8
THE SUNDAY FICTION MAGAZINE, JULY 9, 1916.
THE
STOD
EN DETECTIVE
LMOST directly acrors
, the street from the
apartment that i was
watching I caught sight
of a "To Let" sign
staring out from one of
the front windows of
an upper flat. It would
-not be the first time that an apartment
bad been left unlocked following inspec
tion by a possible tenant, I thought, as I
hastily crossed the street.
There was no inner locked door at the
entrance, and the door to the flat Itself
was unlocked. I made myself as comfort
able as possible near the front windows.
I kept watch until the noon hour, with no
result. Two grocery boys, a parcel boy
and the driver of a meat market delivery
wagon came and went, and there were no
others. Then, beginning to grow hungry,
I deserted my post and visited the little
delicatessen store Into which the old
dweller in the apartment opposite had dis
appeared the day before.
I was making my way back to my post,
carrying a light lunch In a paper bag,
when I almost ran into a man at the one
corner between the store and my destina
tion. We both looked at each other in as
tonishment. It was Phillips, and he gave
a gasp of surprise. It was with difficulty
that I refrained from doing the same
thing. He greeted me respectfully.
"I see, sir." he-said after the first greet
ing, "that you are interested In the home
of my relative; perhaps you would like to
meet him?"
For the moment I was taken completely
aback, and did not know how to answer
him. Then I did some rapid thinking. I
reasoned that it would be useless for me
to deny that I had come to view the apart
ment, in view of my previous inquiries at
the Wlllougby home. On the other hand. I
feared that the man was about to lead me
Into a trap.( Even at the moment I thought
I detected a malicious gleam of satisfac-
By Lucius Withers
Illu$tratcd by Dorothy Dulin.
Synopsis 1
D
m
B
m
H
UGALD McCALMAN, broker and art connoisseur, is called in
to kelp the police solve the mystery of the missing "Opal of
Doom," owned by Henry Willougby, Chicago millionaire, who' has
renounced the title of Baron Berwyn and come to America. McCal
man call in his friend Hendy, and while giving him the history of
the opal, receives a telephone message from Reggie Willougby to the
effect that hie father was slain is bed. McCalman and Hendy go to
the Willougby home. Examination fails to reveal any trace of the
murderer, and while waiting for the coroner they are startled by a
woman's shrieks. Reggie says that it is hie mother, and leaves the
room. Hendy becomes suspicious of the butler and thinks he can
give some light on the murder.
Returning to McCalman' s apartment, they find a note threaten- -ing
him with death if he does not drop the case. The next night he
sends Hendy to a reception to watch Catherine de Alveres and Axel
Axelsen, two famous European crooks, where he sees a man who
strongly resembles Phillips, the Willougby butler. He follows the
two crooks toward the Willougby house, where they kidnap a woman
whom Hendy thinks is Clarice Willougby. In trying to stop them he
is knocked unconscious. Later he learns that Clarice is in her own
room asleep and that Phillips has been out to visit his uncle. Not
hearing anything from McCalman, Hendy looks up the uncle, but can
get no satisfaction. In a picture show he recognizes Catherine de
Alverex and follows her to the home of Phillips' uncle. Returning
home, he finds a note frorh McCalman saying that he had allowed
himself to be stolen, but was in no danger. The next morning he
meets Clarice Willougby, who tells him that there is a secret ia her
mother's life which she cannot solve.
who had presented me as a friend, aad that he was loose I slammed the door be
who had carried on an intermittent con- fore I remembered what I was about, sir,"
versa tion with our host through an ear he explained.
trumpet, calmly declared that Mr. 8.
Marks, who proved to be no mute, but
tlon behind those heavy lids. He evidently only deaf, occupied the apartment alone.
soused my hesitancy and Its cause, for he
said: "Come, sir; it's all right. My word
for it."
