HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1930-01-17, Page 7l;r�ti
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Rrn T#1 H. SPEVIA'MA ':
Rupture Varicbcele, V'ariepye, Vette*e,
dominaf Weakness, Spinal. Deform -
Consultation Free. ` Call o.r
issue. J..G. SMITH, British .A.pp1i-
ance Specialist, 15 Downie St., Strat-
ford, Ont. 8202-25
Seeee,
LEGAL
x
Phone No. 91
JOHN J. HUGGARD
Barrister, Solicitor,
Notary Public, Etc.
Beattie -Block - - Seaforth, Ont.
It. S. HAY'S_
and Notary Public. Solicitor (or the
Dominion Bank. Office in rear of the
Dominion Bank, Seaforth. Money to
ioaa
BEST & BEST(
Barristers, Solicitors, Conveyan-
and Notaries Public, Etc. Office
In the Edge Building, opposite The
Expositor Office.
VETERINARY
MLA
JOHN GRIEVE, V.S. •
Honor graduate of Ontario Veterin-
ary College. All diseases of domestic
ei imals treated. Calls promptly at-
tended to and charges moderate. Vet-
erinary Dentistry a specialty. Office•
and residence on Goderich Street, one
eloorhof` Dr. Mackay's Office, Sea-
A. R. CAMPBELL, V.S.
Graduate of Ontario Veterinary
College, University of Toronto. All
diseases of domestic animals treated
by the m o s t modern principles.
Charges reasonable. Day or night
scalls promptly attended to. Office on
[ain Street, Hensall, opposite Town
$All. Phone 116.
Y
MEDICAL
a
DR. F. J. R. FORSTER
Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat
Graduate in Medicine, University of
l'oronto..
Late assistant New York Ophthal-
mei and Aural Institute, Moorefield's
Eye and Golden Square Throat Hos-
C, London, Eng. At Commercial
elt Seaforth, third Monday in
each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
53 Waterloo Street, South, Stratford.
Phone 267, Stratford.
Next visit in September.
DR., W. C. SPROAT
Graduate of Faculty of Medicine,
l'aniversity of Western Ontario, Lon•
-lion. Member of College of Phvsic-
ians and Surgeons of Ontario. Office
in Aberhart's Drug Store, Main St.,
&eaforth. Phone 90.
fr
DR. R. P. L DOUGALL
Honor graduate of Faculty of
d[iedicine and Master of Science, Uni-
versity of Western Ontario, London.
:Member of College of Physicians and
Ilargeons of Ontario. Office 2 door,
east of post office. Phone 56, Hensel!,
Ontario. 3004-tf
E
DR. A. NEWTON-BRADY
Bayfield.
Graduate Dublin University, Ire-
fand.• Late Extern Assistant Master
Rotunda 'H'ospital for Women and
Children, Dublin. Office at residence
lately occupied by Mrs. Parsons.
Hours, 9 to 10 a.m., 6 to 7 p.m.;
mays, 1 to 2 p.m. 2866-26
j DR..F.•J. BURROWS
Office and residence Goderich Street,
.seat of the Methodist Church, Sea -
forth. Phone 46. Coroner for the
County of Huron.
'
DR. C. MACKAY•
C. Mackay, honor graduate of Trin-
ity University, and gold medalist of
Trinity Medical College; member of
She College of Physicians and Sur-
eeons of Ontario.
DR. H. HUGH ROSS
Graduate of University of Toronto
Faculty _of Medicine, member of Col •
lege of Physicians and Surgeons of
41)ntario; pass graduate courses in
Chicago Clinical School of Chicago ;
Royal Ophthalmic Hospital, London,
'England; University Hospital, Lon-
alen, England. Office -Back of Do-
minion Bank, Seaforth. Phone No. 5.
?dight calls answered from residgnce,
Victoria Street, Seaforth.
DR. J. A. MUNN
Successor to Dr. R. R. Ross
Graduate of Northwestern Univers-
Chicago, Ill. Licentiate Royal
College of Dental Surgeons, Toronto.
Office over Sills' Hardware, Main St•,
Meaforth. Phone 151.
a
DR. F. J. BECHELY
Graduate Royal College of Dental
/Burgeons, Toronto. Office over W. R.
