fiwootwator, with a breath of docld- M$aeS d rel,ef BtePPd bntlt ""d throw hlra- &1g$j self on tho bed. It had really beon a MSjlg! trial for him to stand thoro under the fcESafJI " other's oyo, though his mind refused ffiPPBM to 'ormulnto n,B toar or to glvo him IIvMbiB Jiy satisfaction whon ho asked him- IH "elf what there was in tho situation JHH snggestlvo of death to tho woman or H mrm to hlmsolf. J H , Nor did morning light bring coun- LllBBIllllB '"' ' sol, ns Is usual in Bimllnr casos. Ho folt tho mystory more In tho hubbub nnd restless turmoil of tho day than In tho night's sllonco and Inactivity Ho was glad whon tho Btroko of six gavo him nn oxcuso to loavo tho room. At half past six ho found tho Janitor. Jani-tor. Ho wns, to nil appearance, in n stato of groat excitement nnd ho Bpoko vory fast. "I won't stny another night In that room," ho -loudly doclared, breaking In whoro tho family woro eating breakfast by lamplight. "I don't want to mako any trouble nnd I don't wnnt to glvo my reasons; but thnt room don't suit mo. I'd rather tnko tho dnrk ono you talked about yesterday. Thcro'B tho money. Havo my things moved today, will yo?" "But your moving out nfter ono night's stay will glvo that room a bad nnmo," stammered tho Janitor, rifling awkwardly. "Thoro'll be talk nnd I won't bo ablo to lot that room all winter." win-ter." "NonsonBo! Every man hasn't tho nerves I have. You'll lot It In n week. But lot or no lot, I'm going front Into tho llttlo dark room. I'll get tho boss to lot mo off nt half past four. So that's Bottlod." Ho waited for no reply and got nono; but whon ho appeared promptly prompt-ly at a quarter to flvo, ho found his fow bolonglngs movod Into n middlo room on tho fourth floor of tho front building, which, oddly perhaps, chancod to bo next door to tho ono ho hnd hold undor watch tho night before. be-fore. Tho first page of his adventure In tho Hicks stroot tenoment had been turnod, and ho was roady to start upon another. CHAPTER XVII. In Which a Book Plays a Leading Part Whon Mr. Brothorson enmo In that night, ho notlcod that tho door of tho room adjoining his own stood open. Ho did not hosltato. Making Immediately Immedi-ately for it, ho took a glanco lnsido, thon spoko up with a lneiug InUmtv "Halloo 1 coming to llvo In this holo?" Tho occupant n young man, evidently evi-dently a workman and somowhat sickly sick-ly If ono could Judgo from his complexion com-plexion turnod nround from some tinkering ho was engaged in and mot tho Intruder fairly, faoo to faco. "Yob, this Is to bo my caBtle. Are you tho ownor of tho buildings? If so" "I am not tho owner. I llvo next door. Havon't I soon you before, young man?" , "If you go up Honry stroot itB Hko-ly Hko-ly enough that you've Boon mo not onco, but many tlmos. I'm tho follow who works at tho bench next tho window win-dow in Schupor's repairing Bhop. Everybody Ev-erybody knows mo." "I've seen you. I'vo soon you Borao-whoro Borao-whoro olso than In Schupor's shop. Do you romombor mo?" "No, Blr; I'm sorry to bo lmporllto but I don't romomber you at all. Won't you Bit down? U'b not vory cheerful, but I'm bo glad to got out of tho room I wns in last night that this looks all right to mo. Bnck there, other bulldUg," ho whlspored. "I didn't know, nnd took tho room which m m Eleven o'Ctockl Twelve o'Clockl No Change on Brotherson's Part. had a window in It; but " Tho stop was significant; so was his smile, which had a touch of sickliness In it, as well as humor. But Brothorson was not to bo caught "I saw you," said he. "You woro standing in tho window overlooking tho court. You woro not slooplng thon. I buppobo you fenow that a woman died in that room?" "Yes; they told mo so this morn-ing." morn-ing." "Was that tho first you'd heard of it?" ' "Sure!" Tho word almost Jumped at the qucBtionor. "Do you suppose I'd hove taken tho room If" Hut hero tho Intruder, with a dls-' dninful grunt, turned and wont out, . disgust In overy feuturo plain, un-mtataknble, un-mtataknble, downright dlogust, nnd nothing morol This was what gavo Sweetwater his second bad night; this nnd