I followed him across the street and up
' the stair a. with the strange resemblance
that I had noted before taking stronger
hold on me. There was tha same carriage,
the same carrying of. the head, the same
sloping shoulders. They took possession
of me, despite the fact that, as on the pre
vious occasion, I noted the essential dif
ferences between this man and he whom I
had looked upon in wonder at the Fennlng
reception.
I knew,, or rather felt, that I was taking
my life in my hands in following the man,
but It seemed to me that he had practical
ly dared me to go with him, and I was
never one to take a dare if there was a
fl eh tine chance. Besides, I had not been
so foolish as to come on this mission un
armed; that little flat nosed revolver lent
a certain feeling of security.
I kept my counsel and listened with
what good grace I could summon to the
The old man was close on the butler's
heels, and I saw that the death of the dog
had angered him deeply. My anger also
was up,
"Let me out of here!" I commanded
unimportant talk, evidently carried on to curtly.
allay my suspicion.
Phillips let himself in with a latch key
It was during a lull in this conversation
that I heard the sound of a key turning in
the front door. Phillips heard the sound,
too, for he jumped up and hurried out into
the hall, closing the door behind him. He
returned a moment later and seated him
self without vouchsafing an explanation.
I begun to feel decidedly uncomfortable.
With but the two against me, the odds I
had figured were not so uneven, consider
ing that one of them was an old man, but
this fater arrival had put a new color on
the situation.
I must have displayed some of the nerv
ousness I felt, for after some more of the
inconsequential talk Phillips consulted his
watch and declared that it was time for
him to get back to his duties.
The three of as got to our feet With a
gesture indicating the hallway, Phillips
"Certainly, certainly, sir," answered
Phillips. There was no doubt of the panic
in his voice, and I noted that his hand
shook as he put on his hat and turned the
front door latch.
I knew that the two of them had count-
day, come out of the entrance and walk
quickly toward the corner.
I made my way into the street as swift
ly as possible and reached the pavement
just as she whom I believed to be Cath
erine de Alverex was turning the' corner.
I followed her as she hurriedly made her
way to Sixty-third street. She did not en
ter the elevated station, but awaited the
arrival of a west bound surface car. I fol
lowed her aboard and made my way to
the front platform, where I could keep
watch on her as she sat well toward the
middle of the car.
We rode westward for two miles, until
reaching Ashland avenue, when she allght-
ed and boarded a car going north. I fol-
lowed her, wondering a bit why she had
not asked for a transfer. For many blocks
we rode back toward the city. Beaching
g the malodorous neighborhood about the
1 stock yards, I was surprised to note her
signal for the stop. She hurriedly jumped
p out Into the street and made her way
g north for a blocky I followed as closely as
B discretion would allow. Then she turned
g east for J. wo blocks to Turn bull street, and
H then north again. The trail of this fash
H tenable suspect was leading Into strange
H places, and I began to feel a bit uncom
g fortable. More than once an inquisitive
f city' editor had sent me into this district
H on one mission or another, and I was not
unfamiliar with the locality, but I knew
B the personnel of the vicinity, and I would
H have preferred that the, trail led el se
ll where.
H At the end of the block I saw a police
It man turn the corner and make his way
H toward us. From this I snatched a cram
if of comfort, which tasted sweet in my
fe mouth until I saw him stop and converse
' with the woman for a minute, after which
they turned and continued together for
another block, at the end of which they
entered a frame building on the corner.
Approaching more closely, I saw that
the building was one of those ramshackle
affairs which would be allowed In no other
section of the city. The first floor was
given orer to a saloon, which from the
legend over the door I learned was Bohe
mian. Up one side of the building ran a
rickety flight of stairs, at the top of which
was a closed door.
Not wishing to enter the saloon after
the pair, which action I knew would re
sult in inquiries that I might not care to
and bidding me wait Just inside the door fell behind me. Fearful of an attack from
after he had closed It, he walked down the
hall and entered what I took to be a bed
room door.'Cly glance followed him down
the hall and noted on the tiny shelf be
tween the four legs of a little table hold
ing the telephone a pair of gray suede
shoes, high heeled and dainty, that had
never been built for men's wear.
