., ' T ' -)
wi. re
THE PARADISE MYSTERY
By J. S. Fletcher
Cetvrieht, lttt, Iv XUrtd X. Knott, Inc.
..ic HI 4RTS THE BTOHV
r HMte iP' cathedral town of
ttJru Blwen. nlnefeeh year oW. and
VWrethet.Dick, seventeen, are wards
Doctor kans ford. s A strange man
' " Snf Jonord, and o eio mln
'?". Slfr ft 0f ot the toot of
Mll Wrythtfs 8tai';' iT,h,0!?' ta
". 7H out Mt w objected to.
5? mon't uweror. A. banker offers
i reward fot 'information. Bryce finds
tltntrilln a parish renter where
uarknaniford bad acted as bMt f).an
Zt the marriage of John Brake and
ILJZ Bewerv. OomIji is rife in con
l'.n with nansfor'd and the dead
n fi rnlltthaw. the laborer, who said
? I throw light on Me Brake
murder, found dead under a tree
ulthhii dinner pall and an old tin bot
tu beside him. Detectives surmise
nantford is the murderer, on the
nrnund that he prescribed for Colli
Knw and his wife' the night before,
'Ransford wit left alone with' Coll
MM tin bottle. Despite police
iuiplWo.ii. Mary assures Kanstord of
eoitdrc in Aim and distrust of
nruce oiihi'ow" .....-., -, '
Bruce, OSKS wnai nc u
scrap of paper he took from Braden's
. . t. A . . ! Ant tit re
purse
AND HBIIB IT CONTINUUM
inrlSTAKEN!" murmured Mary,
"Rhaklntr her head. "I don't trust.
Mm. And less than ever because of
yesterday. "Would an honet man have
tent what he did? Let that police In
ipector talk freely, as he did, with
people concealed behind a curtain? And
he laughed about It! I hated myself
for belnc there yet could we help It?"
"I'm not proInK to hate mysotr on
Femberton Bryce's account," nald rtans
ford "Let him play hfs game that ne
has one, I'm certain."
Bryce had gone away to continue his
tmor another line of It. The Colli
.iaw matter had not made him forget
the Richard Jenkins tomb, and now,
after leaving itansroras nousc, ne
crotied the Close to Paradise witn me
ebject of doing a little more investi
gation. But at the archway of the
ancient enclosure he met old Simpson
Harker, pottering about In his usual
apparently aimless fashion. Harfcer
Milled at sight of Bryce.
'Ah. I was wanting to have i word
with you, doctor!" he said. "Something
tmnortant. Have you got a minute or
tw to spare, sir? Come round to my
llLle place, then-Mve shall be aulet
there "
Brvce had any amount of ttme to
tpare for an interesting person llltc
Harker. and he followed the old man
to his house a tiny place set In'n nest
of ttmllar Old World buildings centnd
i the Close. Harker led him Into a little
parlor, comfortable and mug, unerem
were several shelves of books or a
curiously legal and professional-looking
aipect. some old pictures, and a cabinet
of odds and ends, stowed away In a
dark corner. The old man motioned
him to an easy chair, and going over to
a cupboard, produced a decanter of
whisky and a box of cigars.
"We can have a peaceful and com
fortable talk here, doctor," he remarked,
U he sat down near Pryce, after fetch
ing glasses and soda water. "I ltve all
alone, like a hermit my bit or work's
done by a woman who only looks in or
i morning. So we're all by ourselcs.
tight our cigar! same as that t gae
you at Barthorpe. Um well, now,' ne
continued, as Bryce settled down to
listen. "There's a question I want to
put to you strictly between ourselves
tto'ctest of confidence, you know. It
was you who was called to Braden by
Varner, and you were left alone with
Braden's body?"
"Well?" admitted Bryce. suddenly
growing suspicious. "What of It?"
Harker edged his chair a little closer
to his guest's, and leaned toward htm.
'What," he asked in a whisper, "wnat
have you done with that scrap of paper
that jou took out of Braden's purse?"
If any remarkably keen and able ob
server of the odd characteristics of
humanity had been present In Harker's
little parlor at that moment, watching
him and his visitor, he would have been
Mruck by what happened when the old
man put this sudden and point-blank
Question to the young one. For Harker
put the question, though in a whisper.