n certain cer-tain dlscovory ho made. Ho had counted count-ed on hearing what went on In tho neighboring room through tho partition parti-tion running bnck of his own closet. Hut ho could hear nothing, unlcsB It wns tho shutting down of a window, a loud sneozo, or tho rattling of coals aB they wero put on tho flro. And these possessed no BlgrUflcanco. What ho wanted was to catch tho secret sigh, tho mutterod word, tho Involuntary Involun-tary movement. Ho was too far ro-moved ro-moved from this man still. How Bhould ho manage to got nearer near-er him at tho door of his mind of his heart? Sweetwater starod nil night from his mlsornhlo cot Into tho darkness of that separating closet, nnd with no result His task looked hopeless; no wonder that ho could got no rest. Noxt morning he felt 111, but ho roso all tho same, nnd tried to got hlsown breakfast. Ho had but partially succeeded suc-ceeded nnd wns sitting on tho edge of his bed In wretched discomfort, whon tho very man he wns thinking of appeared ap-peared at his door. "I'vo como to 8eo how you are," said Brothorson. "I noticed that you didn't look well last night. Won't you como In nnd sharo my pot of coffee?" "I I can't oat," mumbled Sweetwater, Sweet-water, for onco In his life thrown completely oft his balance. "You'ro vory kind, but I'll manage nil right I'd rathor. I'm not qulto dressed, you soo, and I must got to tho shop." Then ho thought "What nn opportunity oppor-tunity I'm losing. Hnvo I nny right to turn tnll because ho plays his game from tho outset with trumps? No, I've a small trump somowhoro about mo to lay on this trtjk. It Isn't an aco, but It'll Bhow I'm not chlcano." And smiling, though not with his usunl cheerfulness, Swootwntor added, ilfu.thocoeo'airmado7 I might tako a drop of that But you mustn't ask mo to eat I Just couldn't" "Yob, tho coffeo is mndo and It Isn't bad either. You'd bettor put on your coat; tho hall'B draughty." And waiting wait-ing till Swootwator did so, ho lod tho way back to his own room. Brother-Bon's Brother-Bon's manner oxpressed porfoct ease, Sweetwater's not. Ho know himself charfged In looks, In bearing, In fooling, fool-ing, evon; but was ho changed enough to deceive this man on tho very spot whoro thoy hnd confronted each othor a fow days beforo in a keon moral strugglo? "I'm going out mysolf today, bo wo'll havo to hurry a bit," wob Broth-erson'B Broth-erson'B first remark as they seated themselves at tablo. "Do you llko your coffoo plain or with milk In it?" "Plain. GoBhl what pictures I Whoro do you got 'em? You muDt havo a lot of coin." Swootwator was staring at tho row of photographs, mostly of a vory high order, tacked along tho wall separating tho two rooms. Thoy wore unframod, but thoy woro mostly copies of grcnt pictures, and tho offoct wns rather Imposing In contrast to tho shabby furniture and tho otherwlso homely fittings. "Yes, I'vo enough for that kind of thing," was his host's reply, nut tho tono was reserved, and Swootwntor did not presumo ngnln nlong this lino. Instcnd, ho looked well nt tho books' piled upon tho shelves undor thoso photographs, and wondered nloud nt their number and at tho man who could wasto such a lot of time In reading read-ing them. Hut ho mndo no moro direct di-rect remarks. ot thoro wob ono cheerful moment It wns when ho notlcod tho cnroless way in which thoso books woro arranged ar-ranged upon "their shelves An ldoa hnd como to hlra. Ho hid his rollof in his cup, ns ho dralnod tho last drops of tho coffeo, which really tasted hotter than ho expected. When ho returned from work thnt afternoon it was with an auger undor his cont and n conviction which led him to empty out tho contents of a small phial which ho took down from a sholf. He had told Mr. Oryco that ho waB eagor for tho business because of Its difficulties, but that was whon ho was fooling fine and up to any game which might como his way. Now ho folt weak and easily discouraged. This would not do. Ho must rognln his health at all hazards, so ho poured out tho mlxturo which had given him such a sickly air. This dono nnd a rudo