Smith's Grocery, Main Street, Sea-
rforth.• Phones: Office, 185 W; resi-
dence, 185 J. 3055-tf
CONSULTING ENGINEER
8. W. Archibald, B.A.Sc. (Tor.),
d).L.S., Registered Professional En-
i�Ilnaeeer and Land Surveyor. Associate
)(bomber Engineering Institute of Can -
*da. Office Seaforth, Ontario.
AUCTIONEERS
1•
THOMAS BROWN
Licensed auctioneer for the counties
of Huron and Perth. Correspondence
arrangements for sale dates can be
made by calling The Expositor Office,
Seaforth. Charges moderate, a n d
satisfaction guaranteed. Phone 802.
OSCAR KLOPP
Honor Graduate Carey Jones' Na-
tional School„ of Auetioneering, Chi-
cago. Special course taken in Pure
Bred Live Stock, Real Estate, Mer-
chandise and Farm Sales. Rates in
keeping with prevailing market. `eat-
ifaction assured,Write orPho e,
28-83. Klopp, 2886.25
R. T. LUKER
Licensed auctioneer for the County -
iof . Huron. Sales attended to in ail
Arts of the county. Seven __yyears' ex- •
yferleilire In Manitoba find Basketehe-
e CLUE OF TI -i:
NES PINtm.
By EDGAR WALLACE
(Continued From last week)
\ III
Mr. Jesse Trasmere sat at the end
of a long, and, except in his immedi-
ate vicinity, bare table. At his end
it was laid, and Mr. Trasmere was
slowly and deliberately enjoying a
lean cutlet.
The room gave no suggestion of
immense wealth and paid no silent
tribute either to his artistic taste or
his acquaintance with `'China. The
walls were innocent pf pictures, the
furniture old, European and shabby.
Mr. Trasmere had bought -it second-
hand and had never ceased to boast
of the bargain he had secured.
If there were no pictures, there
were no books. Jesse Trasmere' was
not a reader, even of newspapers.
It was one o'clock in the afternoon
and through the folds of his dressing -
gown the grey of his pyjama jacket
showed open at his lean throat, for
M}r. Trasmere had only just got out
of bed. Presently he would dress in
his rusty black suit and would be im-
mensely wakeful until the dawn of
to -morrow. He never went to bed un-
til the grey showed in the sky, nor
slept later than two o'clock in the
afternoon.
At six -thirty, to the second, Wal-
ters, his valet, would assist him into
his overcoat, a light one if it was
warm, a heavy fur -lined garment if
it was cold, and Mr. Trasmere would
go for his walk and transact whatever
business' he found to his hand. But
before he left the house there was a
certain ceremonial -the locking of
doors, the banishment of the valet to
his own quarters, and the disappear-
ance of Mr. Trasmere through the
door which led from his study -dining -
room to the basement of the house.
This done he would go out. Walters
had watched him from one of the up-
per windows scores of times, walking
slowly down the street, an unfurlei
umbrella in one hand, a black bag in
another. At eight -thirty to the min-
ute he was back in the house. He in-
✓sriably dined out. Walters would
bring him a cup of black coffee, and
at ten o'clock would retire to his own
room, which was separated from the
main building by a heavy door which
Mr. Trasmere invariably locked. h
Once in the early days of his ser-
vice Walters had expostulated,
"S"-ppose there°is a fire, sir," he
complained.
"You can get through your bath-
room window on to the kitchen, and
if you can't drop to the ground from
there you deserve to be burnt to death,
,'arled the old man. "If you don't
like the job you needn't stay. Those
are the rules of my establishment, and
there are no others."
So, night after night, Walters had
gone to his room and Mr. Trasmere
had shuffled after him in his slippered
feet, had banged and locked the dbor
upon him and had left Walters to
solitude.
This procedure was only altered,
when the old man was taken ill one
night and was unable to reach the
door. Thereafter a key was hung in
a small glass -fronted case, in very
much the same way as fire -keys are
hupg. In the event of his illness, or
of any other unexpected happening,
Walters could secure the key and an-
swer the bell above his bed -head. That
necessity had not arisen.
Every morning the valet found the
door unlocked. At what hour old
Jesse came he could not discover, but
he guessed that his employer stopped
on his way to bed in the morning to
perform this service.
Walters was never allowed an eve-
ning off. Two days a week he was
given twenty-four hours' leave of
absence, but heahad to be in the house
by ten.
"And if you are a minute later,
don't come back," said Jesse Tras-
mere.
As the old man's valet Walters had
exceptional opportunities for discov-
ering something more about his mas-
ter than Mr, Trasmere would care to
have known. He was for a very par-
ticular reason anxious to know what
the basement contained. Once he had
met a man who had been engaged in
the building of the house, and learnt
that there was a room below, built of
concrete; but though he had, with the
greatest care and discretion, searched
or keys which might, during the
daily absence •of his employer, reveal
the secret of this underground room,
he had never succeeded in laying his
hand upon them. Mr. Trasmere had
apparently only one key, a master -
key, in which he wore round his neck
at night, and in the same inaccessible
position in his clothing during the
daytime, and Walters' search had
been in vain,'until one morning, when
taking Mr. Trasmere his shaving -
water, the servant found him suffer-
ing fro5n one of those fainting fits
which periodically overcame him.
There was a cake of soap handy, and
Walters was a resourceful man. .. .
Mr. Trasmere looked up from his
plate and fixed his servant with his
grey -blue eyes.
"Has anybody ca -• - -morning."
"No, sir."
"Have an � etters come?'
"Only a; few. They are on your
desk, sir."
Mr. Trr,'smrere grunted.
"Did yu put the notic/in the pa-
per that 1 was leaving .wn for twat
or three days7"
a ; ed.
"Yes, ir," said Walters.
Jesse asmere grunted again.
"-A man�•s coming from {,(5hina; I
don't want ai -ee him," he/explained.
He was oddly"" mmun eftive ac mo-
ments to tile servan but Walters,
who knew his master extremely well,
1lslrt. Terme reasonable Iyhone Trio• `did not make the mistake of asking
1'M 1r 1l Exeter, Centralia P ' R : questions. "No, I don't want to see
him." The old man chewed a tooth-
pick reflectively, and his unattractive
P.O.,
o� 1r • . releft at The Huron Ex-
=ritor e 1 ., i ei!f`fortb, promptl7 M-
1
� j,lln„).G I.k afi
1
41141011111011111116,
face bore an expression of distaste.
"He was a partner of mine, twenty,
thirty years ago, a card -playing, gam-
bling, drinking man, who gave him-
self airs because -well, he never said
impatiently, as though he anticipated
a question which he should have
known never would have been put to
him.."He was that kind of man."
He stared at the fireless grate with
its red brick walls and its rjcros-
copic radiator and clicked his ;lips.
"If he comes, he is not to be admit-
ted. If he. asks questions you're not
to answer. You know nothing
about anybody. You coming at all -
well, that doesn't matter. He's . just
trash, a soakin' dope. He had his
chance, got under it, and went to
sleep. Phew! That fellow!, He
might have been rich, but he sold all
his shares. A soak! Rather drink
than sit in the Empress of China's
council . she's dead. White
trash . nothing . . . h'm."
He glared up of a sudden and ask-
ed harshly:
"Why the hell are you listening?"
"'Sorry, sir, I thought---"
"Get out!"
"Yes, sir," said Walters with alacr-
ity.
For half an hour old Jesse Tras-
mere sat where the valet had left
him, the red end• of his toothpick leap-
ing up and dawn eccentrically. Then
he got up and going to an old-fashion-
ed bureau, opened the glass front.
He 'brought to . the table a shallow
howl of White porcelain half filled with
Indian ink. His second visit to the
secretaire produced a thick pad of
paper. It was unusually large and
its texture of a peculiar; character.
From an open-work iron box he took
a long -handled brush, and sitting
down again dipped the fine point into
the ink.
Another long interval of inaction
and he commenced to write, begin-
ning at the top right-hand: corner and
working down the page. The grotesque
and intricate Chinese characters ap-
peared with magic rapidity. He fin-
ished one column and commenced an-
other, and so until the page war cov-
ered except for two spaces beneath
the last and the penultimate line.
Laying dawn the brush he felt,
with the slow deliberation of age, in
his right-hand waistcoat pocket and
pulled out an ii ory cyli , der as
round as a large pencil. - rpl5ed
one end out and pressed it on the
paper. When he took the stamp a-
way there appeared within a red cir-
cle two Chinese characters. This was
Jesse Trasmere's "hong," ,'his sign
manual; a thousand merchants from
Shanghai to fi Chen would honour
cheques which"bore that queer mark,
and those for startling sums.
