Ashton Kirk, Secret Agent

thylen

urder of Dr. Morse, and each, according to its policy, commented thereon. Much was made of the mysterious happenings at Sharsdale an

ained front page reproductions of the three dra

an and the cross with the different colored strokes are at this stage of the case absolutely without meaning. But the police are working upon this phase of the affair with much interest and

er when his employer pointed out the latter passage,

operly. And if his mind is kept constantly between the narrow barriers o

arance of Philip Warwick. The story of the two Japanese convinced this

other possible person. The house was absolutely secure, except for the street door, and the servant sat in front of that. It would have been impossible for any one to have passed in and she not be aware of it. The young man, Drevenoff, was in his room from first to last; we are sure of this because Miss Corbin saw him go up the stairs before Dr. Morse sent for the servant about the key, and is absolutely certain that he did not come down until after the bo

ded his he

also of the opinion that Warwick, when found, will

w the papers fro

ory before their rivals-to flame out into broad-faced type which will give the prospective purchaser a blow between the eyes as it lies upon the stand, or allow the newsboys a fine line to fill the streets with.

e opened the drawer of a stand and took out the two pieces of glass broken f

nditions. That the clot was not altogether hard was fortunate; and that

e; then he took a shallow vessel and poured out a quantity of liqu

a test?" inq

of alcohol wil

s

to what would follow this fixation; but knowle

in hand, "is due in the first place to a French army surgeon named Laveran. After him came the Italian, Marchiafava, t

little beast is

rganism, directly upon the border-land be

scientific," said the other.

l you of interesting changes of color in the blood corpuscles, of the active, joyous dancing of the parasite, and of its multiplication by sporulation. But not now.

find some such condition in this," an

merely about to prove or

it of glass from the fixing bath, threw the alcohol

e to dry," said he. "And in the meantime we

rk blue liquid. This he held up to the

ther formidable name in its present state of aqueous methylene-blue, and is in a two per cent. soluti

ely covered; then he added water until there was a layer of perhaps o

into the methylene stain; after this he passed it through clear water until the blue paled to a greenish tinge. Then he took up a white disc of

the method I have used is one recommended by Koch; it is somewha

l upon the blood smear; then he covered it with a small square

ed. Then the secret agent brought out the lens. It glittered like a

as small as that I can't understand," sa

screwed the lens firmly down upon the cover glass, and t

oil because the lens must be brought down directly upon the glass; wi

the tiny lens made plain; in a few moments he

it!" h

found?" asked

hat will enable me to lay my hand upon the person

murde

is that also

uller, "I don't q

toward the microscope, and

ee?" asked the

the other, "and it is crowded

of a watch and look closely at t

said

a very little dist

pots; some are dark, the oth

n-Kirk. Then as Fuller turned upon

. You might say: Suppose the criminal had entered the house before the time for locking up and remained concealed until he saw his opportunity? To that I would answer that we would have detected his met

nodded

so," s

ers of the household one

waved h

out of it

take up Nanon. Here we have a severely religious woman-one who evidently detes

too," said Fuller. "There is no reason why

he othe

rate," said he. "None of them have found occa

w that it's best to start without preconceived notions, but I can't help thi

ng away in the night, carrying a hand-bag, is another and most damaging one. However, as you say, it is best not to start with preconceived

t looked at the stained blood smea

n possessed the marked symptoms of a common complaint-chills f

ked Fuller

dy for that complaint. And the light blue spots which you see in that smear

ller stood as t

ch an unusual way. Why, it is one of the--" Here he paused, the enthusiasm died from his face, and he added slowly: "But suppose that blood clot was

-Kirk shoo

time of the murder. If it had been earlier the

hat. But there is something else. If Miss Corbin is sure that Drevenoff did not descend from the third

so concluded that he could not have done so. As a matter of fact he could have gained the first floor without a

is work and went back to his room by the same route. But," with a puzzled look upon his face, "what in the world ever drew you

e I was examining the de

d me to put o

ked you to switch off the lights it was because I wanted to open the door betwee

saw n

footsteps going down the hall, and the

that, too," said F

e first place was perhaps some sort of sound made as he was stealing away. Drevenoff was the last

him to go to the

had gone at once he would have reached there long before I heard the sound in the back room. I at once went to the 'phone, which I had noticed in the back ha

did

lice station less than ten minutes after I called them up-just about the length o

A

ence we had gathered concerning his father. So when I came upon the blood clot I naturally had him in mind; the symptoms of ma

dence to have him taken at once.

otested Fuller. "And if he's not arrested now, he ma

t took up his b

ciety. I am perfectly willing to do what I can to trace the criminal, but

hatever it was, which was st

tal to this." Here the pipe was lighted and heavy clouds of smoke began to rise. "And even though y

N

so. He has not yet found the thing of which he is in search. That is plain. If he had, he would have been off before now. So, for a time at least,

and the smoke clouds which rose lazily above

t sight of the Ja

is white teeth gleamed as he laughed. "Oh, no! I have not forgotten