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Show k I y ANl4 KOTHARINE GREEN 1 Ai .JHMi ( I ft xAlt ( AUTHOR OP raB LEAVENWORTH CASE" f" , f- -SjMmJSI H jf i A B THEIUGREBlX"tlffiK0U5OFTlIVVIII5Pl;Im(OIiNES, wlmB ' H i SYNOPSIS. .; I . Oe,0rK? Anderson nnd wlfo see a ro- ' warkablo looklnK man conic out of the Llorinont hotel, look around furtively. Jjash his hanili In the snow and pass on. Commotion attracts them to the Clormont. 5 .EC ,l. ,s. found that tho beautiful Miss Edith Chnlloner has fallen dead. Ander- eon describes the man ho saw wash his n rind In the snow. The hotel manager declares- hi in to bo Orlando Brotherson. I'liyBlclans llnd that Miss Challoncr was 2 stabbed nnd not shot, which sucms to clear Brotherson of suspicion. Qryce, nn I used detective, and Sweetwater. Ills as sistant, tnko up the enso. Thoy betlovo Miss Challoncr stabbed herself. A paper cutler found near tho scene of tragedy Is believed to be tho weapon used. CHAPTER V. Continued. "Docs that frighten you? Are you co affected by tho thought of blood?" "Don't nsk mo. And I put tho thing nndor my pillow! I thought It was so so pretty." "Mrs. Wntklns," Mr. Gryco from that moment Ignored tho daughter, ' "did you bco It there?" , "Yes; hut I didn't know whero It I came from. I had not seen my dnugh- I or stoop. I didn't know whore she I FOt It till I rend that bulletin." "Never mind that. Tho question jl agitating mo la whether any stain was fi loft under that pillow." ' B " '" didn't 8oo any stain, but you can l look for yourself. Tho bod has been 1 made up, but there was no change of f , linen. Wo expected to remain hero; I I see no good to be gained by hiding 1 iny of tho facto now." "Nono whatever, madam." "Come, then. Carollno, sit down I nd stop crying. Mr. Gryco believes I that your only fault was in not taking -' !h,is object at onco to tho desk." v, "Yes, that's nil," acquiesced tho do- . . toctlvo after a short study of the shaking shak-ing llguro nnd distorted features of the girl. "You had no idea, I'm sure, whore this weapon camo from or for what it had beon usod. That'B evl- 'jui dont-" f Her shudder, aB sho soated herself, $ s was very convincing. Sho waB too " , young to simulate so successfully emo tions of this character. . "I'm glad of that," sho responded, j , half fretfully, half gratefully, ns Mr. I Gryco followed her mothor into tho - Ja , j adjoining room. "I've linil a bnd M ?. enough time of it without being E blamed for what I didn't know and 9 didn't do." Mr. Gryco laid little stress upon : these words, but much upon tho lack of curloBlty sho showed in tho minute min-ute nnd careful examination ho now made of her room. Thero waB no stain on tho pillow-cover and nono on , tho bureau-spread whero sho might very naturally have laid tho cutter Sdown on first coming Into her room. Tho blndo was so polished that it must have been rubbod off some-r., some-r., whero, either purposely or by ncci- dont. '1 Thoy returned to whero tho girl still I sat, wrapped In hor cloak, sobbing 1 still, but not so violently. ' "Will will ho toll?" sho whispered. ITho nnswer camo quickly, but not In tho mother's tones. Mr. Gryco'3 cars had lost nono of tholr ancient ncutoncss. "I do not see that I should gain much by doing so. Tho one dlscovl cry which would link this find of yours Indifesolubly with Miss Challoner's death, I have failed to make. Do you remember tho exact spot whoro you stooped, Miss Watklns?" "No, no. Somowhero near thoso big chairs; I didn't havo to stop out of my way; I really didn't." Mr. Gryco'B answering smllo wnB a study. It seemed to convoy n two-fold message, ono for tho mother nnd ono for tho child, nnd both wore comfort- , lng. But ho went away, disappointed. Tho clue which promised so much ( wns, to nil uppearanco, a false ono. Ho could soon tell. i CHAPTER VI. ' Integrity. "" Mr. Gryco's foars wore only too well founded. Though Mr. McElroy wns kind enough to point out tho exact spot whoro he saw Miss Wntklns