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I I i 1 H 'L. CLOSE QUARTERS ; OR, THE HOUSE IN THE RUE BARBETTE ==^ J CHAPTKJl V. Onoe clear of llic Albert Gate mansion, the barribtor was bound to confess tu a sense of indefinite- ness, n feeling of uncertainty wliich seldom tharactcrizcd 'either his thouglits or his actions. He ad- mitted as much to his companion, for Brett was a man who uould not consent to pose under any circum- stances. "It is quite true," he explained, "that our first duty must be to find Mr. Talbot, and it is still more certain that we will be able tu .ic- complish that part of our task; but there arc elements in this inquiry which baffle mc at present." "And what aro they, sir!" said the detective. "1 fail to see why Mr. Talbot was dragged into the matter at all. On the straightforward assumption tliat Turks were engaged in the pleasant occupation of taking other Turk's lives- an assumption to which, by the way, I attach no great amount of cred<'nce â€" why did they not allow Mr. Talbot to go quietly to his own home / It was not that they feared mort* sin-cdy discovery of their crime. The hour was then late; it was tolerably cer- tain that ho would make no movn which might prove injurious to them until next morning, and then the whole aaffir was bound to be dis- covered by tlie police in the ordin- ary course of events." "I don't quite follow you, Bir." said Winter, with a puzzled tone in his voice. They had, for the sake of <iuietuUe, turned into the Park, aixl were now walking toward Hyde Park Corner. "What do you mean by s.-iying that Mr. Talbot would m;ike no move in tho matter until ue.xt morning ?" "Oh, 1 forgot," said Brett. "Of course, you don't know why the diamonds were sti'len â- '" "I'or the same reason that all other diamonds ar^j stolen, 1 tup- pose." "Oh, dear no," laughed tho bar- rister. "This is a )>)l!tical crime." "Political ;' said the amazed po- liceman. "Well, we won't (|uarrel about words, and as there are perhaps no politics in Turkey, we will call it dyiKibtic or any other loud-voiced adjective which serves to take it out of the category of simple felony." •What beats mc, Mr. Brett," s;i<id tlie detective, viciou'^ly prod- ding the gravel path with his stick, "is iiow you ferret out these queer facts fancies some people would <ali them, as I used to do until I knew you better." "In this case it is simple onouph. By mere chance 1 happened to read thi.i morning that there had been some little domestic scuiabhlo in royal circles at Constantinople. 1 <lon't know whether you are ac quainted with Turkish history, Mr. \Vinl<'r, but it is a well-recopni/.ed jirin<ii)!e that any iiultan is liablo to die of iliseases which are weird and painfully sudden; for instance, tho last one is fKipularly supposed Uj iiave plunged a long shar)) scis- »-i.rs into liis jugular vein ; others diank coffee that disagreed with tlurn, or smoked eigarett<'» too liighly perfume*]. In any ease, the in\arial)lc result of these eccentri- «ities has been that a fres'i Sultan occupied the throne. Now, don't forget that 1 am sitni)ly theorizing, i'T I know no more of tliis business Ibaii you do at this moment, but I Btill t'iink that you will find some c<'iine(tion between my tlieipry and that which lias actually occurred. At any rate, I have said sufTicieat (ii prove to you the importnncu of ni't being too ready to make ar rests." "I quite see that," was tlu- thoughtful rejoinder. "Rut yon jimst not forget, sir, that we in Hcotl.md Yard arc bound by rules of procedure. IV'rliaps you will nut niiii<l niy suggesting that a word from you to the Foreign Office might induce the authorities to com- iriunicate oflicially with the Home ]|)epartment, and then instructions C'luld be issued to the police which wc'uld leave the matter a little muro open th.'in we are able to regard it under the existing conditi<ins." "I will s<>e to that," said the bar- riKter. "When does the inquf^st take place?" "This evening at six." "It will be adjourned, of course t" "Oil, yes; no evidence will be given beyond that necessary for ptir|)oBeB of identification, and this can be supplied by the [Kilice them- selves and an official from the Tur- ki5li__j;ml;i>-*»y-" "Very \veli. You will mention to no one the tlle^.'