s well go on to the hotel first. I
should like to interview some of the people there. And by the way," he
added, "it's as well not to let them know I'm a friend of yours--or a
newspaper man either. I think I'll be a detective. Your young man from
Washington seems to have made quite a stir in regard to the robbery;
we'll see if I can't beat him. There's nothing that so impresses a rural
population as a detective. They look upon him as omnipotent and
omniscient, and every man squirms before him in the fear that his own
little sins will be brought to light." Terry laughed in prospect.
"Introduce me as a detective by all means!"

"Anything you like," I laughed in return. "I'll introduce you as the
Pope if you think it will do any good." There was no keeping Terry
suppressed, and his exuberance was contagious. I was beginning to feel
light-hearted myself.

The hotel at Luray was a long rambling structure which had been casually
added to from time to time. It was painted a sickly, mustard yellow (a
color which, the landlord assured me, would last forever) but it's
brilliancy was somewhat toned by a thick coating of dust. A veranda
extended across the front of the building flush with the wooden
side-walk. The veranda was furnished with a railing, and the railing was
furnished at all times of the day--except for a brief nooning from
twelve to half-past--with a line of boot-soles in assorted sizes.

We drew up with a flourish before the wooden steps in front of the
hotel, and I threw the lines to the stable boy who came forward to
receive us with an amusing air of importance. His connection with the
Luray tragedy conferred a halo of distinction, and he realized the fact.
It was not every one in the neighborhood who had had the honor of being
cursed by a murderer. As we alighted Terry stopped to ask him a few
questions. The boy had told his story to so many credulous audiences
that by this time it was well-nigh unrecognizable. As he repeated it now
for Terry's benefit, the evidence against Radnor appeared conclusive. A
full confession of guilt could scarcely have been more damning.

Terry threw back his head and laughed.

"Take care, young man," he warned, "you'll be eating your words one of
these days, and some of them will be pretty hard to swallow."

As we mounted the steps I nodded to several of the men whom I remembered
having seen before; and they returned an interested, "How-dy-do?
Pleasant day," as they cast a recon