Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1920 — Page 2

CHAPTER X—Continued. —IS—“It look* like you were guilty from reeding the morning papers," he answered with a grin. "But I don’t beMeve all I read. They’ve made out a strong case against you, though." "I didn’t do it!" I cried passlon- . ately. - “If you didn’t, who-dhll" "It must have been Mr. Wick." “There you go, jumping at conclusions. Why not Claire Bradford?” “Why do you mention her? Do you suspect her?" ~ “If she didn’t do it, why did she come down here to see you?” “How did you know she was here?” “I was watching you all the time you were talking to her." “But how did you know who she . was?" “I saw the other one this morning. They look alike." “But how did you know which sister <it Was?” “You didn’t seem to get along well enough in your talk for it to be Barbara,” he answered with another grin. It had not been my Intention toreveal even to him Claire Bradford’s second visit to my apartment, but I saw how foolish It would be of me to attempt to deceive or to withhold any information from such a shrewd observer. * Without reserve and with the utmost detail I proceeded to relate everything that had happened since I had seen him the afternoon before. I’ told of my discovery of the secret panel in my room and of the blind passageway Into which it apparently led, of Barbara's having made the ‘tiertlous journey over the window ledge td Inspect my find, of the screams we had heard, followed by the shot, of how Barbara had fled back by the way she came, and I had run downstairs and with Wick had discovered the body. I told him every detail so far as I could remember It, winding up with my catching Claire Bradford leaving my apartment, just before my arrest and the finding of the revolver. “You don’t think the detectives themselves planted the gun on you?” he asked. “I've heard of them doing things like that"

He spoke with such an air of innocence that I had to smile. I doubt if there were many tricks of detectives that Gorman did not know all about. "They had no opportunity whatever. Neither of them had been near the >dresser before, and I was watching them every moment.” “Weil, who did hide the revolver there, if they didn't?”, "I don’t know.” "Couldn’t 1 Wick have done It?” “I was with him every moment after we discovered the body.” "Maybe it was Claire Bradford?” I shook my head. v “I thought at first it might have ■been she, but I’m convinced since talking with her that it was not. She’s either entirely Innocent or else the most wonderful actress in the world.” *1 think we can leave her out of it,” ventured Gorman. "That leaves only Wipk.” Gorman shook his head positively. “No, Wick didn’t do it He’s a bad one all right and he has done time, but he’s only a tool.” “Wick has done time!" I exclaimed. “How did you find that out? What have you learned about him?” Gorman grinned at my eager questioning. “I don’t know much about him yet, but Tm sure he’s an ex-con. While you were in court this morning,” he explained, “I went up to the Granddeck to take a look at things for myself. Wick showed me through. the Lutan apartment, thinking I was from the coroner's office. I spotted him at once. A crook that has done time is always sure to give himself away.” - “How?” I asked.

“Well,” said Gorman judicially, “men’s businesses leave their marks on them. A clergyman don’t have to be wearing a high vest for you to spot him, and nobody ever took a dancing teacher for a pugilist. A man that has looked at as many crooks as 1 have knows them by instinct, and then there’s little ways you can tell. As I was going up to the apartment with Wick be just naturally fell into step ■with me, showing he had been used to marching with other prisoners. He talks, too, without moving his lips. That’s a sure sign. They learn that tn prison so they can talk without the guards knowing it.” “That’s so,” I cried. "It struck me that there was something funny about ■the way Wick talked, but I couldn't kave told just what it was.” “Wick’s a crook, ail right, “but I think he comes from somewhere upstate or maybe out West, but he hasn’t intelligence enough to be anything more than a runner for the gang." what’s your theory?” I asked. didn’t murder Miss Lutan, " IwmMF- «- ■jfl ta>« jet. Wick ain’t Ms Jota Uke meo to