suppor eaten, ho took up his auger. Ho had heard Mr. Brother-son's Brother-son's step go by. But noxt minuto ho laid it down again In grent hasto and flung a nowspapor ovor It Mr. Brothorson was coming back, hnd' stopped nt his door, hnd knocked and must bo lot In. "You'ro hotter this evening," he hoard In thoso kindly tones which no confused and irritated him. "Yes," was tho surly admission. Then Mr, nrothorson pnssed on, nnd Sweotwnter llstonod till ho was sure that his too attontlvo neighbor had really gono down tho throo flights between him and tho stiteot. Thon ho took up his auger again and shut himself up In his closet. Thoro wob nothing peculiar about this closet It wob Just nn ordinary ono with drawers nnd shelves on ono sldo, nnd nn open spnee on tho other for tho hanging up of clothes. Very fow clothes hung thoro nt present; hut It was in this portion of tho closet that ho stopped nnd begnn to try tho wall of Hrothorson's room, with tho butt end of tho tool ho carried. Tho Bound scomod to satisfy him, for very soon ho wrw boring n holo at a point oxnetly lovol with his ear. " "Neat ns well hb useful," was tho gay comment with which Swoetwnter Burzpycd his work, thon laid his ear to Uio holo. Whorens previously ho could barely hear tho rattling of coals from tho coal-scuttlo, ho waB now able to catch tho sound of an ash falling Into tho ash-pit His next movo wns to test tho dopth of tho pnrtltlon by Inserting his flngor in tho holo ho mndo. Ho found It stopped by somo obstnelo boforo It hnd reached half Ub length, and anxious anx-ious to satisfy himself of tho naturo o'f tho obstnelo, ho gently moved the tip of his finger to nnd fro ovor what wns certainly tho edgo of a book. This proved that his calculations had beon correct "hnd that tho opening open-ing so accessible on his sldo, wns completely veiled on tho other by tho books ho hnd scea packed on tho I $Uv This Proved That His Calculations Had Been Correct Bholvcs. Ho had ovon boon careful to nssuro hlmsolf that all the volumes vol-umes at this exact point stood far enough forward to afford room behind them for tho chips nnd plaster ho must necessarily pUBh through with his auger, and also Important consideration consid-eration for tho froo passago of tho sounds by which ho hopod to profit But It was days boforo ho could trust hlmsolf so fnr. Meanwhile their acquaintance ripenod, though with no very satisfactory results. Tho detoctlvo detoc-tlvo found himself led into telling stories sto-ries of his early homo-life to keep paco with tho man who always had Bomothlng of moment and solid In-torest In-torest to lmpnrt This wns undoslr-nblo, undoslr-nblo, for Instead of calling out n corresponding cor-responding confldonco from nrothorson, nrothor-son, It only Boomed to mako his conversation con-versation moro coldly Imporsonwl. In conSeqoi, Sweotwnter Addon-ly Addon-ly found hlmsoutqulto well nnd ono evening, when hi wns sure thnt his neighbor was nt liomo, ho Blld softly into his closet nnll laid his oar to tho opening ho hnd nfado thoro. Tho result re-sult was unexpected. Mr. Brothorson wttB pnclng tho flcW, and talking softly soft-ly to himself. I At first, tho catlenco and full music mu-sic of tho tones (fonvoyod nothing to our far from litorjary dotectlvo. Tho victim of his secret machinations was expressing hlmBolt In words, words thnt was tho poilit which counted with him. But nslho listened longer and gradually took in tho sense of theso words, his iloart wont . down lowor and lower ltlll it reached his boots. His lnscrutliblo nnd over disappointing dis-appointing nolghbot wnB not indulging indulg-ing In solf-communlagB of any kind. Ho was reciting poelry, and what waB worso, pootry whlcll ho only half ro-momberod ro-momberod and was trying to recall an Incrodlblo occupation for n man wolghtod with a criminal secret Sweotwater wns disgusted, and was withdrawing In high Indignation from his vantago-polnt vhti somothlng occurred oc-curred of n Btnrtltng Jtiough naturo to hola him whero ho ias In almost broathless expectation! Tho holo which In Iho darkness of tho closet