When the paper was dry he folded
it into a small compass and, getting
up, went to the_ empty fireplace. Out-
side on the stairs a deeply interested
Walters craned his neck to see what
happened. From his position and
through the fanlight above the door,
he commanded a view of at least a
third of the room. But now Jesse
had passed out of sight and although
he stretched himself perilously he
could not see what was happening.
Only when the old man reappeared
the paper was no longer in his•hand.
He touched a bell, and Walters
came at once.
"Remember," he rasped, " - am not
at home -to anybody!"
"Very good, sir," said Walters, a
little impatiently.
Mr. Trasmere had gone out that
afternoon when the visitor called.
It was unfortunate for the old
man's scheme that the China mail
had made a record voyage and had
arrived thirty-six hours ahead of her
scheduled time. Mr. Trasmere was
not a reader of newspapers, or he
would have learnt the fact in that
morning's paper.
Walters answered the bell after
some delay, for he was busily engag-
ed in his own room on a matter that
was entirely private to himself, and
when he did answer the tinkling sum-
mons it was to find a brown -faced
stranger standing on the broad step.
He was dressed in an old suit which
did not fit him, his linen was stained
and his boots were patched, but his
manner would not have been out of
place in Lorenzo the Magnificent.
With his hands thrust into his
trousers pockets, his soiled soft hat
on the back of his head, he met the
inquiring ,and deferential gaze pf
Walters with a calm and insolent
stare, for Mr. Brown was rather
drunk.
"Well, well, my man," he said im-
patiently, "why the devil do you keep
me waiting on the doorstep of my
friend Jesse's house, eh?" He re-
moved one of his hands from his
pocket, possibly not the cleanest one,
and tugged at his short grey beard.
"Mr.-er•-Mr. Trasmere is out,"
said Walters, "I will tell him you have
called. What name, sir?"
"Wellington Brown is my name,
good fellow," said the stranger. "Wel-
lington Brawn from Chei-feu. I will
come in arid wait"
But Waiters barred the way. '
"Mr. Trasmere has given me strict
order not to admit anybody unless
heJis in the house," he said.
A wave of anger turned Welling-
ton' Brown's face to a deeper red.
'"Hie has given orders!" he splut-
tered. "That I am not to be admit-
ted -I, Wellington Brown, who made
his fortune, the swindling old thief!
He knows I am coming!"
"Are.you from China, sir ?".blurted
Walters.
"'I have told you, menial and boot-
licking yellow -plush, that I am from
Chei-feu. if you are illiterate, as
you appear to be, I will explain to
you that Chei-feu is in China."
"I don't care whether Chea -feu is
in China or in the moon,"- said WaI-
ters'obstinately. "You cant come in,
Mr. Brown! 11,11e; `rasmere Is awAir
=he'll be away .for a fortnight,"
"Oh, won't J:.00in i»!"
The ,struggle was a •brief one, ' for
Walters Was a. , man of powerful
physique, and Wellington Brown was
a man nearer to sixty than fifty. He
was' flung against the stone wall of
the • porch and might; in his bemused,
condition, have fallen; had not Wal-
ters' quick hand :grabbed him back.
The stranger breathed noisily.
"I've killed men for that," he said
jerkily, "shot' 'em down like dogs!
I'll remember this, flunkey!"
"I didn't want to hurt you," said
Walters, aggrieved that 'any onus for
the unpleasantness should rest on
him.
The stranger raised his hand
haughtily.
"I will settle accounts with your
master -remember that, lackey. He
shall pay, by God!"
With drunken dignity he walked
unsteadily through the patch of gar-
den that separated the house from
the road, leaving Walter a puzzled
man.
IV
At nine o'clock that night the bel
of Tab Holland's flat rang long and
noisily.
"Who the dickens is that?" he
growled.
He was in his shirt -sleeves, writing
for dear life, and the table was
strewn with proofs of his industry.
Rex Lander' came out of his bed-
room.
"Your boy, I expect," he said; "I
left the lower door open for him."
Tab shook his head.
"The office is sending for the copy
at eleven," he said; "see who it is,
Babe."
Mr. Lander grumbled. He always
grumbled when he was called upon for
physical effort. He opened the door,
and Tab, hearing a loud and unfam-
iliar voice, joined him. On the land•
ing without was a bearded, swaying
figure, and he was talking noisily.