In no more than a casual, almost
friendly confidential way, and Bryce
irner showed' by the start of a Hnner
w the flicker of an eyelash that he felt
it to be what he really knew It to be
the most surprising and startling ques
tion he had ever had put to him. In
stead, he looked his questioner calmly In
tie eyes, and put a question in his
ho are you, Mr. Harker?" asked-
oryce quietly.
rKer laughed almost gleefully.
Yes, you've a right to ask that I" he
aid 'Of course ! glad you taKe It
that way. You'll do!"
'Ill qualify it. then," added Bryce
" not who it's what are your'
.vfi rVce.r waved his cigar at tne dook
..m ? ln front of which his visitor sat.
lane a look at my collection or
think on d?ctor'" he sald' "Vrnat a-ye
.,.y1c.t,1.ne(, Rni1 leisurely Inspected
ne dhelf after another.
i.'et?s t0 consist or little else hut
7.m i Jcases amI 'Ka' handbooks," he
vn d ?!,le."y- "I begin to suyiect
rj Chester that you're a retired trades
man' i Jl,ln wu're a retired pollco-
i?,7uf ty' detective branch."
Harker laughed again,
mv ,u ry",ester man has ever crossed
Z "Iffnold since I came to settle
r?nnheir.e' ne salrt "You're the first
noithi. T v ',ver n8ked In with one
rL- exc??"on I've never even had
hermit" "orarian. here,
I'm a
uut you
fted Brjce
were a detective?" sug-
AM frtr n -j ... --, ...
lt LrJep"'d Ha'-Kr. "And pretty
..'" known, tnn air Tl., M..
tlon,
doctor All' btwn nnrlvi !
"Hoii l ,ou. on' "n." said Bryce.
yaper f,om Braden's purse?"
Pantr inUW l Unw that he had such a
the Vi,"- i.s ',ur,e the night he came to
tertai, h answered Harker, "and was
left ai ,.'. a,! know that you were
Wesl.'f.lt ',h th bodV ror some mln
th tthfn arnr fetched you to It. and
ere sihB5a2en,clotnnK and effects
in't ihc.h,id by M'tchlngton the paper
It' nnilX ?0, or curse. you took
'Kent fh.1 ,m,at,6r t0 mo that ye dld
ll voufe nJ. kno,w-, from knowing that,
-"hlch u ?J,,a 8lmllar Bame ,0 y ow
wstershlre" y J'0U Went down l 1M'
"I knew hmB.'r.aden?" aaked Brvc'
"You n J1Ltn answered Harker.
WrycraWi.h.,,mBpok wlth him here
Wlr-f?omn"e-ln this room-In that
J! !oS "lllH't8. J?"t 9 to close
replied Harker. "iore nis aeatn,"
,h IavanH8 ul".'""1 appreciating
riven himaf,aLw.hic! he ?ld man had
rlvn him n KLwnlc1' the old man hi
cn r a I. L": " ""t in ins easy
he f h ""a"1 to stay there
U&y'iJe15' ta,k confidentially.
WrZ&ZS" . Doctor
'nlctlyht,..5Ly Wend," said Bryce.
S"iir SoLdA,w, iSL understand each
nreallyVs'?.V0U "O" who John Bra-
"n ?v "r. Promptly. "He
wr..eoSvlSn Brke' ex-bnk
"Dn uonv,Ct.
hrii."2JJ kllW If he's flnv r.l.tlv..
"V4i ltycnlr?" Inquired Brvce.
girl who live with Ransford they're
Brake's son and daughter."
"Did, Brake know that when ho came
here7" continued Bryce.
"No. he didn't ho hadn't the leasl
Idea of It," responded Harker.
'Had you then?" asked Bryce.
"No not until lotorn llltt 1atr."
replied Harker.
i'You found It out at Barthorpe?"
suggested Bryce.
"Not a bit of It : I worked It out
here after Brake was dead," said
Harker. "I went to Barthorpe on quite
different business Brake's business.1'
"Ah !" said Bryce. He looked the old
detective quietly in tho eyes "You'd
better tell mo all about it," he added.
"tf we're both going to tell each other
all about It," stipulated Harker.