â- y I l»avc jufi explained to you 1" "JTot if ^ou wish it, sir." "I do wisli it at J>i'e»«nt. Which way arc you going 1" "Straight to the Yard." "Xa that caso I will accompany yr'ii a jwrtion of tho distaneo." '''•ley had now reached Hydo Park ' >. and, hailing a hansom, Brett told the driver to stop out- side the Carlton Hotel. The man whi])pcd up his hoise and drove -n the directiou of Constitution Hill, evidently inteiuling to avoid tho congested traffic of Picadilly and take the longer, but more pleasant, route through the Green Park and the Mall. ••By the way," said Brett, "did the driver of the hansom which conveyed Mr. Talbot and iiis e<mi- panion from Albert CJato on Mon- day night tell vou which road be fofl.jwed?'' "Yes,'' said the detective, "he went this way." Brett rubbed his hands, with a queer expression of thoughtful pleasure on his keen face. "Ah,'' he said, "1 like that. It is well to be on the scent." He did not explain to his pro- fessional confrere that it was a positiv3 stimulant to his abounding ' energy and highly strung nerves to > find that he was actuallv following: the path taken by the criminal j whom he was pursuing. The mere | fact lent reality to the chase. l'"orj a mile, at any rate, there could be I no mittake, though he might expect a check at the Carlton. Arrived there, Brett alighted. "Arc you going to make any in- fiuirics in the hotel, sirl" said Mr. Winter. "Why should IV said Brett. "Y'ou have already ascertained from the management that no per- son even remotely resembling any of the parties concerned is staying at the hotel." "Yes, confound it, I know I did, cried the other, "but I never told you so." "That IS all right," laughed Brett. •'Come and sec me at my chambers this evening when the in- cpicst is Jinis'ied. Perhaps by that time we may be able to determine our plan of action." Once left to himself, Brett did not enter the hotel. He made it an invariable rule in conducting in- quiries of this nature to adopt the French method of •'reconstituting" the incidents of a crime, so far as such a course was possible in the absence of the persons concerned. He reasoned that a very plausible explanation of the unexpected ap- jK-arance of the three strangers in -the Albert Gate mansion on Mon <lav night had been given to Jack Ta'Uiot. This y might be take not been selected by the Foreign Office to carry to a euccessful issue such an important aii<l delicate mat- ter as that entrusted to him, with- <put some good grounds for the faith in his qualities exhibited by his su jieriurs. Brett thought he aiTIOTA Soap and Ointment No other emollients do so much for pimples, blackheads, red, rough and oily skin, itching, scaly scalps, dry, thin and falling hair, chapiied hands and shapeless nails. They do even more for skin- tortured and disfigured infants. Although Cyllrura Soap and ointnipnt aro eolil by dnmlita and ilralrni rTfrywhcro. a libiral •ample of rarh. with 32-paKu booklet on the akm and hair, will be sent, post-free, on nppltcatloo 19 •Cullcura." Utpi. JQ. Uoston. U. s. A. oeeu f^n-M y.