"What is wrong?" asked Tab.
"Everything, sir," hiccoughed the
caller, "everything is . . . wrong.
A man, a gen'leman cannot be robbed
with impunity or assaulted by me -
menials with -with," he considered a
moment and added: "impunity."
"Bring him in, the poor soused her-
ring," said Tab, and Mr. Wellington
Brown swaggered and staggered into
the sitting -room. He was abominab-
ly intoxicated.
"Wish of you young gen'lemen is
Rex Lander?"
"That is my name," said the puz-
zled Rex.
"I'm . Wellington Brown of
Chei-feu. A pensioner at the mercy
of a dam' of scoundrel! A pension'r!
He pays me a pittance out of what
he robb e' lie. I can 'tell you some'n
ab' • old' Trasmere "
"Trasmere, my uncle?" asked the
startled young man.
The other nodded gravely and
sleepily.
"I can tell you some'n about hhn.
I was his book . keeper 'n sec-
retary. I know! I'll tell you some'n
about him!"
"You can save your breath," said
Rex coldly. "Why have you come
here?"
"Because you're's nephew. Thas
why! He robbed me . robbed
me!" he sobbed. "Took bread out
'the mouth of innocent child
thas what! Took bread out 'f orph-
ans' mouth and robbed me, swinged
me out of my share Mancunian Trad-
ing Syn'cate, an' then gave me re-
mittance 'n said, `bring yerself to
death'-thas what he said!"
"And did you?" asked Tab sardon-
ically.
The stranger eyed him unfavorab-
ly.
"Who's this?" he demanded.
"This is a friend of nine," said
Rex, "and you're in his flat. And if
the only business you have is to a-
buse my uncle, you can get out just
as soon as you like."
Mr. Wellington Brown tapped the
young man's chest with a grimy fore-
finger.
"Your uncle is a rascal! Get that!
A low thief!"
"Better write and tell him so," said
Tab briskly; "just now I am engaged
in churning out two yards of journ-
alese, and you're disturbing my
thoughts,"
"Write to him!" roared Mr. Brown
delightedly; "write to sins! Thas
good . best thing I've heard
for years! Why l"
"Geri out!"
Babe Lander threw open the door
with a crash, and. the visitor glarea
at him.
"Like ungle, like nephew," he said,
"like nephew, like lackey . . . I'm
goin'. And.let me tell you-"
The door slammed in his face.
"Phew!" said Babe, wiping his
brow. "Let's open the window and
let in some fresh air!"
"Wh s he?"
"Scl me," said Rex . Lander.
"I've no illusions about Uncle• Jesse's
early friends. I gather that he's
been a pensioner of the old boy's,
and there is probably some truth in
his charge• that he was robbed. I can-
not imagine uncle giving money away
from charitable motives. Anyway,
I'm seeing him to -morrow, and I'll
ask."
"You'll see nothing," said Tab. "Do
you ever read the fashionable intelli-
gence or society news? Uncle is
leaving town to -morrow."
Rex smiled.
"That is an old trick when he
doesn't want to be seen -by Joab! It
is the Wellington who has put his
name in the society column!;"
Tab paused, pen in hand.
"Silence will now reign," he com-
manded, "whilst a great journalist
deals adequately with the Milligan
Murder Appeal."
Rex looked at him admiringly.
"How you can stick your nose at
the grindstone is a source of wonder
to me," he said. "I couldn't--"
"Shut up!" snapped Tab, and the
desirable silence was his. Ile finish-
ed the last page at eleven, then fill-
ing his pipe, stretched himself lux-
uriously in his mission chair.
"Now I'm a free man until Mon•
day afternoon -e--•"
The hall telephone signalled at that
inoment, and he got up 'with a groan.
"Boast note" ;hay' 'l ' Ziat':
the office or en" a ea�iattl��
It was the Oleo; as he had: so in,
telligently foreseen, He snapped .a
few words at the transnnitter and
came back to the room. 'And Tab
was very voluble.
A Polish geatIernan concerned in
certain frauds on insurance compan-
ies had been, arrested, escaped egain,
and having barrieaded himself in his
house, was keeping the polies', at bay
with the aid of boiling water! and a
large axe.