The House of Whispers

By William Johnston

plan them. This whole thing Is a big affair, carefully planned out It takes more brains than Wick ever dreamed of having to plant anonymous notes and terrify people nearly out of their senses with mysterious whispers and then to steal the Bradford paper* and the Gaston pearls and then when things get hot to have you already framed as the goat to blame things on.” “Then you think my discharge from the office was part of the plot?” “Sure it was. You butted in on their blackmaß plans, and they wanted to get square with you. and a young fellow out of work and discharged in disgrace Is always an easy mark for suspicion.” "4nd was it part of the plot to blame Miss Lutan’s murder on me?” “I dop'C think so. The Lutan murder was an accident. Even the biggest crooks seldom deliberately plan murder. They’re all afraid of the chair. She In and surprised some one of the gang in the apartment. He had to shoot her to make his getaway. It was quick thinking on somebody’s part after the murder to plant that gun In your rooms. That sort of scheming Takes brains, and Wick hasn't got them.” “Who was it, then?” “We’ve got to find," said German, speaking slowly and with emphasis, “the big crook that is back of all this —the master-mind.” “The master-mind,” I echoed. “Yes,” he said, “there’s a big crook ed brain somewhere that has been directing the whole plot, and planning the actions of Wick and of the telephone girl, and maybe of Claire Bradford, too.” “I wonder If it could be her ex-hus-band. She told me, though, a few moments ago, that she had not heard of him for years, and she seemed to me to be telling the truth." “I don’t think it was him,” said Gorman. “He was only a chauffeur. If he’s in It at all, he’s only one of the gang. He’s not the master-mind.” “I hope we can keep the Bradfords out of It altogether,” I said. “You see. Gorman —”

“I understand,” he interrupted. “I know how the land lies. You need not worry about that. If Claire Bradford had any part in the plot, you can bet she was forced, into it and driven to do what she did. Have you seen her sister?” ■'No, and I hope she’ll make no effort to see me. She mustn’t. You’ll see her, won’t you?” “Leave it to me,” said the detective. “I’ll manage to reach her without even her own family knowing anything about it. I’ll make her understand that if she tries to see you or says anything, she'll only be damaging your case. Don’t worry about her.” “There’s one thing, though,” I said, “that I wish you could do.” "What’s that?” , . “Can you find some way of getting to the Gaston apartment and exploring that secret passage and see where it leads?” Re turned savagely on me. “Say, young fellow,” he said, “If I didn’t know that you were innocent, I’d swear that you were a dope fiend with this tale of a secret passage.

"We've Got to Find the Crook That Is Back of All This—the Master Mind."

You’ve been reading too many thrillers or going to the movies too much. They don’t have secret passages In modern apartment houses. You better keep quiet about that You can't get anybody to believe you, and you'll only hurt your case.” “But I know there's a passageway there— along the hall. !■ found the opening, a panel in my bedroom. There’s a place there big enough for a man to walk in. I saw it” He looked at me pityingly, and I could see that he did not believe a word I was saying. “All right there’s a passage there, and we’ll leave it there. , A young fellow tn love la apt to imagine all sorts of things.” <=».

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAEILINIL

- Dluaii-aiioiW *y Irwin. Myerr

I saw there was no use In my Insisting further about the passageway. His mind was stubbornly made up that It could not exist. He was the only friend I had in ailTh®' great city, and I must leave It to him to work the thing out In his own way. “What about • lawyer?’ I asked. “Didn’t the court assign you one?” “Yes, but he took it for granted that I was guilty, so I got rid of him.” “Well, there ain’t much a lawyer could do yet. I’ll dig up one when we need him. Bail Is not possible in a murder case, so there is nothing for you .to do but to sit tight and take It as easy as you can. By the way, have you beard anything from old Gaston since you were arrested?” “Not a word," I answered. “I have not the least idea where he is or how to reach him.” “Humph, that’s funny,” said Gorman abstractedly. “Good-by, I’ll see you again tomorrow.” He pounded on the cell door, and a guard released him, leaving me alone to ponder over my’ plight, and especially over his last question. What bad he meant by it? Where was old Rufus Gaston? Once more suspicion of my aged relative shot through my brain. Was it possible that his was the master mind behind all this plotting? Gorman had insisted that the arch criminal behind Wick and the others must be some man of Intellect. My greatuncle Rufus had brains. Out of a clear sky he had summoned me to live in the Granddeck and then had mysteriously disappeared. Certainly he had had opportunities for knowing Wick and the telephone girl. Barbara had recalled' once having heard her father speak of him In disparaging terms. Had It been he who Was plotting against the Bradfords and had brought me Into the case as a scapegoat 1 —- —— Was old Rufus Gaston the master mind? Where was he?