wob alwayBUalntly vlslblo, ovon whon tho light vas not vory strong In tho ndjolnlltg room, had suddenly becomo n brlgjit nnd shining loophole, with a suggestion of movement move-ment lit, tho spaco beyond. Tho book whfch had hid this holV on Brother-sou's Brother-sou's sldo had boon tnkln down tho on book In all thoso hundreds whoso reinovnl threatened Kwootwator'a aphonics, tf not himself. I ' tfoic an InBtant tho Uiviartud do tec- 7 fa tlvo llBtonod for tho angry shout or tho smothered oath which would naturally nat-urally follow tho dlscovory by Brothorson Broth-orson of this nttemptcd Interference with his privacy. But all wub Btlll on his sldo of tho wnll. A rustling of leaves could bo heard, as tho Inventor Bonrchod for tho poem ho wanted, but nothing moro. In withdrawing tho book, ho hnd failed to notlco the hplo In tho plnstor back of It. But ho could hardly hard-ly fnll to boo it when ho camo to put tho book bock. Meantime, suspense for Sweotwater. It wns Bovera.l minutes beforo ho heard Mr. Brotherson's volco again, thon It wns In triumphant repetition of tho Unas whlc.li hud csenped his memory. They wero gront words surely nnd Sweotwater never forgot them, but tho Impression which they mndo upon his mind, an impression so forclblo thnt ho wns nblo to ropont then, months nfterwnrd to Mr. Gryco, did not prevent him from noting tho tono in which thoy wero uttered, nor' tho thud which followed as tho book wns thrown down upon tho floor. "Fool!" Tho word rang out In bitter bit-ter Irony from his lrnto neighbor's lips. "What doeB ho know of woman I Woman! Lot 'him court a rich ono and sec but that's nil ovor nnd dono with. No moro harping on that string, nnd no moro rending of pootry. I'll never" Tho rest wns lost In his thront nnd wns quite unintelligible to tho anxious listener. Self-rovenllng words, which nn Instant In-stant boforo would havo nrouscd Sweetwater's deepest Interest! But thoy had suddenly lost nil forco for tho unhappy listener. Tho sight of that holo Btlll Bhlnlng brightly beroro his oyes hnd distracted his thoughts nnd rousod his liveliest apprehensions. If thnt book should bo allowed to lie whero It hnd fallen, then ho wns In for n period of uncertainty ho shrank from contemplating. 'Any moment his neighbor might look up nnd catch sight of this holo bored in tho backing of tho sholves boforo him. Could tho man who hnd been guilty of submitting submit-ting him to this outrngo stand tho strain of wnlting Indefinitely for tho moment of discovery? Ho doubted It, If tho suspense lasted too long. Shifting his position, ho placed his eyo whoro his oar had been. Ho could soo very Uttlfr. Tho spaco boforo him, limited as It was to tho width of tho ono volumo withdrawn, precluded his seeing aught by what lay directly boforo him. Happily, It was in this narrow lino of vision that Mr. Broth-erfion Broth-erfion Btood. Ho had resumed work upon his model and waB so placed that whll'o his faco waB not vlslblo, his hands wero, nnd ns Sweotwnter watched theso hands nnd noticed tho dollcncy of their mnnlpulntlon, ho was enough of a workman to rcallzo that work so fi'no called for an undivided nttentlon. He need not fear tho gnzo shifting, whllo thoso hnnds moved ns wnrlly ns they did now. Relieved for tho moment, ho left his post nnd, sitting down on tho edge of his cot, gnvo himself up to thought Suddenly ho stnrted upright Ho would go moot his fute ho present in tho room itself whon tho tllscovnry wnB mndo which throntoncd to upset nil his plnns. Ho wns not ashamed of his calling, nnd Brotherson would think twico boforo attacking him whon onco convinced thnt ho hnd tho department de-partment back of him. "Excuso me, comrade," wero tho words with which he endeavored to account for his presence at Brotherson's Broth-erson's door. "My lnmp smells so, nnd I'vo mndo such n mess of my work today thnt I'vo Just stopped In for n chat. If I'm not wnnted, say bo. I'd llko a big room like this, nnd a lot of books, and and pictures." "Look at thom, then. I llko to sou a man interested in books. Only, I thought If you know how to