stoop, no traco of blood was found upon up-on tho rug which had lain thero, nor had anything of the kind boon wnshod up by tho vory careful man who , scrubbed tho lobby floor In tho early morning. This was disappointing, as Its presence would havo sottled tho N wholo question. Whon, thoso efforts oil exhausted, tho two detectives fncod each other again In tho small room given up to tholr uso, Mr. Gryco showed his discouragement. Swoet-water Swoet-water watched him In somo concorn, then with tho persistence which was ,v y, ono or his strong points, ventured " ' finally to romnrk: ' ' & "I havo but ono idea loft on tho sub- ? Jcct." "Ahd what is that?" "Tho girl woro a red cloak. If I mis-tnko mis-tnko not, tho lining was also red. A spot on It might not show to tho casual cas-ual observor. Yet it would mnj much to us." "Swootwntorl" I A faint blush roso to tho old man's r.clc, "Hnvll I request tho privilege of '"nViTm Mm' wnrment over?" ' i "Yes." Tho young follow ducked and left tho room. When ho returned, It was with a downcast nlr. "Nothing doing," said ho. And thon thero was sllonco. A knock nt tho door was followed by tho immediate entrance of Mr. Chnlloner, Chnl-loner, who had como In Boarch of the Inspector, and showed somo surprlso to find his plnco occupied by an unknown un-known old man. Mr. Gryco motioned Sweotwntcr from tho room. With n woeful look tho young detectlvo withdrew, his last glnnco cast ut tho cuttor still lying In full view on tho table. Mr. Gryce, not unmindful hlmsolf of this object, took it up, then Inld it down again, with nn air of seeming abstraction. Tho father's attention was caught. "What Is that?" ho cried, advancing advanc-ing n stop nnd bestowing moro than nn ordinary glance at tho object thus brought casually, aB it wore, to his notice. Mr. Gryce, observing tho other's emotion, motioned him to a chair. Ab his visitor sank into It, ho romarkod, with all tho consideration exacted by tho situation: "It is unknown proporty, Mr. Challoncr. Chal-loncr. But wo havo somo roason to think it belonged to your daughter." "I havo seen it, or ono Hko It, ofton in hor hand." Here his eyes suddonly dilated and tho hand strotchod forth to grasp it quickly drow bnck. "Whoro whore was It found?" ho hoarsely demnnded. "O God! am I to bo crushod to tho very earth by sorrow!" Mr. Gryco hnstenod to glvo him such relief ob was consistent with tho truth. "It was picked up Inst night from tho lobby floor. Thero is seemingly nothing to connect It with her death. Yet" Tho pause wns eloquent Mr. Challoncr Chal-loncr gave the detectlvo an agonized look nnd turnod white to tho lips. Then gradually, as tho silence continued, contin-ued, his head fell forward, nnd ho muttered mut-tered nlmoBt unintelligibly: "I honestly believe her tho victim of somo heartless stranger. I do now; but but I cannot mislead tho polico. At any cost I must retract a statement state-ment I mado under false impressions and with no desire -to deceive. I said that I know nil of tho gentlemen who admired her and aspired to her hand. But it seems that I did not know her secret heart aB thoroughly as I had supposed. Among her effects I havo Just como upon a bntch of lotters lovo letters I am forced to acknowledge acknowl-edge Blgned by Initials totally strango to mo. The letters aro manly lu tono most of them but one " "What about tho ono?" "Shows that tho wrltor was displeased. dis-pleased. It may moan nothing, but 1 could not let tho matter go without setting myself right with tho authorities. authori-ties. If it might bo allowed to rest hero If thoso lettora can remain sacred, sa-cred, It would snvo mo tho nddltlonnl pang of seeing hor Inmost concerns tho secret nnd holiest recesses of n woman's heart, laid opon to tho public. pub-lic. For, from tho tenor of most of those lotters, she sho was not avorso to tho writer." Mr. Gryco moved a little restlessly In his chair and stared hard at tho cut-tor cut-tor so conveniently placed under his