The Sheridan Road Mystery

s the hall. Footsteps sounded in immediate response, and the next moment the door was furtively opened. Morga

the woman who stood there was young and remarkably pretty. R

n a soft but

lk with you a few min

ou want?" the

e. "I am a city detective, and I would like a few

is that?" a

know there was some trouble

retired early and have

ort. Her replies had been given in a tone of voice so candid and wondering that it hardly seemed possible she could b

," he said, gently, "if you'll le

ch of irritation in her voice, and Morgan's foot sign

e of this young woman, and yet he now had an impression that an interview with her was imperative

?" he inquired, suddenly, his eye

y of the tenants

sh, and he told me that you knew all about the trouble last night. He suggest

understand why he should make such a state

d hoped they would. It brought a new element into the matter and added to the girl's natural curiosity. She

served the furnishings, he was impressed with the greater taste displayed and the homelike atmosphere. A

girl whom he was about to question would directly face the full light. Morgan's guess was correct. The girl went directly to the chai

ils of what was reported to have taken place, he slyly watched her face. At the end of his recital, he felt convinced that what he told the girl had previously been unknown to her. Moreover, Mo

emarked the girl, when Morgan had finished his story. "I had a

of questioning while relating t

ask you

e replied. "My

ring, assumed that she was unmarried. Therefore,

r her face. "My mother died s

mother," sympathized Morgan. Then he inquire

eplied. "My fa

trav

ather is a

icago house,

ouse in St. Louis. We

y," commented Morgan. "Still

am studying music, and when my mother died, father suggested that I live in Chicago where I could atten

ls for some well known St. L

f his firm," returned the girl. "Busin

yet he seemed to find many things that were contradictory in this girl. The chatty line of conversation he had taken was bringing out information in a manner high

slight color coming to her cheeks,

h he had hesitated to take up before. He wanted to know just how much

n't even know there was s

g lady on the top floor. Perhaps he meant some young lady who lived across the

ed only by an elderly couple, a Mr. Ames and his wife. I understood father to say that he had heard

you been here

ost the end of October, and we have been here since the mi

isn't a renting season. You mus

busy to spend any time on moving, so we stored o

ys. I hear a great many people have to pay them a bonus for

ted direct from the tenant. I believe the tenant was a

ipped forward and at this moment dropped to the floor. As she reached dow

Miss Atwood," he said, in a tone t

last night with a feeling as if something had bitten me, but almost immediately went to sleep agai

as he rose and approached her. "

studied the spot. The only time he had ever seen such marks before was on the arms of dru

of some kind?" asked Morg

what else it coul

cate that the girl was a drug fiend. Moreover, there had bean no indication of embarrassment or nervousness in her reference to the mark, as would undoubtedly have been the case had she been addicted to the use of a drug. Morgan realized, too, that the fre

some kind of spider bit you in the night. If you have any peroxide in the house, I would suggest that you bathe the spot with it. And now I must be goin

returned. "I shal

or, she added, apologetically, "I am s

this little chat with you." But as he drew the door to after him, Morgan smiled and said to