"Jacko is enthusiastic about it,"
said the savage Tab, speaking thus
disrespectfully of his city :,editor:
"says it is real drama -I told ,him to
send the dramatic critie. Gosh! I
did his job the other night."
"Going out?" asked Rex wits mild
interest.
"Of course I"m going out,"r a°u 1 thick
headed jib!berer!" said thqq th6r un-
kindly .as he struggled int& the collar
he had discarded.
"I thought all that sort of stuff was
invented in the office," said the young
architect monstrously. "Personally I
never believe what I read in news-
papers. "
'But Tab had gone.
At midnight he joined a little group.
of police 'officers that stood at safe
range from the besieged house, whose
demented occupant had found a shot-
gun. Tab was with them until the
door of the house was stormed and the
defender borne down and clubbed to a
state of placidity.
At two o'clock in the morning, he
and Carver, the chief of the detectives
engaged in the case, adjourned to the
police mess and had supper. It was
half -past three and the streets were
lit by the ghostly light of dawn when
he started to walk home.
Passing through Park Street, he
heard the whirr of wheels and a mo-
tor -car flew past him. It had gone a
hundred• yards when there came to.
him the explosion of a burst tyre.
He saw the car swerve and stop. A
woman alighted and examined the
damage. Apparently she was alone,
for he saw her open the tool -box on
the running -board and take out a
jack. He hastened his footsteps and
crossed to the middle of the road. The
She said nothing whilst he was
raising the car. When he was knock-
ing the torn wheel free, she said:
"I am out rather late; I have been
There was. light enough for him
to see that she was dressed very plain-
ly and that the shoes she wore wera
heavy and serviceable. He would
have gone farther and said that she
was dressed poorly. Inside the, car
on the seat by her side was a square
black case, smaller but deeper than
a suit -case. Perhaps she had chang-
ed her clothes -but for all their sur-
prising agility in this direction, ac-
Iresses do not change their clothes to
go home from a party,
"I have been to -a party too," he
said, jerking off the wheel and rolling
it to the front of the car: "a surprise
party, with fireworks."
"A dance?"
Tab smiled to himself.
"I only danced once," he said. "I
saw the gentleman taking aim with
the shot -gun and danced right mer-
rily, yo ho!"
He heard the quick intake of her
breath.
We heard the shots and I knew that
he had taken refuge in his house be-
fore I left the theatre."
The wheel was replaced now, the
tools returned, and the old wheel
strapped to the car.
"That is O.K." said Tab, stepping
said hastily as she began to thank
him," nothing at all."
She did not offer to drive him home.
He rather hoped that she would; in-
deed, her method of going was a lit-
tle precipitate, and she was out of
sight before he realized that she was
gone.
What on earth was she doing at
that time in the morning, he won-
dered? A party she had said, but
again it occurred to him that fash-
ionable actresses did not go to parties
in that kind of outfit.
Rex was awake„ when he reached
home and came out to him. Strange-
ly enough, although they discussed
the happenings of the night, Tab
did not mention his meeting with Ur-
sula Ardfern.
V
"Ursula Ardfern." Tab worke with
the words on his lips. The hour was
eleven, and Rex had been out and
was back again.
"L'ami de mon oncle has been -
did you hear him?" asked Rex, stop-
ping his towel -encompassed compan-
ion on his way to the bath -room,
"Who -Bonaparte?"
"Wellington is his name, I believe.
Yes, he came rather subduecl and
apologetic, but full of horrific threats
toward Uncle Jesse. I turned him
out."
"Why did he come?"
Rex Lander shook his head.
"Heaven knows! Unless it was that
he simply had to find somebody who
knew uncle well enough to be inter-
ested in hearing him curse the old
man. I've persuaded him to leave
town until the end of next week. But
I must say that I was impressed by
the brute's threats. He says he will
kill Uncle Jesse unless he makes re-
paration."
"Twiff!" said Tab conteteptuously,
and went to his tub. Over his break-
fast (Rex had had his two hours be-
fore) he returned to the subject of
Mr. Jesse Trasmere and his enemy.