oyo. Then his manner softenod nnd ho romnrked: "Wo will do what wo cnn. But you must understand thnt tho matter Is not n slmplo one. That, In fact, It contains mysteries which demand polico po-lico Investigation. Wo do not darn to trlllo with nny of tho facts. Tho Inspector, and, if not ho, tho coroner, will havo to bo told about these lotters lot-ters and will probably ask to seo them." "They nre the letters of a gentlo-rnnn." gentlo-rnnn." "With the ono exception." "Yes, that is understood." Then In a suddon hent and with nn almost subllmo trust In his daughter notwithstanding notwith-standing tho duplicity ho had Just discovered, dis-covered, ho declared: "Tho deed was an accident incredible but still nn accident." Mr, Gryco had respect for this outburst. out-burst. Making no nttempt to nnswer it, ho suggested, with somo hesitation, that Miss Chnlloner had beon Been writing a lotter previous to taking thoso fatal stops from tho desk which endod so tragically. Was this lotter to ono of her lady frlond. ns reported, and wns It nB far from -uggostlng the awful tragedy which followed, as ho had boon told? "It wns a cheerful otter Such a ono na sho ofton wroui to hir Ilttlo protegees hero and thero. I Judge that this was written to somo girl liko that, for tho person addressed wnB not known to hor mnld, any moro than Bho was to mo. It oxpressed nn affectionate af-fectionate interest, and It breathed encouragomont encouragement! nnd she meditating hor own donth at tho momontl Impossible!! That lettor , should oxonerato hor if nothing also does." I When Mr Chnlloner roso to mjavq tho room. Wr. Gryco showed whoro - - his own thoughts still centered, by asking him the dato of tho correspond-enco correspond-enco discovered betweon his daughter nnd hor unknown admirer. "Somo of tho letters woro dated last summor, somo this fall. Tho ono you aro most anxious to hear about only a month back," ho added, with uncon-quorablo uncon-quorablo dovotlon to what ho considered consid-ered his duty. Mr. Gryco would llko to havo carried car-ried his Inquiries further, but desisted. But when ho was gone, and Sweetwater Sweet-water hnd roturncd, Mr. Gryco made It his flrat duty to commuuicato to IiIb superiors tho hitherto unsuspoctod fnct of a Beciot romnnco in Miss Chul-loner's Chul-loner's soomlngly calm and well-guarded well-guarded llfo. CHAPTER VII. Tho Letters. Before a tablo strewn with papers, In tho room wo havo alroady mentioned men-tioned ns given ovor to tho uso of tho polico, sat Doctor Heath In n mood too thoughtful to notlco tho on-tranco on-tranco of Mr. Gryco nnd Sweetwater from tho dining-room whoro they had been having dinner. Howovor, as tho formor'a tread was somowhat lumbering, tho coroner's attention was caught boforo thoy had qulto crossed tho room, and Sweetwater, Sweet-water, with his quick eyo, noted how his arm and hand Immediately foil so as to cover up a portion of tho papers pa-pers lying nearest to him. ' "Well Gryce, this 1b a dark caao," ho observed, as at his bidding tho two detectives took their soats. Mr. Gryco nodded; so did Sweotwn-tor. Sweotwn-tor. "Sho waB not shot. Sho was not struck by any other hand; yet sho lies dead from a mortal wound In tho brenst. Though thero Is no tangible proof of her having inflicted tJilB wound upon herself, tho Jury will havo no alternative, I fear, than to pronounce pro-nounce tho cn3o ono of suicide." "I'm sorry that I'vo boen able to do bo Ilttlo," remnrked Mr. Gryco. Tho coroner darted him u quick look. , "You aro not satisfied? You havo somo dlfforent Idea?" ho nsked. Tho detectlvo frowned nt his hands crossed ovor tho top of IiIb cano, then shaking his head, replied: "Tho vordlct you mention is tho only natural ono, of course. I seo that you havo boon talking with MIbb Chal-lonor'e Chal-lonor'e former mnld?" "Yes, and sho has Bottled an Important Im-portant point for ub. Thero was a possibility, of courso, that tho papor-cutter papor-cutter which you brought to my