-^ ""'\'-jton Hotel. The I'ost umcc Uirec joung gentleman, it ! ^,^^.y j^^j j,^„,. ^j^.,, observation wil n for granted, had „,.,rrow doyn the inquiry consider could understand the brother's charac- ter and attributes from his favor- able analysis of the sister, and ;t was quite' rea.sonablc, therefore, to believe that Talbot was a man not likely to be easily duped. The principals in this crime were evi- dently well aware of the trust re- posed in the Assistant Under-Sec- retary, and they, again, would not â-  â- â- ' Hence of the circumstances attending this strange mystery of modern life, and the result of his reflections quickly became apitarent when ho re;u.lied his residence, for in the first in- stance he dispatched a telegram, and then made several notes in his private diaiy. The telegram, in due course, pro- duced an elderly pensioned police inspector, a quiet, reserved man, whom the barrister h.ad often era- I>loyed. He explained briefly the circumstances attending . Mr. Tal- bot's disappearance, and added â€" "I want you to find out the names, and if iKjssiblc the business â€"together with any other informa- tion you m.iy h.appen to come across â€" of every ]icrsiin who lives within a distance, roughly sjteaking, of two hundred vards from the Carl- ton Hotel. The Post Oflicc Direc- 11 r- ably. It is the unrecorded balance of inhabitants with wliom I am par- ticularly anxious vo becinie dcfi- nit<'ly aetiuaintcd." The man sa- luted and withdrew. Brett imagined that he would nriw be left in undisputed enjoyment for a few hours' rest before tlie Karl <if Fairholnie kept the appointmeiit fixed for seven o'clock. But in this he was mistaken. Smith brought in sonic tea, which was refreshing after his walk, for the engrossing nature of the morn- inn's occupation caused him to for- get lunch. A cig.ir and evening II paper next claimed his attention, iiiulerrate bis intelligence Hence j^^^^ j^^ ,,^^| l.^J.^qy settled down to there was a good cause for Talbot ^^^ perusal of a garbled .account to accept the explanations, whatev- ^^j eye„ts at Albert Gate when his cr they were, given him during t he ^^^^^ again entered, announcing in conclave in the dining-room; the ,„j.stcrious tones the iiresence of effect of which, in Inspector j^j-^, ^vj„t^,. Smith's attitude to- Sharpe's words, had been to pu/,- „.„,.,i^ ji,„ nivnnidons of Scotland zle" the young Kiiglishmau. Fur- y^j.^, ^^j^,^ occassionally visited the ther, there must have been a very i,i,,.,.ij;ter on business, was peculi- poteiit inducement held out before ^^^, ^j^, regarded them with nuspic- Talbot would consent to drive oft j^^^^ temiKM-ed by wholesome awe, with a stranger at such a late hour, ^^^^^i j^^, j^,^^ niade'known the arrival and when the cab was dismissed at ^ j ^j^^, j,.ip^.tiyp ;„ ^uch a manner the Carlton, the excuse given w<iuW ^^^ caused his master to laugh at (•ertainly be quite feasible. ^ ],;„, ••[h must surelv be this," eom^ ••show him in. Smith," he said muiied Brett. "The man explained j.i,p,.,.iK. . "hp has nut come to ar that he was a stranger in London, ^^^j ^^^^ ^(^1^ time." that he lived fpute close to the \\[i^icr entered, and a glance al Carlton Hotel, and that he found ,^|^ ^^^^ brought Brett quickly to it convenient not only for the pur^ i^;^. f^.^.^ pose .jf giving direct ions that would ..-vyiiat is the matter';" he cried l)e understood, but also for Jia.viug ^^^^,^ ^,,^ ^,^^,,, j^^^j i.|„.pd behind fares, to direct the drivers of hired ^j^^^ servant. "You have received vehicles to go there and not to his jn,p,„.t„nt news?" own exact address, which he tind „j ^i|„„ij ,1,;,,^ i hnv,-, ' repl^etl found by experience niany of them ^j^^, ((..tcctive, <lr<qipinR into n seat. <lid not recognize, whilst his know- ,,j ^^..^^ -^^^^^ writing a reiiort in the ledge of the language was not am- y^^^, ^^j^^^^ j ^^.^^^ j,,,,,^ f,^,. ,.,^. ,,„. pie eiiougli U. enable him tn de- j^,^.^_f ^^^^^ ^.^^^^ ^.^^^^^^j jj^^^. knocked scribe the locality more preciselj . j^^^. ^j^^^.^^ ;,|,,| ^^ foather when I It follows, th'm, in unerring fie- j^^^^.^j ^^^ reason. I suppose I am quence, that Talbot was conveye<i ^^.^â- J^^ rightU' in coming nt once to U> some place within a very sliort ^^ || ^.^^^^^ although in mv (lurrv at distance of the upot where I now ^^^^^ j.^^^ j ^^^jj^, U,yK«l to iisk the stand." Chief's i^ermission, hut as you are He. looked along Pall Mall, up ^^^j^.,,^, ^^^^ j,, jj^^ ^^^^ .,, ^,,,. reipieia tho Haymarket, and through ( ock ^^^ |,^^ |.