CHAPTER XI. Fortunately for me, there had recently been a wave of public criticism of the courts for the' long delays in bringing criminal cases to trial, and the district attorney was moving with all celerity to bring my case to a conclusion. An Indictment against me for the murder of Daisy Lutan had been quickly found and the date had been already set for the trial —one week hence—so that the period of my incarceration and doubt as to my ultimate fate seemed likely to be very brief. Utterly absurd as the situation was, accused of murdering a woman whom I never had seen and hardly had heard of until I saw her lying dead in her apartments, conscious as I was of my entire innocence in the matter, still, as In the solitude of my cell I reviewed the case, I found myself facing the ordeal of a trial for murder with considerable apprehension. Circumstances certainly looked much against me. There was absolutely no way in which I could refute the testimony of the two detectives that they had found the revolver wlfh one chamber discharged In the drawer of my dresser. I myself had seen them find it. While German still held that there was a possibility that they themselves had put it there, I knew that neither of them had been pear the dresser after I had admitted them to my rooms. The only person whom I had the slightest ground for suspecting was Claire Bradford, yet what motive could she have had?

Wick undoubtedly would testify that he had met me at the door of the Lutan apartment directly after he had heard the shot. He might say that I appeared--to. be greatly excited. This would be the exact truth. There was even the possibility that he mJght swear that he had found me coming out of Miss Lutan’s apartment. Even if he did not make the statement direct, shrewd questioning on the part of the district attorney could easily make It appear that I had just left the Lutan apartment. How could we possibly controvert his testimony? Then, in addition, there were the damaging statements that would be offered by Nellie Kelly. She would swear that the evening before I had taken her out to dinner and had been questioning her about the other tenants in the house. Even though we knew that she was a tool of Wick and was the wife of Lefty Moore, the burglar, unless Gorman was able to discover that she herself had a criminal record, it seemed utterly hopeless to attempt to confute her statements.

It would also militate against me that at the time of the murder I was out of a job and almost without funds. They were likely, too, to bring out the fact that I had been discreditably discharged from the only position I had held in New York. The only man who knew anything about the matter, Mr. Wood, the head of the firm, had . been suddenly called to France in connection with an order for munitions, and was not expected to return for several months. The ; fact would weigh against me, too. that I would be unable to offer the testimony of any character witnesses. Birge and Roller; my classmates with whom I bad roomed ever since I had come to New York, were ’“somewhere in France” with the American troops and could not possibly aid me. All of this was pointed out to me by John McGregor, a young attorney whom Gorman had employed for me. While Gorman and I had, I think, succeeded in convincing him of my innocence. the fact that he was continually citing the difficulties in the way of our {Hoving it made me realize that he was very dubious as to the outcome, J

The trouble was that we were tieslutely without ' witnesses. Old Rufus Gaston's whereabouts still remained a mystery. If we could discover him In time, we could at least explain satisfactorily my presence in the Granddeck and could establish that 1 was not the homeless, penniless vagrant they would try to prove me. The longer old Rufus remained tn hiding, the stronger became my suspicion that he might be tn some way Involved in the ploL Bls action 4n keeping his address a secret from me seemed to have been with, deliberate intent. After some discussion Gorman and I had agreed not to mention either of the Bradford girls. “If one word about either of them slips out in court,” said Gorman, “they’ll be in for it The papers will Jump to it and print their pictures and all that We’d better leave them out of it” With this I heartily concurred. I was determined that Barbara Bradford must be In no way Involved, come what may. I knew that she herself would be apt to be restrained from attempting to communicate with me by the fact that her sister's marriage was set for the day after tomorrow. Her loyalty to her family was such that she would not risk scandal by trying to aid me, at least not until her sister was married and the future for Claire and her mother assured. Two small rays of sunshine lightened the gloom of my cell —the fact that the newspaper mention of the

Each Time I Read Anew the Penciled Lines My Heart Rejoiced.

tragedy seemed thus far to have escaped my mother’s notice and the fact that Barbara still believed in my innocence and trusted me absolutely. A day or two after my arrest Gorman had managed to see her and had told her that it was my wish that she keep entirely quiet her knowledge of the affair and that she should make no attempt whatever to communicate with me while I was in prison. He had brought back with him a hastily penciled note which often in my cell I reach and re-read: “Dear Mr. Nelson: “I’m so sorry to hear of your tro. ble and the absurd charges against you. TU do whatever you wish, of course. I trust you absolutely. If anything I can tell will aid you at any time, I am ready to speak—cost what it may. I know you are innocent and must soon be freed. Hoping to see you, “With all confidence, “B. B.”