notlco no-tlco had never gono with hor into tho mezzanine. That sho, or somo othor person, had dropped it In passing through tho lobby. But this girl ns-sureB ns-sureB mo that hor mistress did not enter en-ter tho lobby that night. That sho accompanied her down In tho elevntor, nnd saw hor step off at tho mozzanlno. Sho can also swear that tho cutter was In a book sho carried tho book wo found lying on tho deBk. Tho girl romomberB distinctly Booing Ub po- Some Clock In the Neighborhood Struck Ten. culiarly chnsed handle projecting from its pages. Could anything bo moro satisfactory if I was going to say, If tho young lady had beon of tho Impulslvo typo and tho provocation grenter. But Miss Challonor's naturo was calm, and woro It not for these lettors " hero his arm shifted a Ilttlo "I should not bo so Buroof my Jury's futuro verdict. Lovo " ho wont on, after n moment of silent consideration of a lotter ho had chosen from thoso boforo him, "disturbs tho most equa-bio equa-bio natures. When It enters ns a factor, fac-tor, wo can expect anything as you know. And MIsb Challonor evidently waB much attached to hor correspondent, correspon-dent, nnd naturally loft tho reproach convoyed In thoso lines." And Doctor Henth read: "Dear MIbs Challonor: Only a man of Bmall spirit could enduro what I endured from you tho othor day, Lovo such as mluo would bo rospectablo la e a clodhopper, and I think thnt oven ' you will ncknowlodgo that 1 stand Bomowhnt higher than that. Though I wns silent under your disapprobation, you shall yot havo your nnswor. It will not lack point bocauso of Its noc-ossary noc-ossary delay." "A threat!" Tho words sprang from Swootwator, and woro evidently involuntary. "It Is tho only lottor of thorn all which convoys nnythlng llko a reproach," re-proach," prococded tho coroner. "Her surprlso must consequently havo boon great at receiving theso lines, nnd hor resentment equally so. If tho two mot afterwards But I havo not shown you tho signature. To tho poor father It convoyed nothing somo fnctB hnvo been kept from him but to ub " hero ho whirled tho lotter about bo that Swootwator, at least, could seo tho naino, "It convoyB a hope thnt wo may yet understand MIbs Challonor." "Urotherson!" oxclnlmed tho young dotoctlvo In loud surprise "Brother-son! "Brother-son! Tho man who" "Tho mnn who loft thiB building Just boforo or simultaneously with tho alarm caused by Mlaa Challonor's fall. It clears away somo of tho clouds bo-fogging bo-fogging us. Sho probably caught Bight of him in tho lobby, nnd In tho passion of tho moment forgot her usual instincts and drovo tho shnrp-pointed shnrp-pointed weapon Into hor honrt." "BrothersonI" Tho word enmo softly soft-ly now, nnd with a thoughtful intonation. intona-tion. "Ho saw her dio." "Why do you say that?" "Would ho hnvo washed his hands In tho snow If ho hnd boon In Igno-ranco Igno-ranco of tho occurronco? Ho wns tho real, If not tho nctlvo, cause of hor death and ho know It. Either ho ex-cuso ex-cuso mo, Doctor Heath and Mr. Gryco, it is not for mo to obtrudo my opinion." opin-ion." "Havo you settled It boyond dispute that Brotherson 1b really tho man who wns seen doing this?" "No, sir. I have not hnd a mlnuto for that Job, but I'm ready for tho business any tlmo you seo fit to spare me." "Let It bo tomorrow, or. If you can mdi'igo It, tonight. Wo want tho man ovenMf ho is not tho horo of thnt ro-man)Vo ro-man)Vo oplsodo. Ho wroto theBo lotters, lot-ters, and ho must oxpluin tho Inst ono. His Initials, as you seo, aro not ordinary ordi-nary ones, and you will Hnd them nt tho bottom of nil theso shoots. Ho was bravo enough or arrogant enough to sigh tho questionable ono with hl3 full namo. Thin may speak well for him, and it may not. It Is for you to decide that. Whoro will you look for him, Sweotwntcr? No ono' horo knows his address." "Not Miss Challonor's maid?" "No; tho namo Is a new ono to hor. But sho mado It vory ovldont that sho was not surprised to hear that her