handlo wlro, I would get you to hold this end whllo I work with tho othor." "I guess I know enough for that," was Sweetwater's gay rejoinder. But whon he felt that communicating wlro In his hand and oxperlonced for tho first tlmo tho full influonco of tho other's oyo, It took nil his hnrdihood to hldo tho hypnotic thrill It gavo him. Ho found hlmsolf gnzlng long and earnestly at this ronn's hand, and wondering If death lny undor It It was a strong hand, n deft, clonn-cut mombor, formed to respond to tho sllghost hint from tho powerful brain controlling it. But wns thlB Its wholo story. Hnd ho said nil whon ho hnd said this? Fascinated by tho question, Swootwator Swoot-wator died a hundred deaths In his awakened fancy, as ho followed tho sharp, short Instructions which fell with cool precision from tho other's lips. A hundred deaths, I say, but with no betrayal of his folly. Tho anxiety ho showed was that of ono u.jji'p 'to plenBo, which may explain why on tho conclusion of his task, Mr. nrothorson gavo him one of his infrequent smiles nnd remarked, as he burleii tho model under" its cover, cov-er, "You'ro hundy and you'ru qulot at your Job. Who knows but what I shall want you again. Will you como If I I " I call you?" I "Won't I?" wns tho gny retort, at tho dotectlvo, thus released, stooped for tho book still lying on tho floor. "Pnolo nnd Frnncescn," ho rend, from the bnck, ns ho laid it on tho tnblo. , "Pootry?" he quorlod. "not," scornfully returned tho othor, oth-or, ns ho moved to tako down a hot-tlo hot-tlo and somo glasses from n cupboard lot Into another portion of tho wnll Swoet.wnter, tnklng ndvnntngo of tho moment, Bldlcd towards tho shelf i whero that empty spaco Btlll gaped with the tell-tnlo holo at tho back. Ho could cnslly hnvo replnced tho mlsBlng book beforo Mr. Brothorepn ' turned. Hut tho Issue was too doubtful. doubt-ful. Ho wns dealing with no absent- 1 minded fool, and It behooved him to , nvold nbovo nil things cnlllng ntton- g tlon to tho book or to tho plnco on tho I sholf whero it belonged. ' 1 But there wns ono thing ho could ' S do nnd did.. Reaching out a flngor as Jg deft as Drothorson's own, ho pushed a ' Jg second volumo Into tho plnco of the R . ono tlmt was gono. This veiled tho jf nugor-holo completely; a fact which ; so entirely relieved his mind thnt his old smile enmo back llko sunshlno to M his lips, and It wns only by a dlBtlnct fi f effort thnt ho kept tho dnnclng humor f I from his eyes ns ho prepared to ro- l fuse tho glass which Brothorson now 1 brought forwnrd: V "Nono of thnt!" said ho. "You I mustn't tempt mo. Tho do'ctor has jjj shut down on all kinds of spirits for i two months more, nt lenft. I3ut don't let mo hinder you. I can bear to I smoll tho stuff. My turn will como again some day." But nrothorson did not drink. Sotting Sot-ting down tho glass ho carried, ho took up tho book lying near, weighed It In his hand and laid It down again, with an air of thoughtful Inquiry. Thon ho suddenly pushed It towards . Sweotwater. "Do you want lt7" ho asked. Swootwntor was too taken aback to i-. answor Immediately, This was a movo , ho did not understand. Want it, ho? 1 What ho wanted wns to seo It put back In its placo on tho shelf. Did I ' Urothorson suspect this? Tho sup- position waB lilcredlble; yet who H could rend a mind so mysterious? m Swootwntor, debating tho subject, 1 decided that tho risk of adding to any Jg". Ti such possible suspicion was less to bs m dreaded than tho continued thrent B offered by that unoccupied spaco so m near tho holo which testified so urn m mlstakably of tho means ho had taken m to spy upon this suspected man's . h privacy. So, after a moment of awkward awk-ward sllonco, not out of kooplng with tho character ho had assumod, ho calmly refused the present as ho had tho glass. Unhappily ho wns not rownrded by seeing tho despised volumo restored to Its Bholf. It still lny whero Its own-or own-or hud pushed It. whon, with soma "None of Thatl" He 8ald. awkwardly muttered thanks, tho discomfited dis-comfited dotectlvo withdraw to hli own room. (TO I1E CONTINUED.) |