"When a man soaks he's danger-
ous," he said. "There isn't any such
thing as , harmless drunkard) any
ligg4, Which is ,
say of tbe raaiOrlt*‘0
that it is their ffrultaalaGq• .4949)
which 'calls fox a eixtYailea,',C4e
brain,"
"A sixty-oine-inch brain," explain,
ed Tab, and there wee really no WO'
cuse for Babe Lander to be pi.mlefl,
for Tab was on his,favorite tepie, 1,4;
the brain of a nun who is choeen. for
the subtle business of criminal invea.
tigation; not because he is clever or
shrewd or has a knowledge of the
world, but because he stands sixty-
nine inches in his stockings and has
a chest expansion to thirty-eight.
Funny, isn't it? And yet detectives
are•chosen that way. -They have to
strip hard, very hard, but they need
not think very hard. Do you ever
realize that Napoleon and Julius
Caesar, to mention only two bright
lads, could never have got into the po-
lice force?"
"It hasn't struck me before," ad -
added Rex. "But I've never had any
doubt as to the size of your brain,
Tab."
There were exactly seventy inches
of Tab, though he did not look so tall
having thickness and 'breadth to his
shoulders. He had. a habit of stoop-
ing, which made him seem round-
shouldered. This trick came from
pounding a typewriter or crouching
over a desk which was just a little
too low for him. He was fresh -col-
ored, but brown rather than pink.
His face was finer drawn than is us-
ual in a man of his build, his eyes
deep-set and steadfastly grey. When
he spoke he drawled a little. Those
who knew him very well indeed de-
tected one imperfection of speech. He
could not say "very" -it was "vethy,"
but -spoken so quickly that only the
trained and acquainted ear could de-
tect the lisp.
He came to joutnalism from one
of the Universities, bringing no par-
ticular reputation , for learning, but
universally honored as the best three-
quarter back of his time. Without
being rich he was comfortably placed,
and as he was one of those fortunates
who had innumerable maiden -aunts,
he received on an average tine legacy
a year, though he had studiously neg-
lected them because of their posses-
sions.
It would he more true to say that
Tab leapt into journalism, and to that
peculiar departmeht of journalism
which he found most fascinating,
when he dived off the end of a river
pier and rescued Jasper Dorgon, the
defaulting banker who had tried to
commit suicide, and had extracted an
exclusive story from the banker
whilst both sat in a state of nudity
before a night watchman's fire watch-
ing their clothes dry.
"Let it strike you naw, Babe," he
said. "The sixty-ninen-inch brain,
the generalla- accepted theory that
anything under the sixty -nine -inch
level is solid ivory, is the theory that
keeps Lew Vann and old Joe Haspin-
ell arid similar crook acquaintances of
nine dining in the Grand Criterion
when thay ought to be atoning for
their sins' in the Cold Stone Jug. But
Carver is a good man. He thinks,
though it is against regulations."
"What does he think about Welling-
ton?"
"Didn't tell him," said Tab. "Yeu
ought to warn your uncle."
"I'll see him to -day," nodded Rex.
They went out together Lefore the
lunch hour. Tab had a call to make
at the office and afterward: he was
meeting Carver for lunch. Carver, a
lanky and alow-speaking man, was
ordinarily no conversatienalist. On
some subjects he was impressively in-
teresting, and as Tab provided the
subject, two hours slipped away very
quickly. Before they left the restaur-
ant Tab told him of the drunken
stranger- and his threats against
Jesse Trasmere.
"I don't worry about treats," said
Carver, "but a man with a grievance
and especially a Number One griev-
ance like this man has, is pretty cer-
tain to cause trouble. Do you know
old Trasmere?''
"I've seen him twice. I was once
sent to his house to make an inquiry
about an action that the municipality
started against him for building with-
out the town architect's permission,
Rex Lander, who is a kindergarten
architect by the way, and rooms with
Me, is his nephew, and I've heard a
whole lot about him. He writes to
Rex from time to time; letters full
of good advice about saving money."
"Lander is his heir?"
"Rex hopes so, fervently. But he
says it is just as likely that trale
Jesse wil lleave his money to a Home
for the Incarably Wealthy. Talking
of Trasmere, there goes his valet and
he seems in a hurry."