Each time I read anew the penciled lines, my heart rejoiced. Come what may, I felt sure that Barbara’s heart was mine. I joyed to know that come out of prison to her though I might, she would be glad to see me. Joyfully would I have gone to the electric chair rather than have her fair name in the least smirched by scandal in trying to defend me. She alone could prove an alibi for me, but no one must ever know it. What would a scandal-loving world say if the fact became public that she had been alone with me in my apartment near midnight? If only by the sacrifice of her good name could I go free, then let me stay in my cell. Let me even go to the electric chair. I would not have my life at the loss of my beloved’s reputation. One other thing I had kept from my lawyer —my discovery of the passageway between the walls in nay nncle’s apartment. If I could not get Gorman to believe in this secret passage, which I was convinced had some connection with the mysteries and the whisperings at the Granddeck, there was little likelihood that McGregor would believe my tale either. Given one single hour in my quarters at the Granddeck and I would have discovered whither if led and who used it, but once a man is charged with murder, his hands are tied. It was futile for me to mention ft again, even to the detective or to my lawyer, until such time as I could show it to them and convince them that I |knew what I was talking about. (TO BE CONTINUED.)

Where He Was Weak.

The other day, my little cousin brought home his report card marked A plus, for everything except deportment. His father said: “Why, John, how does this happen?” John’s reply was: “Well, but daddy, that’s my hardest study."—Exchange.

Do You “Hate” Yourself?

For I say, through the grace given unto me. to every man that is amonf you, not to think of himself more high ly than he ought to think.” —Paul |F his letter to the Bomans 12 A

HAVE ANIMALS SIXTH SEN

Hard Otherwise to Explain How Wild Beast* Knew That the Great War Was Over. Frightened by the noises of battle the wild beasts at East, Central and West Central Africa went scurrying north and south, traveling sometimes hundreds of miles In their fright and taking refuge In localities entirely new to them. But just as the ruins of northern France have drawn human beings back to them —men and women who dwelt there before the German occupation, home has claimed the wild animals and most of them are now back in their native haunts. How did the wild beast know that the war was over? The elephant, gorilla, giraffe, antelope, buffalo, rhinoceros, lion, leopard and porcupine are certainly all perfectly aware of the fact! o Human beings have their various avenues of sending news, chief among these the newspapers, the post and the telegraph. Whatever the method of communication, the wild animals certainly got the news quickly. ' , ' Peace was no sooner accomplished than the African natives began to see the homeward migration of whole companies of wild beasts through their territories, animals never familiar In these particular communities and obviously passing through. Four years previously they had come crashing through the underbrush, bound in an opposite direction. They were In great haste then and possessed of fear; and pachyderms and carnivora traveled together, the ageold war of the jungle forgotten In a common plight. Birds may become accustomed to the sound of firing, but wild animals loathe It Fear of strange noises is instinctive with them. Animals born in captivity invariably show this instinctive dread. And It is a wellknown fact in zoological parks that apes can be controlled instantly by. the display of a musket, even when as far as is known they have never seen one spit fire.

Women’s Rights in China.

A paternal government in the province of Hupeh, China, is endeavoring by official action to bring the women to order and reason, in the matter of clothes. “Women and girls are* not permitted to wear extraordinary clothes,” runs the official order which the police have been instructed to enforce. “The women's dresses, which were generally adopted by the Chinese gentle sex previous to the first revolution in 1911, are better suited to young women because they are not too short or too narrow, and they should be used again.” The official order gives further particulars of the abuses which It alleges have taken place by which, in the matter of clothes, it is not possible to distinguish, the Chinese women of “respectable and good families from those who are not.” But the significance of this solicitude on the part of the military governor of Hupeh is found In the part of the order which states that the importance of bearing and clothes Is to be recognized, “in view* of the fact that women are playing an important part in modern politics in western countries, and there is sufficient reason to believe that this awakening of the gentle sex will soon be extended to the far East.”

Gruesome Find.

