Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-09-01

rupted, or, better still, because ne ffeara
me coming and was afraid He then con-
cealed himself in one Of the rooms, per
haps in the very place where we are
standing. He waited till he heard me
come in or till suitable opportunity
presented itself, crept through the two
rooms to the door and got away unno-
| ticed"
We'll done, Maxeyr' cried Lamar,
with something approaching enthusi-
asm. "You have devised at last plausi-
BILE theory"
He stopped abruptly, with an express
sion of doubt. His eyes rested on the
door, which closed Immediately between
the front parlor and the outer corridor.
The obvious objection to your the
DRY is that the supposed thief might
have escaped through this door by SIM
ply turning the key in the lock. 1t was
locked ON the inside, was it not?''
1T was and is and will remain &C
until get the leisure to bring q lock-
smith here to fix it. l twisted the key
Off in the lock the other day and nothing
willsdislodge the stump"
Nevertheless Maxey tried the door. Il
was securely fast.
| This being the only means of getting
into the outer hall, except by the door
which led from the little vestibule be-
longing to the suit, a passageway ex-
tending the width of Miss Maxey sleep
ing chamber and connecting the large
rear room with the back parlor, Maxey
naturally saw no objection to his theory
so far. Out of this private hall were
three doors besides the outer door-one
opening at one end into the sitting room,
another at the other extremity into the
rear parlor, and the third at the back
into Miss Maxey's chamber 1t would
have been easy for the intruder, with
this ample provision for his purpose, to
have escaped observation until a suita-
bic opportunity presented for his safe es-
cape from the suit.
Maxey began his search of the prem
Uses by looking under a sofa and behind
a bookcase. From this thorough begin
ming he went on in a most careful and
mothodical manner, peeping into closets,
opening drawers to ascertain whether
their contents had been disturbed and
leaving no spot unvisited, the position Of
no carelessly thrown aside article un-
explained. The search was fruitless.
Not an atom of evidence to substantiate
the theory advanced by Maxey could be
discovered. Both men were disappointed
and thoughtful when the tour of inves-
tigation was finished.
They stood at last before the CRATE in
the room, with the nurse and the two
sufferers, warming their hands. Once in
awhile Maxey's troubled gaze sought
DR.. Lamar's face, but the physician e
glance was downward and his brow con.
tracted.
Lamar tapped his foot modify against
the fender and seemed wrapped in a
brown study. Maxey longed for some
word of encouragement or comfort from
his friend, the physician. He had the
greatest confidence in DR.. Lamar's care.
fully considered opinions, but this time
the physician did not seem to have any
opinion to offer.
Suddenly Lamar's attention was
caught by an object lying ON the hearth.
stone. He stopped and picked it up.
Have you been burning paper, Max.
ey?"
NO" returned Maxey quickly. 81
have not''
what is that?'
Maxey took from his hand the corner
of newspaper with a charred edge HI
scrutinized it suspiciously. Ordinarily
he would have thrown such an object
aside contemptuously. In the present
emergency he would have examined {
pin if Lamar had handed it to him
Have you burned any paper in thi!
CRATE, Mrs. Davis?" asked Maxey of tn,
nurse. ''Think before you speak 1
may be very important matter
Il have not had any paper in m,
hand since have been here. That
easily settled
There has been o very large piece O
paper burned here" said Lamar in
whisper. "See there, and there! Tn
black ashes are all about. -
The physician stamped his foot nea,
the CRATE, and the little breath of ali
) caused by the conclusion made rustl
3 Of light burned paper on the floor.
1T is the newspaper containing tn
4 story Of our finding Annettev' exclaime,
the artist, with growing suspicion, 81
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