A cab dashed past them, its soli-
tary passenger was Walters, a pinch-
ed -faced man, bareheaded, and on his
face a tense, haggard look that im- ,GT.Toodimereiscvih
mediately arrested the atte,ntion of
the two men! Clinton
"Who did you say that was?" ask- Seaforth
ed Carver quickly. St. Columban
"Walters -old Tra,smere's servant," Dublin
replied Tab; "looks pretty scared to
"Walters?" The detective striti'd
stock still, thinking. "I know that
"Felling -he was through my hands
ago. and he has been con-
victed since. Walters, as you call him
arigible thief! Old Tres-
mere's servant, eh? That's his spec-
iality. He takes service with rich
, one fine morning they
wake up to find their loose jewellery
and money and plate gone. Did you
notice the number of the cab?"
Tab shook his head.
"The question is," said the detec-
tive, "has he made a get -away iii, a
hurry, or is he on an urgent errand
for his boss? Anyway we ought 'to
see Trasmere. Shall we take a oat;
"Walk," said Tab promptly. "Only
the detectives of fiction take cabs,
Carver. The real people know that
when they present their cab bills to
the head office a soulless clerk will
catching than 411 outsider ought to
had beep.."p0M,
Faiey Prince., is itl?"':f.laIlatlWa
"I've .seen 'prettier .:11OttaegP• 041
ted. Carver, "I wOntier."
So far he -got -When the fro. 't
color of chalk his big. baby •.e.y.eale,
staring 'wildly. They • fell' epee .1.M
two men on the .conerete- walk, .en
his mouth opened ta speak, lent
words came.
"What is ,wroni'M he demandade
and that something was badly *tong -
one glance at Babe Lander told hina
Carver rushed into the 110Ste 'and
through the open door of the dining. •
room. It was empty, but at the 'side •
of the fireplace was a -narrower door,
"Where. is he?" asked the detective, •
Rex could only point to the. narrow •
aperture.
There was a flight of stone stairs
which terminated in a nerrow pas- e
sage, barred by yet enother deor,
which was 'also open. The corridor
was well lighted by three globes. set
at intervals in the• and the
acrid smell of exploded cordite filled
the confined space of the ,paseage,
which was empty.
Thar& must be. a room opening from e
here," said Carver. "Whose are
these?"
He stooped and picked up an old
pair of gloves that lay • on the floor
and pushed them into his pocket. •
He looked 'round for Rex Lander..
That young man was sitting on the
top step of the stairs, his fake in his
hands.
"There's no sense ia questionin;
Iae-a" said Carver in an undertone, ;
"Wliere is his uncle?"
Tab walked rapidly down the pas- ,
sage and came te a door on -the left.
It was a narrow door, painted black
recessed in the thick .waIL •
There was no handle, and only a tiny "
,o,..hole. Your inches from its top
was a steel plate pierced with small
holes for the purpose af ventilation,
He pushed the door, but it was lock -
e'en he peered through the
Was about ten feet long by eight feet
wide. Fixed to the rough walls were
a number of steel shelves, loaded up
with black iron boxes. A brilliant.
light came from a globe in the vault-
ed roof, and he saw plainly.
At the farther end of the room was
a plain table, but it was not at this
ioak4ng, but at the figure
crouched against one of its legs. The
face was turned in his direction.
It was the face of Jesse Trasmere,
and he was dead.
14
•
(Continued next week.)
LONDON AND WINGHAM
North.
a.m. p.m.
c'entralia 10.36 5.51
7xeter 10.49 6.04
Hansel] 11.03 6.18
Ki ppen 11.08 6.23
Brucefield 11. 7 at) 6.22
alinton 11.53 6.52
Lon lesbore 12.13 7.12
Blyt h 12:22 7.21
Bele rave 12.34 7.38
Wingham 12.50 7.58
South.
Wingham
Belgrave
Blyth
Londesboro
Clinton
Brucefield
Kippen
Hensall
Exeter
Centralia
6.55
7.27
7.35
7.56
7.58
(162)
8.22
8.32
8.59
C. N. R. TIME TABLE
East.
Dublin
St. Columban
Seaforth
Clinton
Goderich
6.20
6.36
6.44
6.59
7.06
7.11
8.011
823
8.38
8.47
4.28
4.88
4.48
5.05
5.17
2.20
2.37
2.50
8.08
8.15
8.22
West.
11.17 5.88 9.37
11.38 5.58 9.50
11.50 6.08-6.53 10.04
12.01 7.08 10.13
12.20 7.20 10.80
East.
Goderich &el
MeGaw 8.04
Auburn 8.13
Blyth 410
Walton 6.4181
Toronto MO
Toronto
Walton •