The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-10-28

| looked disappointed. RememDer what
you have told me. At $50 the dool
| Was
aClosed. I am almost certain-"
Only almost certain? That won't do,
my dear. Stay. Let me help you to fz
your memory. You say you knocked at
Yes, with my knuckles; hard enough
to be heard inside"
Then the door, if it had been open,
would have given way. Did it?"
aNo, sir, it didn't give way"
Then you can no longer have any
doubt that it was closed at 6:30?"
Il suppose not, sir, she said, with her
eyes cast down. 1t was clear that she
was not absolutely convinced, although
she had admitted as much.
We'll, now, 60 on. my dear, continued
Mr.. Smart. AT any rate you found the
door ajar at $50 or g."
Il am certain of that, sir"
And what did you do?"
u knocked again"
Did you think No. SO was still there,
asleep?"
NO, sir; thought he had gone down.
stairs, and wanted to make sure before
going into the ROOM"
You got no answer2'
No answer, sir; so went in
Meaning to do up the room?"
yes, SIR"
And then you found"
The chambermaid turned very white at
the recollection of the horrid sight that
had met her gaze on entering the bedroom
and could only give low, almost inar-
ticulate reply.
We'll, we'll, won't press you. I un-
derstand; and I think that will do for
the present." said the chief constable.
You will have to tell the coroner all this,
my good girl; remember that, and mind
you, don't vary your story"
4The chambermaid throws a new and
very important light on this mysterious
affair."" could not refrain from saying.
No more hasty conclusions, I beg"
quickly interposed Mr.. Smart.
Some person, 1 Vent on. looking hard
at the detective, passed the door of No.
SO, between $50 and 9. He-or She
NAV have gone out then for the first time
after the murder. That may have been
his-or her-frst chance of getting away.
Or he-or shs-may haye gone back,
laugh that seemed uneasy.
L
the risk. It might have been to pick uI
paper dropped or forgotten, and only
missed when afterward brooding over the
deed"
This is all pure conjecture, put in the
chief constable, more and more dis!i
pleased, as I thought, at the freedom
which the various points in the argument
were discussed.
1T will be very awkward and perplex.
ing if all papers have been removed" ]
went on. I'VE may have no other means
of identification. Don't you"-to the
manager-"don't you know anything Of
the murdered man?"
Next to nothing, believe, replied the
manager. We have his nsme-the name
he gave us on taking his room yesterday
and his address-London; but that is
ALL"
Identification is very necessary, I pre-
sume?" the Doctor inquired.
Essential. Indispensable, said the
chief constable, warming with his sub.
ject. I'VE shall never arrive at solution
Of the mystery in any other way. Giver
the mans name, antecedents, ways Of
life, friends, associates, and so forth, and
we sbSll obtaia-a clew to the causes OF
the crime. Every great crime mas 1t.
handspring. Fear, passion, or greed; i,
is one of these three that has led to the
commission Of ninety-fve per cent, Of
| the murders known"
There must be two to make quarrel.
| and the second person, the dead man.
| would thus have been on his guard; fore
warned, in fact. But it may safely be pre-.
sumed that he was taken unawares, eh
! Doctor?"
Quite so, The blow was struck in the
back. secretly and without warning, }
! should say"
This conclusion disposes Of a fight O..
| struggle. Passion may, therefore, b.,
also eliminated from the motives of tn,
crime, think, Mr.. Smart"
| 1T is impossible to deny your logic, Mr.
Leslie. All causes seem excluded, then.
but fear"
Fear of what?"
Fear of some compromising revela.
tions. The dead man had the murderer
in his power; perhaps knew something tc
his or her discredit; was in possession OF
some damning fact, and threatened ex.
posure."
"A case of blackmail, in fact"
Possibly. But this is still mere con-
lecture, of course"
ITO accept it We must show that the
murdered man had relations, was more o.
less intimately acquainted, in fact, with
other persons staying in the hotel. Ye
90 far the evidence is all the other way.
He was alone IN the hotel, certainly,
said the manager.
Had no friends here?"
So far as we know, none"
WAS he absolutely solitary Did he
speak to nobody?"
They tell me that is the fact. hav
inquired within the last half-hour FROM
the head-waiter and others"
The foreign waiter, Cornelis, was still
present, and had heard the whole of ou1
arguments. I fancied as the talk turned
upon the loneliness of the dead man that
look of dissent crossed the walters
white, pasty face. 1t was very fugitive,
and was not followed by any remark tend
ing to elucidate this last point, whethe,
or not the dead man had friends or ac-
qra ntances in the hotel; but it was suffi-
ciert to make me resolve to subject Cor
uelis to little de1terous cross-examina-
tion by and by.
| s,AaPTER IIY.