-,,rei'ni Office. T thought you spur street, and ho n.. ted with sonm ^^^^^,^j^ ^^^ j^^^.^^ ^^.j^.^^ j^j^^j i„jppcn. degree of curiosity that there were ^^^„ very few residential buildings in <l^x„]]_ „!,r,t is if!" cried Brett, the ncighlM.rhood. Clubs, theatres i,„p,,,i,,„t „{, ti,o other's careful l)ig conimerei.ll establishments ami previses. insurance ofTiecS occupied the bulk ..c!;„„,i,. ,t,i«." said the detective ,,f the available sp.ace. It was a ,,^j^ .T.^k T.-ilbot bolted fr<.m T.on- part of his theory that "<.'"'' "f V"' i don on T-.esdnv in cnmpayn- with a otiier great hotels in this district j ,^^|^, q,,..,,. ^,.^p„„,| ^„^,. f..^,;., eoi-H Inrhnr t!;?, CriniiMaU, other- 1 r.^^^;^ to'rninisbv tiiemid.lav boat, wise there would liave been no ^>: i „„,j ,vfnt direct to Pari<>. Mr. Tab ruse to stop the hans.im outside K.^ f..,!,,,!..- hooked reomn for hini- the Carlton, ^elf and the girl in the Ornnd Brett did not take b.iiH »ii m;jke I ^^ ,_^, ^^^^j ,,,p „p,..^.,. („ ^.^jt,. 'Mr. up his mind once he had decide/^ ^^, ^j,., TaUtot, lift TTlster Oar- upou a definite course. A c.tII a. I ^,^.,„^ T,.v.(l..'!, W..' in Ih'' r'-'rivte'v the Foreign Office procured him an ' ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^j^^.j, disaiipearcd forth with. But we will soon lay hands on the gentleman, no fear. I have somehow suspected, Mr. Brett, that your notion of a political crime was all pojipycock. It is a good big brazen-faced steal." "Is it?" said Brett, his face glistening with excitement at the intelligence so suddenly conveyed to him. "Would yuii mind explain- ing to me how this precious infor- mation reached you ?" (To be continued.) + (UARDING CROWN JEWKLS. A Jtemarkably Strong Boom in (ho Tower of J.,oiidou. There has only been one attempt to steal thu Crown Jewels from the : Tower of l^)iidon, and that was when the famous Irish adventurer, i "Colonel" Blood, attemt>te<l tho j feat in 1071. The clumsy methods i of tho notorious "Coionci" are noli to be compared witli tiie suLtlo and j scientific ways of tiic nio<ierui cracksman, but evuo the latterâ€" <lid | ho possess the geiiu* cf ad'zcn| Uafneses-â€" could ioirojly h<'pe to steal the Crown Jewels from the new Jewel lloom, which is now com- pleted in the Wakefield Tower of the T' wer of f.ondon. Tho floor and walls af^ made of solid stone, while a new steel grid ! has been built to enclose the plate- j glass regalia show-case. The bars - of this grid arc made of the finest tempered steel, the ends being em-; bedded in the solid masonerry of the roof and flooring. Connected with this grid is a hidden electric alarm, which instantly warns the! ' custodians of the Tower if a bar j he wrenched ever so slightly. I Tho doors of the Jewel Room are official authorization from the Unit-]'''on lined and fitted with the latest ed-Sccretary to inquire into the cir-'"> complicated locks. The jewels cumstances of Talbot's disappear- i tt>en>'^<'l\«s will lie in automatically ante and a promise that the Home dosing steel cases, absolutely burg- Office should bo with. ^ - He desired to review the whole I the Government strong-room, and when everything is ready they will he taken to the Wakefield Tower under guard and mounted for public exhibition in their new cases be- hind the grid. At one tiine it was proposed that a trap should he constructed, so that, if necessary, the jewels could bo lowered through tho stcme floor into the dungeon beneath the Wake- field Tower. This dungeon, how- ever, is below the level of the river, and very damp; consequently the scheme was abandoned. .\s a mat at*** Bonds For a trustee investment in Ontario a most salisfactor\) selection could be made from these high-grade offerings: Cit]) of Toronto 4's, due 1944. Cily of London 4y2S, due 1913. Township of York 5's. due 1 91 2-3 f. Count]) of Simcoe (guaranteeing Torun of Midland) 5's. due 1911-40. CH\) of Fort William ^J/a's, due 1927. Cit^ of Si. Thomas, Ont., 4Yis, due 1912-41. 