The Sheridan Road Mystery

took the motor bus for the scene of the singular event which it was now his duty to investigate. A half-hour later he dropped off the bus at La

after acknowledging Morgan's greeting. "I was on the job last night, and did a little inv

ght, let's go up. Can

put a temporary padlock on thi

t on the third floor. Tierney unlocked the padlock and they went in.

se entirely in your hands, so it's

gan, "and let me get a line on things. About all I know s

y chair close at hand, and pushed his cap back on his head, while Morgan went to one of the front windows and ran the shade to the top. Sea

y?" he inquired, folding up the sheets

w," asserted Tierney. "And that's mighty little," he

et and filled and lighted it. Then settling back in his

ven't any theories-but I've

el

d-Murphy noticed that in spite of all the racket we made breaking down the door last night, no one in that flat showed any in

rt that you talked with the janitor. Did he drop anything about

deal; so he supposed he must be a traveling man. They have always seemed to be quiet people. He has never even seen the

ey no

an, "you said you ha

traightening up in his chair. "

sort of focused on that man myself

on bath robes and run out on the street to be the first to give a report. Then the janitor tells me that he's seen this man around a lot in the daytime-'no visible means of support,' you might say. Both Murphy an

tchen and caught that guy in the act of pulling a chair over the spot. He said he was replacing the chair where he found it. I've been

into the Detective Bureau, Tierney," said Morgan, laughing.

me to come back and meet you here I figured

for awhile. You scout around and see if you can find out someth

says on the mail

is neighborhood. I'll get in touch with you later.

to the padlock, and with a c

he windows as he passed from the front to the rear of the apartment, Morgan made the place as light as possible. He began his examination with the kitchen. The fastenings on the windows were closed, and the undisturbed condition of the dust indicated that they had not been touched for a long period. A careful inspection of the glass and woodwork showed no finger marks or any attempt to open the c

ng his search of the pantry, he discovered the key on top of the ice box. A layer of dust indicated that the key had not been touched for a long time. His thorough investigation of the pantry revealed no evid

re. There was a reddish stain about the outlet, but as Morgan found this covered with dust he surmised that a long time had elapse

s on the bed, and Morgan noticed that as his own feet left imprints in the dust on the floor,

re standing close to the table, while two others were moved slightly back from the table as if people had been sitting in them. On the floor under one of these chairs he found a few spots of cigarette ashes. To Morgan's quick mind this carried a mental picture. Of course, the police who had been in the apartment the night

top had been disturbed in front of the two chairs. Furthermore, he discovered that the person who had not been smoking had evidently rested a pair of clasped and sweaty hands on the table top, as two paral

he had made some progress in establishing the fact that at least two

and the drawers of the dresser and a chiffonier, showed that the room was commonly occupied by a man and a woman. Everything quite obviously belonged to the regular tenant. Morgan could

usual toilet articles and harmless medical "

with his eyes resting upon the brick fireplace. Suddenly the descending sun threw its rays farther into the room and rested on a bright spot at the side of the fireplace. It looked odd to Morgan and he approached it. What he found w

hing might suggest itself. As he stood making this last survey, his eye caught a faint point of light under a cabinet in a corner. Instantly he returned to the room, and stooping down, ran his

f the tenant of this apartment was Ames, this discovery immediately assumed g

of the room. The flattened bullet and the cuff button, revealed