mlstresa wns In secret correspondence with a inombor of tho malo sex. Much can bo hlddon from servants, but not that." "I'll find tho mnn; I hnvo a doublo reason for doing that now; ho ahall not escape mo." Doctor Heath expressed his satisfaction, satis-faction, nnd gavo some orders. Mean-whllo, Mean-whllo, Mr. Gryco had not uttorod a word. CHAPTER VIII. Strange Doings for George. That evening George Bat bo long over tho newspapers that In splto of my nbsorblng interest In tho topic engrossing en-grossing mo, I fell nsleop in my cozy Ilttlo rocking chair. I was awakened by what Boomed liko a kiss falling very softly on my forehead, though, to bo auro, It may havo beon only the flap of George's coat Bleovo as ho stooped ovor me. "Wake up, Ilttlo woman," I heard, "and trot nwny to bed. I'm going out and may not bo in till daybrenk." "You! going out! nt ton o'clock nt night, tired ns you are as wo both are! What Ijbb happened Ah!" This broken exclamation oscaped mo as I perceived In tho dim bnck-ground, bnck-ground, by tho sitting-room door, tho figure of a mnn who called up recont, but very thrilling experiences. "Mr. Swootwator," explained Goorgo. "Wo aro going out together. It Is necessary, or you may bo suro I should not leavo you." He gavo mo a Ilttlo good advlco as to how I hnd bettor employ my tlmo In his abBenco, nnd was off beforo I could find words to nnswer. As Boon as tho two wero In tho street, tho dotectlvo turned towards Gcorgo and said: "Mr. Andorson, I havo n groat donl to ask of you. Mr. Brotherson has vanished; that Is, In his own proper person, but I havo an Idea that I am on the track of ono who will lend us very directly to him If wo manage the affair carofully. What I want of m.at course, is moro Identification YqBi saw tho face of the man who 3H(icl1 nls hands In tho snow, and "Stlil know It again, you say. Do you tnSjr. you could bo qulto suro of your- sew "" ne man woro differently drJRicd and differently occupied?" 'Ti.thlnk so. Thore's his height and a certain Btrong look In his faco. I enroot descrlbo It." "You don't nood to. Como! wo'ro all right. You don't mind maklug a night of it?" "Not If it is noccssnry." "Thnt wo can't tell yot." And with a characteristic shrug and smllo, the dotectlvo led tho wny to a taxlcab which Btood In waiting nt tho corner. A quarter of nn hour of rather fast riding brought them Into a tanglo of streota on tho Enst sldo. Whon they stopped, which waa in n fow minutes, Swcotwntor said to Goorgo: "Wo shall havo to walk now tor n block or two. If you can munngo to net ns If you wero nccustomod to tho plnco nnd Just leavo all tho talking to mo, wo ought to got nlong Hrst-rato. Don't bo nBtonlshod nt nnythlng you Beo, nnd trust mo for tho rost; that's nil." Thoy nllghtcd, nnd ho dismissed tho tnxlcab. Somo clock In tho neighborhood neighbor-hood struck tho hour of ton. "Good! wo shnll bo In tlmo," muttered mut-tered tho detectlvo, and led the way down tho Btroot nnd round a corner or bo, till thoy enmo to a block darker dark-er than tho rest, nnd much loss noisy. "Thoro'a a mooting on tonight, of tho Associated Brothorhood of tho Awl, tho Piano nnd tho Trowel (what-ovor (what-ovor (hat means), and It is tho speaker speak-er wo want to boo; tho man who la to addresa them promptly at ton o'clock. Do you object to moetlnga?" "Is this a secrot ono?" "It wasn't ndvortlsed." "Aro wo carpenters or mnBoriB that wo can count on ndmittanco?" "Hush! I must sponk to thlB man." Gcorgo stood back, nnd a fow words passed between Swootwntor nnd n shndowy llguro which scorned to havo sprung up out of the sldownlk. "Balked nt tho outsot," woro tho on-couraglng on-couraglng words with which tho dotectlvo do-tectlvo rejoined Oeorgo. "It Booms thnt a pass-word Is necessary, and my friend hnB been unablo to got It. Will tho speaker pass out this way?" ho inquired of tho shadowy figure still lingering in their rear. "Ho didn't go In by It; yot I bollovo ho'B Bufo enough inside," was tho muttered