"That's settled," assented Bryee.
Harker smoked thoughtfully for a
moment and seemed to be thinking.
"I'd better go back to the beginning,"
he said "But, first what do you know
about Brako? I know you went down
to Barthorpe to And out what you could
how far did your searches take you?"
"I know that Bi-nka mnrrleil a clrl
from Braden Medworth, that he took
her to London, where lie was manager
of a branch bank, that he got Into
trouble and was sentenced to ten years'
Ptnal servitude," answered Bryce, "to
gether with Home small details Into
wnich we ncedn t go At present.
"Well, as long as you know all that,
therc'ai a common basis nnd a common
starting-point." temarked Harker, "so
I'll begin at Brake's trial. It was I who
arrested Brake. There was no trouble,
no bother. He'd been taken unawares,
by on Inspector of the bank. He'd a
considerable deficiency couldn't make
It good couldn't or wouldn't explain
except by half-sullen nlnts that he'd
been cruelly deceived There was no de
fense couldn't be. Hli counsel said
that he could "
"I've read the account of tho trial,"
Interrupted Bryce.
"All right then you know as much
as I can tell you on that point," said
Harker. "He get, as you say, ten years.
I saw him Just before he was rcmoed
and asked him if there was anything I
could do for him about his wife and
children. I'd never seen them I arrest
ed him at the bank, and. of course, he
was never out of custody after that
He answered ln a queer, curt way that
his wife and children were being looked
after. I heard. Incidentally, that his
wife had left home, or was from home
thore was something mysterious about
It either as soon as he was arrested or
before. Anyway, he said nothing, and
from that moment I never set eyes on
him again until I met him in tho street
here in Wrychester. the other night,
when hs came to the Stl're I knew him
at once and ho knew me. We met under
ono of those big standard lampi In the
market place T was following my
usual practice of having an eening
walk, last thing beforo going to bed
And we stopped and stared at each
other. Then he came forward with his
hand out, and we shoo:t hands. "Tills
Is an odd thing!' he saia. 'You're the
very man I wanted to find ! Come some
where, where It'H quiet, and let me have
a word wl
.1th you.- sol orougnt mm
here."
Bryce was all attention now for once
he was deot!ng all his faculties to tense
and absorbed concentration on what
another man could tell, leaving reflec
tions nnd conclusions on what he heard
until all had been told
"t brought him here." repeated Har
ker "I told him I'd been retired and
was living here, as he saw, alone. 1
asked him no questions about himself
I could see he was a well-dressed, ap
parently well-to-do man. And presently
he began to tell me about hlrmelf. He
said that after he'd finished his term he
left England and for some time traveled
In Canada and the United States, and
hart gone thence to New Zealand and
afterward to Australia, where he'd s't
tied down and begun speculating In
wool I said I hoped ho'd done well.
Ypb, he said, he'd done verv nicely and
then he gave me a nulet dig In the rms.
'I'll tell you one thing I've done, Har
ker' he said. 'You were very polite
and considerate to me when I'd my
trouble, so I don't mind telling you. 1
paid the bank r very pnny of that
money they lost through my foolishness
at that time every penny, four years
ago. with Interest, and 1'vo got their re
ceipt.' 'Delighted to hear it. Mr. .
Is It the same name still?' I said 'My
name ever since I loft England.' he
said. 'Is Braden John Brad-n 'Tes.
he went on, "I paid 'em though I never
had one penny of the money I was fool
enough to take for the .time being not
one halfpenny" 'Who iad It. Mr.
Braden?' I asked him, thinking that he'd
perhaps tell after all that tlmo 'Never
mind, my lad !' ho answered.- 'It'll come
out yet. Never mind that. now. I'll toll
vou why 1 wnnted to see you. The fact Is,
I've only been a few hours In England.
fo to spenk. but I'd thought of you, and
wondered where I could get hold of you
yo'u're the only man of your profession
I ever met, you see,' he added, with a
laugh. 'And I want a bit or help in
that wav.' "Well, Mr. Braden,' I said.