A brief interval passed and then Phil
lips came back, followed by the old man
in the greasy skull cap. The old fellow
the rear, I stepped quickly out Into tbe
hall. At that moment a shaggy dog hurled
himself, snarling, at my throat.
With a cry of fear I evaded the brute.
which fell against the closed door behind
beyond measure, and I could get little
satisfaction fnarn tbe fact that it had been
the brute Instead of Phillips who had paid
tha penalty of treachery with its life.
Feeling assured that the butler was
glad enough to get clear of the neighbor-
hood, for the time being at least, and that
me. Phillips had slammed the door shut there was mu likelihood that he would persons who did pass gave me quick, curi
as I emerged into the hall. I whipped out rturn to tn6 flat that afternoon. I made ous glances and hurried on, evidently seek
my revolver and was about to put a bullet my way to tne cb tand under the ele- ing shelter from the icy cold wind which
between the eyes of the brute as he picked vated station at Sixty-third street. I en- was blowing furiously.
himself up. But he was too quick for me. d a tAXl to b kept waiting for me at I was about to quit my post, defeated
He turned and hurled himself at me again. a P0'" c,ose 10 the empty apartment from by aching face and feet, and go In search
recognized me and smiled sheepishly. That I met him with a smashing blow from the which 1 kept watch. I felt that she whom of heat and something to eat. when the
smile made me a bit uncomfortable; it was pistol butt, and he fell limp at my-feet. A 1 naa Deen to hdow would in all door of the saloon opposite was flung open
altogether too amiable under the circum- moment later he'sfralghtened out, whined Probability leave the apartment in an au- and the big policeman came out He made
stances. and died. ": - tomobile. After posting my chauffeur and
Phillips led the way into the front Behind me the door opened softly, and king necessary arrangements with him,
anartment. which seemed to be fitted hum I whirled about to look into the surnrid 1 returned to my place behind -the win-
a sort of hybred sitting-bed-room. I was eyes of PhiUise. The look of dUappoint
e truck by the fact that though the place ment on hi face was, for an instant, tin-
ed on the dog, and now that the brute had answer, I made my way across the street,
failed them they were nonplused and not determined to keep watch, for a time at
prepared for what might follow. I knew least- 10 " the woman would emerge
my' cue was for a quick exit before they SJn- The meeting with the policeman
had had time to regain themselves wholly. PMled me. If she whom I had followed
Phillips left the building with me and wal Catherine de Alverex. what business
together we walked a block toward the nad w,th the PUce?
elevated station, three squares away. 1 w a Mh Pring to life In the front
There he left me, explaining uneasily that wlndow ot the upper story, and found
he would go home by way of a surface car. tim to hoP that my quarry would not
It would have given me the greatest remaln lns where she was. My lunch
pleasure to have shot him between his had been a "ht one, and I was hungry,
sloping shoulders as he walked away from Mope than thl. a stiff wind had sprung up
me along the side street The attack by out of the northwest and It was rapidly
that savage dog had angered me almost Towln bitterly cold.
- CHAPTER XIV.
A Pavement Encouater.
Y PRESENCE on the sidewalk did
not elicit that curiosity from the
few passersby which it might have caused
had the night been less bitter. The few
dowl
But no automobile appeared before tbe
a bee line toward me. I thought, for tbe
moment, of making a run for it. I do not
know why I wished to do this, but that;
was my first impulse. However, the do- '
liceman gave me no time. It seemed to me
was frugally furnished. It was scrupulous- mistakable. But he seemed to remember building across the street, and it was not that he was standing in front of me in a,
ly clean, and set it down to the gray suede himself almost instantly and inquired .until after the street lights had been menacing posture almost before I had as-
shoes. I was. therefore, all the more un- solicitously for my welfare. , switched on that I sal- the woman, veiled sured myself' that he was seeking me. ;
prepared ten minutes later when Phillips, "He's a terrible bruterand when I saw and clad as she had been on the previous In the light from the swaying are la'
J