An extraordinary story comes from Shanghai (China) of a find by some railway men at Harbin. A box car addressed to Colonel Bulikoff, who is the Russian representative at Hailar, was opened and found to contain apparently bags of flour and firewood. Underneath these were found eight caskets, each one duly labeled, six bearing the names of grand dukes and duchesses and the other two the name of a priest and a valet of one of the grand dukes. To make sure there was no ruse, one casket was opened and a body revealed. In addition to the names of the dead there was also written who had killed them and where. The question is being asked who had forwarded these bodies and for what reason, and where they were ultimately destined to be sent. In these days when railwaymen expect to find hidden away gold, jewels and other precious metals, to be confronted with caskets containing murdered persons is indeed a gruesome and unwelcome find.

If She Doesn’t Talk Too Much.

The worst woman hater I know is my husband’s brother. He is a bachelor M. D. and although busy with his patients, never forgets himself. He seems to dislike women through jealousy of them. As he is only fortythree, we intend starting a campaign at once to convert him. I have invited him to dinner Friday evening. I have also invited an amiable and beautiful young woman, who is a practitioner at the bar of justice. She has my cue to hold the floor for apd in favor of women everywhere. She may win Mm over. If this Interests you I will ■end you the next chapter. —Exchange.

Dub Golfer but Star Casuist.

The latest yarn from the links concerns a golfer who took a 10 in making the third hole, and said to his opponent, who had a 6: “I’ll take 8 here; 10 is too many. I don’t like double figures." “Why not say 9, instead of 8?” suggested the other. -Well, you see, 9 Is a bad number," was the reply. “You can cheat with turn it upside down and its 6, but 8 is 8, no matter how you look at it.’'— Boaton Transcript.

IN ANOTHER KEY

SICKLY STREAMS. “Rivers,” said the American; “why, your rivers are nothing to ours. Compared with our Hudson and Mississippi your Mersey, Severn and Thames are sleepy, sickly streams.” “Oh, come!” protested the EnglishTnSh. “Ithlnkyour rivers are just as sickly as ours.” “How do you ma£e that out?” “Wen, they are all confined to their beds,” replied the visitor. Long-Felt Want Bill —I'm going to start a new society right away. Phil —For what purpose? Bill —To induce motion-picture producers to use only big and difficult words in picture subtitles, so that the Ignoramuses who read them aloud will be foiled.—Film Fun. •’ ~- 'r '

AT THE AFTERNOON TEA. The Commission Man — Some fancy stock here, eh? The Packer —Reminds me of the specialty market: Tongues Active! Brains weak! Of Course. “When money talks,” Said Simeon Sparks, , "No doubt .it makes Some rich remarks." For Nothing. “What did the policeman bring you here for?” asked the Judge. “Nothing, your honor,” replied the prisoner. “Absolutely nothing!” “All right,” replied the judge. ‘Til give you sixty days and now you can’t say you’ve never been given something for nothing.” Able to Pay. The Lawyer—You say. you want to ask for five hundred a year separation allowance. How much does your husband make? Fair Client —He’s making about £BOO at present, but I’m sure he could do better if he bad to.”—London Answers. * — — —— 1 . , . He Grew Silent, t -• v Young Lady—l want a bow, please. Smart Young Clerk —I’m at your service. Young Lady (eyeing him closely)— Yes, but I want a white one —not a green.” ■ * v Economical Instinct. “It is the economy of nature which makes a dog chase his ta.il.” “How do you make -that out?” at “Because he does it to make both ends meet.” . ,

THE SAME RESULT. f “Do you intend to move this year?” “Well, we did intend to, but all of our neighbors moved, po it saved us the trouble." ' Too Good Matured. | He loves to listen to himself; ' ’Twould be a good employment If he were -generous In sharing the enjoyment.. Near-Panic, Anyway. He —It’s easy to cause a money panic these times. She—How so? _ He—Just caped an for a-palr of shoes.—Yale Records B » Her Plan. “Darling, wo must economise. Don't you think hereafter We’ can get along without the lunch after the theater?" “Yes, possibly we could. But if we must save money let us cut out the theater and still have the after-theatjer lunch.” * •> . ’ 1 — — Hence the Holler. ■ . “What is your baby bowUng about?? t "I guess he’s protesting because* nature has denied free .speech to -eh»dren under eighteen months.”—Home Sector.