The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-08
"Do You know what troubled her?"

MaXey did not answer, but he became
scarlet to the roots of his hair The light
was dim, but the change in the artists
manner did not escape the observant
physician. DR.. Lamar became slightly
embarrassed.
II beg your pardon if in my anxiety
for your welfare have touched on q
family matter"
'It is nothing to be ashamed of, {"
blurted out Maxey, "but it is her own
secret, and 1 have no right to mention
it. She has never whispered word to
me. But am not blind"
Don't betray her, beg Of you, said
the physician earnestly, "but wheD she
RECEIVERS, if you have any power to re-
move the cause Of her unhappincss, do
so. l say this in all earnestness She
must not be allowed to brood"
Maxey suddenly arose For the first
time the nature of his friends suspicion
dawned upon him.
"You believe this was my sisters
own act?" he exclaimed in an unnatural
ly calm voice.
"She wore the handkerchief about
her neck. l noticed it there this after
noon. "
''She did!" cried Maxey, losing his
calmness all at once. "She did, but
don't you flatter yourself, Lamar, that
the unhappiness spoke of was of suffl-
cient strength to induce the toor girl to
take her own life. Not bit of it, sir
Not in the least Preposterous! 1t would
have urged her rather to live The ideal
Why, there ism a naturally more cheer
full and contentcd person alive than my
sister Ellen. Kill herself? Iguess not!
One Of these days, Lamar, you'll see
what fool you've made of yourself Is
this your ground for believing Annette
incapable? Eustace, if I am crazy, you'Ie
a raving maniac" "
The artist was pacing the floor excit-
edly and spoke as if he was addressing
a multitude
Don't talk so loud" said Lamar,
little impatiently "You know am the
last man in the world to wish to believe
this theory. You know 1 would never
mention it to any other than yourself.
Nothing but a sense Of duty and personal
friendship would induce me to speak Of
it now. If it is true, it is necessary that
you should be warned. If it is not true,
you will forgive me for speaking OF it.
You believe, Maxey, that the imbecile
pulled the ends Of the handkerchief your
sister wore. Did the imbecile also lock
the door?"
Maxey stopped as abruptly in his walk
as if he had suddenly encountered q
wall. There was complete silence for
full minute, and then the artist spoke
In q different tone.
II am acting like a lunatic," he said
quietly. II have too little system. 1
only take in half the situation and ig-
more the other half. There is a signifi-
cance in that locked door, quite other
perhaps than I had imagined We each
jumped to conclusion. We undoubted-
ly are both wrong Lamar, l am going
to search the house. Will you come
too?"
His manner was so much more calm
than 1t had been that Dr.. Lamar felt re-
Geved of great responsibility.
"You have recovered yourself, Max
ey," he said Don't lose your head
again at tho first new turn in affairs"
Maxey accepted the rebuke quietly.
'You are right, Eustace. l do lose my
head too easily. But l have recovered
myself How. Meanwhile lam afraid we
have lost very valuable time"
DR.. Lamar arose with new light in
his eyes.
''Thcn you think"-
'That somebody may have been here
in my absence. "
This seemed a positively luminous
idea to the physician. Bad as the alter
native was, under the circumstances
both men would be glad to accept it.
Nevertheless LamaC said doubtingly:
"Do you suspect anybody"
"No."
SIS there any possible motiye?"
"To kill my sister? In Gods name,
how could there be?''
"What enemies have your"
"None, thank Godp'
Lamar sighed. After all, was there
much plausibility in the artists sugges-
tion? All at once he turned upon his
friend with a new question:
"Maxey, are you sure you have not
been robbed?"
Maxey started.
II was thinking of that very thing
myself. / have not missed anything,
but have been very much excited, and
possibly-possibly, Lamar, l see it all.
We went out, and the thief who had
been watching his chance crept in. All
was dark here, and while he was search
ing for valuables he alarmed Ellen, who
was asleep on the bed. She thought per-
haps twas myself returning and called
to him. To save himself he sprang upon
her and choked her. When she became
motionless, he ran and locked the door,
perhaps to make sure Of not being inter-
rupted, or, better still, because he heard
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 q suitable opportunity
presented itself, crept through the two
rooms to the door and got away unno-
ticed."
"Well done, Maxeyp' 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.
1.-The obvious objection to your the
ory is that the supposed thief might
have escaped through this door by sim
ply turning the key in tho lock. Itwas
locked on tho inside, was it notP"