'Cit\) of Niagara Falls 5's, due 191 1' 30. Ton>n of Port Hope 41/2 s, ^"^ 1913' 50. Toivn of Pelrolea 4Vis, due 1911-34. ToTvn of Walkerville 4y2S, due 1911- 30. Torvn of Welland 4yis, due 1940. The income })ield ranges from 4 per cent, to 4y4 per cent. A Tvidef range of debentures of this character furnished on request. DonimoK SECumiB CX)RPORATIOM-LIMITED TORONTO L^MOriTREAL . LOMDOM-ErtQi While the room is be- communicated : 'ir-P'-ocf; /^,'i".*' , I ing completed the jewels are kept in On the Farm in this dungeon since the Middle .Ages, when prisoners languished in the Tower. A .Mi FOOD a(;ain ;hly lin|)oi-taiit Subject to tveryone. THE FORMATIOX OF THE SOIL. 'Vegetation begins with the very simplest forms of plants, such as lichens and mosses, and is, of course, very scanty at first. These plants on dying become a part of the soil, all of the plant nutrients used by them being thus returned, writes Mr. Alfred Vivian. Focid that has once been u<^ed by plants is very readily made avail- able to succeeding crops through the process of decay. The soil is ter of fact, nothing has been housed ! now able to produce a larger crop, as it contains the plant food in ihe previous growth in addition to th.at added through the agencies detailed above In this way the growth gradually becomes more abundant. The plants upon decaying give rise to humus, and this increases the fer- tility of the land both by being a source of plant food and by increas- ing the water-retaining power. Hu- mus is a very important factor in fertility. During the decomposi- tion of the plants, acid substancei are formed which act upon tho rocks in such a way as tu make more of the plant food available. One of the products of decay or fermentation is carbonic acid, and this is dissolved in the soil water, and this gas-containing water is an important help in disintegrating the rocks. As the nutritive materials in- crease from these various causes the lower simpler forms of plant life are gradually replaced by those which are more highly organized. With the advent of plants, like our common crops, which bear roots, other factors in the forma- tion of soils are intrcKluced The roots secrete an acid substance that has a solvent effect on the mineral matter vl the siiil, and the roots themselves also assist mechanical- ly in breaking down the rocks. All are familiar with the tre- mendous force exerted by plants in breaking apart rocks ami stones )f once their tender rc>otlcts obtain a foothold in a crevice. The roots penetrate the soil smnetimes to great dejiths. and as they decay after the death of the plant, they leave little channels in the soil which serve to carry down water laden with carlx)nic acid, as well as to introduce the oxygen of the air, that, in its turn, is a factor in bringing about chemical changes in the soil, which assist in making plant food available. A Boston lady talks entertaining- ly of food and the changes that can be made in health by some know- ledge on that line. She says : ".\n injury to my spine in early womanhood left me subject to se- vere sick headaches which would last three or four days at a time, and a violent course of drugging brought on constipation with al! the ills that follow. "My appetite was always light and uncertain and many kinds of food distressed me. "I began to eat Grape-Xuts food two or three years ago, because I liked the taste of it, and I kept on because I soon found it was doing mc good. "I eat it regularly al breakfast, fre(|uently at luncheon, and again before going to bed â€" and have no trouble in 'sleeping on it.' It has relieved my constipation, my head- aches have practically ceased, and I am in better physical condition at the age of G3 than I was at -10. "I give (Jrape-Xuts credit for re- storing my health, if not saving mv life, and you can make no claim for it too strong for me to en- <lorse." Xanie given by Postum Co., Battle Creek, Mich. IJe.ad the little book, "The Road to Wellville," in pkgs. "There's a reason." Ever read the above letter? A new one anpears from tlni» to time. Thov nre genuine, true, and full of human Interest. TWO ( lUTICS. .