carpet, and talked a good
deal in a friendly way. The carpet proved to be too long by several
yards for the room, and the carpet man wanted to cut it off.

[Illustration: DR. CRONIN'S OFFICE IN CHICAGO OPERA HOUSE BUILDING.]

"Oh, no," the other protested as he handed the workman a cigar. "Turn
it under. I'd much rather have it that way. You see, this is only
temporary anyway. I may move at any time."

The man did as requested, and the packing trunk and a portion of the
furniture was taken into the room. The remainder was unloaded into No.
15. Simonds, had called at the furniture house on the following day and
exchanged the trunk-strap for a larger one.

After making this statement Hatfield accompanied the officers to the
Carlson cottage. Here, as had been expected, he immediately declared
that the furniture and carpets were _fac similes_ of the articles he had
sold to Simonds. The bloody trunk that had been found on the Lake View
prairie corresponded also in every detail with the one that figured in
his bill of goods.

WHEN THE FLAT WAS RENTED.

The rooms that had been occupied by Simonds and his confederates looked
almost direct into the offices of Alexander Sullivan across the street.
Those of Dr. Cronin's, being in the rear of the opposite building, were
not within sight, although the goings and comings of the physician on
the street could be seen from the window of No. 12. Salesman Hatfield's
disclosures had forged another link in the chain, and the authorities
turned their attention to the renting of the rooms. The agents of the
building were Knight & Marshall, a leading real estate firm and of which
Edward C. Throckmorton was cashier and renting agent. It was found that
Simonds had called at 117 Clark street on February 19th, the same day
that the furniture was picked out, and inquired what rooms could be had.
The janitor showed him all the rooms on the upper floor. He asked
several questions and then went over to the office of the agents. Here
he first saw Throckmorton, to whom he expressed a wish to lease the flat
he had looked at. He gave no references, but said that he was a stranger
in the city and wanted the place for a brother who was coming from the
East for treatment for his eyes. The cashier suggested that he take two
rooms on the lower floor, but Simonds was not willing. The upper floor
was preferable, he said, because it had no other tenants. Throckmorton
turned the matter over to Mr. Mars