Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 271, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1914 — THE HOUR AHO MINUTE [ARTICLE]

THE HOUR AHO MINUTE

By GEORGE MUNSON.

Singleton’s- was the acutest mind not connected with any regular police bureau, as everyone knew. But Mary Harrington <Bd not believe that he could save hw husband, Charles, from dying an atrocious death. This was the situation, as she outlined it to him in the parlor of the lonely little country house: There were three brothers, Henry, James and Charles. The two elder ones were unmarried. The father had left his money equally among the three, but, after the two elder ones were dead, it was all to vest in the youngest, Charles. If he died childless, it was to be divided equally between the widow and Stephen Barnes, a step-brother by a second marriage. Whom old Harrington had hated. Stephen was a ne’er-dp-well, and held 'a position as a jeweler’s assistant .in the little nearby town. Three months previously, at 7:87, the body of the eldest brother had been found, blown- to pieces, upon the footpath, of a field leading from the town to his home. The time of his death was indicated by his watch, which .was found fairly intact beside him. Whether he had been the victim of an assassin’s bomb or what had happened nobody could ascertain. After some weeks of investigation the matter ceased to be one of immediate public interest. Exactly two months later the second brother died. A violent explosion shook the house in which the family lived. The body'bf James was found In his bed, with a gaping wound in the abdomen. The evidence given ,by Mary Harrington at the inquest showed that he died at five minutes past one. That was all, except that Charles was momentarily expecting the same fate. -Singleton thought for about eight minutes, resting motionless in his chair.

“Will you let me see your watch?” he asked of Chfirles at the end of that period. Charles Harrington gave him his watch. Singleton took off the case and examined it under a microscope. “You haven’t had it regulated lately?” he asked. “No. It is strange you should ask me that, because my step-brother Stephen Is always anxious to regulate It for nothing when I go into the shop.” “Ah! You don’t suspect him of complicity in this affair?" “Good ? heavens, no!” answered Charles Harrington. “He had regulated your brothers* watches before the murder of each?” "Now, that Is odd?’ answered Charles. “He certainly had, but —you don’t suggest there was a bomb inside the watch of Henry or James?" “Hardly,” answered Singleton. “However —suppose you take your ’watch* to Stephen and let him regulate It Arrange to call for It at 5:15 —the store doesn’t close till six, I suppose?” The day arranged was five ahead. At the appointed hour Charles Harrington duly met Singletori outside the jeweler’s shop. He accosted him, but Singleton only stared at him blankly. “I am afraid you have the advantage of me, sir,” he answered. Charles remembered and went in. Singleton, following, saw a pale-faced, meager-looking man, with a furtive expression, standing behind the counter. “Well, I’ve got your watch ready, Charley,” he said, and, opening a drawer, he handed It to him. "What can I do for you, sir?” he continued to the detective. The detective took the watch from Charles Harrington’s hands. "Charley/’ burst out Stephen, "I forgot something. .Will you let me keep your watch till tomorrow? I —er —’’ The clocks in the shop pointed to 20 minutes past the hour. Singleton laid the watch down on the counter, but kept his hand over it. Stephen, grabbed at It, and Singleton grabbed Stephen by the collar. "Game’s up,” he said briefly. With the other hand he turned the watch over. v“Hold him, Mr. Harrington, until I stop thajnfernal thing,” fie said. He opened the case and stopped the watch, twisting the hairspring into a mass of tangled wire. Then he opened the glass. “Look at? the minute hand,” he said to the jeweler. “It looks kind of dirty,” said the old man. “But what —what—" "What Is It? Fulminate of iodide, and the most violent explosive known. In four minutes this tiny mass pasted under the minute hand would, have caught the hour hand, and then—well, you can guess what would have happened. But the cunningest murderer always leaves a’trail, and he left his —in the fact that his two victims died when the hands were together. I’ll take this as evidence—” "He lies! He said he was a collector,”'gasped the trembling man. “Precisely,”” answered ■ Singleton, opening hip coat and displaying an officer’s badge. "I have just been made a special police officer in this town for today. You see, I am collecting so’methlng—-you!" (Copyright, 1914. by W. G. ChapmanJ Still to Be Heard From. Many women have attempted to ■cold affection into the’hearts of men, but we have never heard of one who succeeded.