nnBwer. Swootwator had no rollsh for disappointments disap-pointments of this charnctor, but it was not long boforo ho straightened up nnd allowed himself to exchange a fow moro words with this mystorlous porson. Theso nppenred to bo of a moro encouraging naturo than tho last, for It was not long boforo tho dotectlvo do-tectlvo rotumed with renowed nlac-rlty nlac-rlty to Georgo, nnd, whoollng him nbout, began to rotraco his Btepa to tho cornor. Whoro thoy wont under this ofilcor's guidance, ho cannot toll. Tho tortuous tortu-ous tanglo of alloys through which ho now folt hlniHolf led was dark aB tho nothor regions to his unaccustomed eyes. Thero was snow undor his foot and now and then ho brushed against somo obtruding object, or Btumblod against n low fenco; but boyond theso slight miscalculations on his own part, ho was a, moro automaton In tho hands of his eager guido, and only beenmo his own man again when they suddenly sud-denly Btepped Into nn opon yard nnd ho could discern plninly boforo him tho dnrk walls of a building pointed out by Swcotwntor ns tholr probable destination. Yot ovon hero thoy on-countered on-countered somo impediment which prohibited a close nppronch. A wall or shed cut off their vlow of tho building's build-ing's lower story; and though Bomo-what Bomo-what startled at being left unceremoniously uncere-moniously nlono after Just n whispered word of encouragement from tho ovor ready detective, Georgo could qulto understand tho necessity which that person must fool for a quiet rocon-nolterlng rocon-nolterlng of tho surroundings beforo tho two of thorn ventured further forward for-ward In tholr possibly hnznrdous undertaking. un-dertaking. Yet tho oxporlonco waB nono too pleasing to Georgo, nnd ho wns vory glad to hear Sweotwator's whlspor again In his ear, nnd to feel himself rescued from tho pool of slush lu which ho had been loft to stand. "Tho approach Is not all that can bo desired," romarkod tho detectlvo as thoy entered what appeared to bo n low shed. "Tho broken board has been put bnck and eocuroly nailed In plnco, and If I am not very much mistaken mis-taken thero Is n follow stationed In tho yard who will want tho pass-word too. Looks Blind) to mo. I'll have somothlng to tell tho chief when I got back." "But wo! What aro wo going to do if wo cannot get In front or renr?" "Wo'ro going to wait right hero In tho hopoB of catching n gllmpso of our man as ho comes out," rotumed tno detectlvo, drawing Gcorgo towards a low window overlooking tho ynrd ho had described as sontlnollod. "Ho will have to pass directly undor this window win-dow ou his wny to tho alloy," Sweetwater Sweet-water wont on to explain, "nnd If I can only raise It but tho nolso would glvo us away. I enn't do that." "Porhnps It swings on hinges," Bug-gostod Bug-gostod Gcorgo. "It looks like that sort of a window." "If it should well! It doe. We're In groat luck, sir. But boforo I pull It 1 M opon, romombor that from tho mo- '' mont I unlatch It, everything said or ;t H dono horo cnn bo hoard In tho ad- !j H Joining yard. So no whlspors nnd no j ,l unnecessary movements. When you H hear him coming, as sooner or later ' Bl you certainly will, fall carefully to -H your knees nnd lean out just far H enough to catch a gllmpso of him bo- 4 H fore ho stops down from tho porch. If 5 HH he stops to light his clgnr or to pass a l H few words with somo of tho men ho j H will leavo behind, you mny got a plain j, :H enough vlow of his faco or llguro to " H Identify him. Tho light Is burning low I H in thnt roar hall, but it will do. If It M docs not if you can't boo him or If lM you do, don't hang out of tho window ' rH moro than a second. Duck after your iH first look. I don't want to bo caught 'l nt this job with no bottor opportunity M for oBcnpo than wo hnvo horo. Cnn you -H remember nil thnt?" H Goorgo pinched his nrm encourng- :H ingly, and Swootwator, with an amused 'pH grunt, softly unhitched tho window H and pulled It wldo open. ' A