\ sjieaker oft jiroclaimed aloud That he could always hold a crowd; He felt thai he coukl prove it : But of a paper's work, said he, "The paper in no use to me; l''or J am far above it." ,\n etlitor desired to fiiKl In that great speaker's cultured mind Some gems for future leaders: But in the siu-aker's sounding brass He only found wliat is like gas, Despised by thoughtful readers. The paper had no voice to plead : The s|ieakt^r had no power to r©a<l Willi profit from another: And then because they failed to see That each the other's friend shoulil bo They criticii'ed each other. T. WATSON, lona Station, Ont., 1911. Sooner or later in the process of soil formation, plants of tho pulse family, (leguminous plants), such as clover, vetches, lupines, etc., are introduced. If you dig up some of these plants you will find little nodules or tu- bercles on their roots. These^ nodules are the hom«s of numer- ous bacteria, which enable the;' plants to derive part of their food' from the nitrogen of the atmosi phere. | This peculiar property of Icguin-, inous plants is of great impoi-tance,' for it is undoubtedly nature's prin- cipal method of increasing the sup-' ply of nitrogen in the ground. The nitrogen compounds accu- mulated by these plants eventual-' ly become a part of the soil through their decay, thus adding to its fer- tility. It will readily be understood that tho various agencies concerned in the formation of the soil do not act separately nor necessarily in any such order as that in which they have been discussed. ' As a matter of fact all the pro- cesses described take place simul-| taneously. The lower plants do not wait for the rocks to be pul- verized, for we see such organisms as the lichens growing on rocks from which one would think it impos- sible to obtain food. If the lichen is removed, gronvcs or furrows will be found on tho surface of the stone, due to the action of tho plant. ' Xor are all soils formed directly from the original rocks, for one o( the effects of weathering, etc.. is to separate such rocks as the gra-' nite into simpler substances, with the result, for example, that hugo deposits of limestone are formed in one place, and in another whole hilts of sandstone. ' The soil is almost constantly moving, for some of the same agen- cies which form soils are continu- ally carrying them away. Running water grinds the rocks, but at the same time transports the fine par- ticles to lower levels. It cuts deep valleys in the surface of the earth and carries away the debris, de- IKisiting it at various distances from its source. j This study of the formation of the soil then suggests two t'li-igs that the farmer can do to picven* the exhaustion of th? fertility. j The first is to tnut the s< 11 wT to assist and hasten nature in the process of converti:ig tii» plant f<"od into available foruis by mi:ai>s of good tillage. The second is -.o return t" the Soil by means of nian-;re piid ftiti- lizcrs an amount of plant foot' e(|uivalent to that i •movi.-d ly the crop. il< T HE BES T HOME PRESERVES" â- â- â- â- ^â- â- Rai^BiiMHBiHIH Tf a girl meets a man who desn't admire her she imagines that he 5s a confirmed woman nafei. Men have no idea wliat funny ide.T> women harbor until they get married. These are made by rightly combining luscious fresh friiiU with EXTRA GRANULATED SUGAR The best results are then assured. Aek your grocer for Redpath Extra Granulated Sugar. He knows then that you want the best. The Canada Sugar Refining Co., Limited, Montreal! Established in 1661 by John Ro<Ipath. J r> <vA__ T"^ f .->!