I've retired, but If It's an easy Job'
'It's one you can do, easy enough." he
said. 'It's Just this I mot a man In
Australia who's extremely anxious to
get some news of another man. named
Falklner Wraye, who halls fiom Bar
thorpe, In Leicester. I promlsod to make
Inquiries for him. Now. I have strong
reasons why I don't want to go near
Barthopo Barthope has unpleasant
memories and associations for me, and
I don't want to be seen there. But this
thing's got to be personal Investigation
will you go there for me? I'll make It
worth your while. All you'vo got to do,'
he went on, 'Is to go there seo the
police authorities, town officials, any
body that knows the place, and ask them
If they can tell you anything of one
Falklner Wraye. who was at one time
a small estate agent In Barthorpe. left
the place about soventcen years ago
maybe eighteen and Is believed to have
recently gone back to the neighborhood
That's all. Oet what Information you
nnn nnri write it to me. care of my
bankers In Iondon. Glvp mc a sheet of
paper and I'll put down particulars for
you ' "
Harker paused at this point and nod.
ded his hend at an old bureau which
stood In a corner of his loom
"The she.et of paper's there." he said
"It's got on It. In his writing a brier
memorandum of what he wnnted and i
the address of his bankers, Wben he d
given It to me he put his hand In hl
pocket and pulled out a purse In which
I could pee ho was carrying plenty of
monev He took out some notes. 'Here's
flve-and-twenty pounds on account, Har
ker,' he said "You might have to spend
a bit. Don't be afraid plentv more
where that conies from. You'll do It
soon?' he asked 'Yes, I'll do It. Mr.
Braden,' I onswered 'It'll be a bit of a
holiday for me ' That's ull right,' he
said 'I'm delighted. I came across you'
Well, you couldn't be more delighted
than I was surprised," I said 'I never
thought to see you In Wrychester. What
brought you here, if one may ask
sightseeing?' . , .
He laughed at that, and ha pulled out
his purse again. 'I'll show you some
thing ft sccrot,' he said, and he took n.
blt cf folded paper out of his purse.
What do you make of that?" he asked
'Can you read Latin?' No except a
woid of two," I said, 'but I know a man
who can ' 'Ah, never mind,' said he I
know enough Latin for this and It's a
secret. However, it won't be a secret
long, and you'll hear nil about It.' And
with that he put the bit of paper In hl
purse again, nnd wo began talking
about other mattoro, and before long he
said he'd promised to have a chat with
a gentleman at the Mitre whom he'd
come along with In the train, and nwuy
he went, paying he'd see ma before he
left the town "
"Did he say how long he was going
to stop here?1' asked Bryce.
"Two or three davs," replied Harker.
"Did he mention Ransford?" Inquired
Bryce.
"Never!" said Harker
"Did he make any reference to his
wife and children?"
"Not the slightest!" '
"Nor to the hint thnt his counsel
threw out at the trial?"
"Never referred to that time except
In the way I told you that he hadn't
a penny of the money himself and that
he'd himself refunded It."
Bryce meaitatea awntie. lie was some
what puzzled by certain points In the
old detective's story, and he saw now
that there was much more mystery In
the Braden affair than he had at first,
believed.
"Well," he asked, after a while, "did
you see mm again r
EVNIG'f PUBLIC ? LMaEftHIliiDfeLPaiA, FBlfe, ATOUST- 20j 1920
THE GUMPSFood for Fish
WELL- ' I
UlHK ViXM f
soout H (
AMD CUAHh
rvre -akei )
out this V
SHIVER. fnsH
hcre cones
tYT tAOMS.Tfc
MA.ND fVtOSB BCH
AHY1VUN6 8)Y
A
The Young Lady Across tho Way
The young lady across the way
says it makes her tired the way
people gossip and the same young
man rnn't come to see a girl three
times without the neighbors hinting
around that there's something Pla
tonic about it.
SOMEBODY'S STENOG
CAMIlie HOW
That Tomato
PKTKV FPo Bnrolu PnaathJj . . ' .