flno sloot flew In, lmpercoptlblo f ' snvo for tho sonsation of damp It il gavo, and tho slight hazo It diffused 'fl through tho air. Enlarged by this M hazo, tho building thoy wero sot to ! watch roso In magnified proportions nt their loft. Tho yard botwoon, piled H high In tho center with snow-heaps or other hoops covered with snow, could 'lH not havo been moro than forty foot H squaro. Tho window from which thoy peored, wns half-way down this yard, bo that a comparatively short dlatauco soparated them from tho porch whero j Gcorgo had beon told to look for tho H mnn ho wnB expecting to ldontlfy. AH fiH wub dnrk thoro nt prcBont, but ho H could hear from tlmo to tlmo somo ll sounds of restless movemont, aB tho pjH guard posted insido shifted in his nnr- H row quarters, or struck his bonumbed !H feot softly together. H But whnt enmo to them from nbovo jl was moro Interesting thnn anything !H to bo heard or seen below. A man's voice, raised to a wonderful pitch by iH tho passion of oratory, hnd burst tho ' H .barriers of tho closed hall In that tow- 1-JiaH oring third Btory And was carrying Its "lH tnlo to othor enrs thnn thoso within. H Swootwntor, in whom satisfaction H was fast taking tho plnco of impa- H tlonce nnd regret, pushed tho window H to boforo nsklng Georgo this question: H "Did you hoar the volco of tho mnn H whoso notion attracted your attention H outBldo tho Clormont?" H "No." H "Did you noto JuBt now tho largo H shadow dunclng on the celling ovor H tho speaker's head?" H "Yob, but I could Judgo nothing from H "Well, he's a rum one. I shan't open H this window ngaln till ho gives signs H of reaching tho end of his speech. It'a H too cold." H But almost immediately ho gavo a H start and, pressing George's arm, ap- H peared to listen, not to tho speech H which was no longor nudlblo, but to H somothlng much nearer a stop or H movemont In tho adjoining yard. At H least, so Gcorgo Interpreted tho quick H turn which this impetuous dotectlvo H mado, nnd tho pains ho took to direct H George's nttontton to tb wnlk run- H nlng under tho window boacath which H they crouched. Somo onn wns stent- H lng down upou tho houso at their loft, 4 H from tho alloy beyond. A big man, H wIiobo shoulder brushed tho window H as ho wont by. Georgo folt his hand seizor! ngaln and pressod nB this Imp- pened, and beforo ho had recovered H from this excltomont, experienced an- H other quick pressuro und still anothor H as one, two, threo additional figures H wont slipping by. Thon his hand was H suddonly dtopped, for a cry had Bhot H up from tho door whore tho senttnol - H stood guard, followed by a suddon H loud slam, and tho nolso of a bhootlng H bolt, whlcb, proclaiming ns It did that Jj tho Invaners wero not friends but nH enemies ro tho cuuso which was being gW vnuntod ubovo, so excited Swootwntor S'S that ho pulled tho window wldo opon & and took n bold look out. George fol- gt' lowed IiIb example ,-nd this was what Pyp they saw: . fatM Threo men woro Btandlng flat ' f2P against tho fonco lending from tho ' -( shed dlroctly to tho porch. Tho ; -$, fourth wns crouching within tho lat- ' n?, tor, nnd in anothor moment thoy honrd lr ' his fist descend upon tho door Inside wwtl In n way to rouso tho echoos. Moan- rm tlmo, tho voice in tho, nudlouco hall wmi, abovo hud ceased., and thero could bo Iflnfi' ". hoard Instead be scramble of hurry- ! lng feet nnd th nolso of overturning tIRm boncheB. Then window flow up and Wm a volco called awn: IraE!')' "Who's that? What do you want nasto down thoro?" f'liJft (TO BE CONTINUED.) hSsIe Innocent. IfiBg "I try to think," Bald Benham, "that t 'IWL woman is tho equal of man and as woll ; '$M qualified to take part in tbo polltioal f 'Wf llfo; but It sort of Jars that belief to ' jfa&7 get tho roply I did this mornlug from my wlfo, whon I remarked, on roadlns '-,, Ey tho returns, that Bingham ran aheal ' Vwi of his ticket, and sho innocently in- ; WM quired, "what htm bJa hurry ?" J;dg. I .w |