Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-03-06
CHAPTER XII.
sEEKINo AN ExpLANArIoN.

SEEKING AN EXPLANATION.
Stunned or very nearly SO, Mr.. Marlowe
left the doors of the safe standing open,
and staggered out Of the little passage,
very much as he had done on the preced-
ing night, after closing them ON the mo-
tionless form that had disappeared.
How could that marvel have been ef-
fected? Dead or alive, the body of Jasper
Marlowe must have been taken away by
some outside agency. If dead. no one
could have been interested in taking him
away; therefore, it stood to reason that he
had been helped to escape, and restored to
life, either before or after. But howP 1t
was comparatively easy to recognize that
the mans Inconsistencies had only been
apparent death-that Marlowe had been
mistaken in regarding himself as muir
derer, but the manner of such escape,
restoration and disappearance, was sim
ply not to be accounted for at all, at least
by the banker, and for the time being.
He alone possessed key to the safe;
he never permitted it to pass out of his
possession, slept with it under his pillow,
and was satisfied that there was no dupli-
cate.
He arose from the seat into which he
had dropped at his first bewilderment,
and examined all the fastenings of the
room. Windows and doors, with the ex-
ception of the door by which he had en-
tered, were as firmly secured as on his in
vestigation before going to bed.
There's no use attempting to account
for the unaccountable, thought the
banker, again sinking into q chair. who
can have duplicate keys to my bank and
money-vault? That is the question. Noel
has not, that is certain. Neither has old
Alworth, at least to the vault-there never
was but one key made for that lock. The
servants are not to be thought of, and, as
for Miss Winford, don't believe the
good woman was ever inside of this room
twice in her life. Yet both Jasper's body,
living or dead, and the paper, for which
thought had killed him, have been
spirited awa,; and they venture to assert
that the day for miracles is passed"
He presently came back to o realization
of his untidy appearance, and started to
| go to his room; but Just then there was o
ring at the door-bell.
He ran through the Office, and, lifting
one of the front window curtains, peered
cautiously out.
Good! it's only Croak," he muttered.
Il can well afford to take him into my
confidence now"
| Mr.. Croak, on being admitted, was be-
| ginning to ask if the Alworths had got
back from church, when Mr.. Marlowes q
disordered appearance attracted his sharp
little eyes, and he stopped short.
| What, Marlowel" said he, after puz-
zled pause; 1have you taken to your own
gardening, and on Sunday at thatP"
no." said Marlowe. @Come into the
Office.
Croak followed him. Then Marlowe
told him Of everything that had happen
ed since his meeting with his cousin JAS
per, in as few words as possible. HI
even showed him the emptiness of the
vault, as If that could make the mystery
any clearer; and, after closing and lock-
ing the iron doors once more, he likewise
went further back, and told Of his remark
able interview with Boncourt.
Mr.. Croak had q habit of concealint
any amount Of surprise on occasions; ant
now, after listening attentively, instead
of expressing the anticipated amazement
his grotesque face took on an injured, re-
proachful look.
what, Gilbertl" said he; you had al
this, or most Of it, on your mind whel
meeting me at the foot Of the stairs los
night, without confding it to mea"
aAre you fool2" returned the banker
-Deeming myself amurderer, do you sup
pose would have shared my secret witt
another"
croak still pretended to think he ha,
baen misnsed
!, aWhv don't won helm me to solve th
internal mystery Of it all, if there is an
solution to it, said the banker, angrily
vonr had l;ka \ tov mandarin. i'm
$s,lov of vonrs Wormer mioht helm n
| ~ an |aynlonationY
sPnSsihiy admitted Croak dravin
aowr sba cnrnars of his ennrmous month
sRnt nv raflections have changed an
hart feel struck ali Of 4 hear. III
th;nkino of how near came being asso
c;otaa Win murderer unnwares.
. aTnshie ri WAGER that Won we're rathe
: w;sh;no vour hands AZ clean as mine
Rnt haTk ! soma one in at,the gate. / muf
not ha aean mi, ,T'ye chanoed NV clotheI
! Coma ~ mn % to nv nom witS me.
/ Ha heat 4 hssty retreat out Of the ofic
: and nn-stairs followed by the lawye,
A. the lattar reached the ton of the ster
!. Ia cast = hackward 0lanoe down ID tf
Z atraat door which was chen being opened
: sftsr wbicb he followad Marlowe into nj
z nam haayino q deep sioh,
sWhat a. fha mater with Won now
said the banker. at once setting about b
'0es s Snoai shs Airo.hs s1s ist who are coming