(MytM.- -
" B-9 I
ft Jj
'FINE, MOTHAW .
howi oiilq rr -J
I . rk o- r ,
Catsup doing
Van PUT UP FOR
MP. WHILE I WAS
AWAV LAST
WCE
"CAP" STUBBSYouM
OTHERWISE ( T ,,. ) W
Hie t on-rJ m ID 1 ids
Lit iidoI tr . fTii S3
ZuJX y II -v,wjry "EZ in II 1 -
,0,' IL, I W ?f i ti
IHEV O06WT TO VET NE3S UKE TOO
rvsH out op sEsoMr Xoo 'feEo
thiem ivmix me spAwtf These
UMART'VreH VThKt TO CAT VUQU TWE
U WE DCWN - WHEN THEf GET TVVRGUGH TE
HO.!!
WE'VE 60T
KNOW MORE
LAUGH
the; guvtmat makes 'em
TOMBOY TAYLOR
it 3f
&sZyv.
j-V,.- &Jinr
r
if SHEMS AS
'iVJ'&W
Whenever tomboy decides
To PHUU OPF ONE OP HCR STUNT5
(SUCH AS WALKIMG OUT To TMe PHD
OF THE SPRIMO BOARD ON StlUTs) THEN
IS THE VERY TlM HER MOTHER WIJ.U HAPPEN
Improving on the Old Way
m
LXK
a .
,lVv
?r
r,
i N,'S,c;i',
Have to Hand It to Tippie
'U )
k VXN
SO LONESOME.
FASH N HERE. WAT
AQOUT HOOK6 THAH
Mjt -dith! R
tT iQ fi Gg VCTlff
THOUGH '
gollv aimt it fumait
the serious wav These
old dyed )h the 6imsham
HOUSE KEEPERS TAKE
LIFE? YOU VM6HTTrIAiK
Pf?E.SE.RVIAJG WAS A JoB'.
tviet Talk about it a weekt
Go imto traimim' FbR A '
MOAJTH , "THEM GET OUT A
DOZEN POTS AM PANS AM
SoATlTVWlTHA HOPE-1
SET-To-HEAVEAi LOOK '
Gee. I put up two
Dozen Bottles im
LESS THAM AM HOUR.'
TVeV VOtfr OOMP AT COKCUiSVOMS If A FCOS
THEY SWIM AROUND WM
jtirv Ltfurornj toiCA UNtYOU. OUSHT TO START VITH THE F'lE
irinv? rKA a-lNfc. TOU. OU6HT TO START VITH THE F'lEK. I
3fU VOUR-Seup OUT THE SIMPLE ONES ALL. HAHS AROOMD J
.tOCK PON'T TR.V TO CATCH A 3AS5 WITH A. -
tRCH AQHT VLL SAV "THVS TO VOO VOVJ'VE gm'mL
-w mii- t-r--n wJ w nitnO T5ceV ll-, mil .!- 1 "i
ANP Wtfiw
TWE.
PERCH
CbOT THE ttEGOR-O
By Fontaine Fox
SCHOOL DAYS
-rT
"""
AUONG.
fOl
I rVTHERE TOU ARE'. SHT
H.That a fime aess opJ
Catsup? look how J
AllCE AM'PIMK IT, IS )
VHEM TOO SH.AKE IT.'
I Tell too it Takes p
YOUTH TO EXPLODE r-
SofAB. of Those old
hi
FASHIOMED IDEAS 1 1 .
m
TWO OVi. TURK? TIMES BHrOPF. TUFV TAWp:
AT SHAtW -R.EST Foe VUU-IMG
fH EMPTY HOOKS STVCK A
TrHHEt2. QEU. ON OUfc. BOAT
'
-'-
("opyrlnht 1020, bv Pub'lr Ldicr
IA" Ttf grow nuwr ot or o. am, I i1llliM$2& 'VKsS ... . "V f jiAT
Sonne- ... v !r 'Oe. aw wf i"m 4 mEm
noofciwfc ,'' T,M, ,. eve. 3o ro y JK
tffi T " Htf1 " '. j.4 r. rtrt itT , V w
?Hrr- 1 1 7 swk im
' -tT H 'fn ' III 4J 9W IV7 I T f Mf
By Sidney SmitH
JUMPS IK
fcDEY
By C. A. Voight
By DWIO
By Hatward
O.
By Edwinc
(CONTINUED TOMOIUlOW.
k
t0&S!i
fcisail
1 4
1 i ' W1 1
L?l
i w warker. "Tha boy aadl.
, ,.& ij&mBl