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2 ; OLD BROADBRIM. WEEKLY.
é
in the city on Monday.” the. young man remarked when the
Quaker concluded.
“Unless he and the girl left early Monday morning,’ * Broadbrim’
rejoined, .
: me hat cuff has the name-of Kynett stamped ontit.”
“You suspect from that that Kynett murdered his mother?”
“Well, I don’t know.”
“The ‘dagger has the name of Hill'on it; why not stispect the
jeweler? He was in the building’ a few minutes before the —
woman. He may have had on a pair of Kynett’s’ cuffs.”
“That is so. But if Hill murdered the woman what was his
motive?”
“Mind you, I don’t say that Hill is the murderer. I just said.
that there is as much reason to suspect him as Kynett.
“He may have seen the woman enter my ‘office, and he may’
have waited in the lower hall until she came downstairs.
’ “Then he may have spoken to her; they may have quarreled
and he may have killed her in a fit of-rage.
“Of course this is all mere supposition.
“Both men may have been as innocent as you or- oe .
“Mrs. Kynett’s conduct was strange. She made serious aceu-
sations against Hill.”
Old Broadbrim. leaned back in his chair and made no reply to
Leonard.
’ For a.long time he was engaged in deep ‘thought.
Whatever conclusion he arrived at he kept to himself.
The clock on the mantel chimed the hour of three.
Broadbrim looked up and exclaimed:
“I guess we had better retire.”
“Then you won't go to police headquarters to- night?” the as--
silstant queried.
“Noj to-morrow will be time enough.”
“Have you any instructions to give me? ”
“Let me think—yes.”
“What are they?”
“Have the authorities transferred Mrs. Kynett’s body, to her
‘late residence?”
“Not yet. They take it over to “Brooklyn. to- “day.”
“At what time?”
“Nine o'clock.”
“T swant you to go to” Kynett’s house famnedigtely ‘after break:
fast? : ‘
+ “Veg 2” .
“You must remain there and note all that goes on.”
“Do you think that Kynett may return to his home? oF
“Don’t ask questions.”
“Very well, sir’ .
“Secure all the information you can about Kynett and his
mother. Let nothing escape you.”
“Shall I make a search of the house?”
“If you can get a chance to do so without being observed.”
“Anything more?’
“No, 1 will caii on you during the day.”
The young man teit the house. .
Old Broadbrim locked up the dagger and the cuff in his safe,
He was in the act of turning off the gas when the front door
bell was rung vigorously.
Before the detective could reach the door the bell’ was “rung
three times in quick succession.
Whoever was without was very impatient.
——
CHAPTER Vit,
A STRANGE APPE. ARANCE.
Old Broadbrim ‘opened the front door.
A tall man staggered into the hall.
He would have fallen had not the detective wound his arm
around his waist and steadied h
The light was ‘very dim, and ‘the Quaker was not able to-see
the man’s face distinctly.
The man reached out and clutched the back of a chair that was
standing at the side of the hat rack.
“TH be all right in a minute,” he gasped. “T can hold up
now.’
“Are you injured?” Broadbrim inquired; and then releasing his
hold on the man, he shut the door and turned wt the g23.
“Yes. But I think not seriously.’ , :
“Hello ”
This exclamation of surprise was uttered when the detective
‘turned around and got a good look at the man.
“What’s the matter?” the man panted, as he sank down into
the chair and looked at Broadbrim.
The detective still had on his disguise, and if the man knew him
he did not recognize him. :
“You are bleeding,” the detective replied. “You have been
stabbed.”
He became. calm, and displayed not the least sign of excitement:
But he scrutinized the man closely without’ appearing to do so.
* From the expression of his face one could not have told whether
he had recognized the man or not.
“Let me assist you upstairs. Then I can take a look at your
wound,” he said, and at the same time he helped the man to rise.
“Thank you,” the man replied, and he leaned: heavily upon
~ Broadbrim’s shoulder, while they ascended ‘the stairs.
His clothing was covered with dust, and it was easy to tel
_ that he had been in some kind of a fracas.
But what brought him’ to the detective’s house?
hi Was he: aware ‘of-the identity of the man: who was assisting
him ?
“Sit down in this: easy-chair,” Broadbrim said, after they had
entered. the library.
Thé man sank down into ‘the chair. .
Broadbrim handed him a glass of brandy and made him drink it.
Then he removed the man’s coat, vest and shirts and examined
the wound which’ was on his left shoulder. ~
* “Tt’s an ugly cut,” Broadbrim commented, “but it ‘is not danger-
ous. I'll soon have it bound up.
With the dexterity. of an experienced Surgeon the detective
dressed the wound,
“Are you a physician?” the man inquired when Broadbritn,
finished,
“No,” the-detéctive replied; “but I haye had. ‘considerable ex-
perience in dressing all kinds ‘of wounds.”
From the question which the man asked Broadbrim felt sure “
that he did not know «who he was.
“Take another drink of brandy and then we will talk, ” the de-
tective said after he had assisted the man to put on his clothing.
The man poured out some of the liquor. into a glass, drank it,
and then when he: had Placed ' the glass back onto the: table. he».
said:
“T must beg your pardon for this seeming unwarranted intru-.
sion at this hour of the night.”
“It’s no intrusion,” Broadbrim rejoined,
at-all times to:be of service to’ any one'in distress.”
“You are very kind. I saw the light in’ the window and some
one look out. Then I knew that some one was up, and I ‘rang: .
the bell. “ All the other’ houses: on the block were dark. I was
weak and needed assistance, and that i is my excuse for intruding
upon you. :
wens you assaulted ?”
“Tell me how it happened?” - : :
“T was on my way home from a friend’s house. As I turned -
the corner below here into this street two men, jumped out from.
a dark areaway:
“Both of them caught hold of me “before I could defend :
myself.
“T made an effort to throw them. off, and we all fell to the:
' pavement.
- “There ‘we struggled for some time > and then one of the men.
stabbed me.
‘I released my hold on them.
“Then they jumped up and ran off.” °
“Why didn’t you call for help?”
“IT couldn’t. One of the men held, his hand ‘over my mouth.
When I was able to get my breath it was too late; the men were
out of sight.”
“Have you no idea whom your assailants were?”
“Not the slightest.”
“Did they rob you?”
“They got my watch and chain and a ‘diamond stud.” »
“Were you able to see their faces?”
“No; it;was too dark.”
“Then you will not be able to identify them?”
“T guess not.”
‘
“window.
t
_ Old Broadbrim got’ up and walked across the room to ‘the.
4
“T am always’ ‘glad: