Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-05-18

in different tone.
81 am acting like lunatic, ;" he sale
quietly II have too little system
only take in half the situation and ig
more the other half. There is a signifi
canoe in that locked door, quite Other
perhaps than had imagined. We each
jumped to a conclusion. We undOubted
ly are both wrong. Lamar, am going
to search the house. Will you come
too?"
His manner was so much moro calm
than it had been that DIR. Lamar felt re-
ieved of a great responsibility,
"You have recovered yourself, Max
ey,'' he said Don't lose your head
again at the first new turn in affairs. "
Maxcy accepted the rebuke quietly.
"You are right Eustace. 1 do lose my
head too easily. But 1 have recovered
myself now Meanwhile am afraid we
have lost very valuable time. -
DR.. Lamar arose with a new light in
his eyes.
''Then 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 Lamar said doubtingly:
do you suspect anybody"
ono"
SIS there any possible motive?"
''To kill my sister? In Gods name,
how could there be?'
''What enemies have you?''
"None, thank God!'
Lamar sighed After all, was there
much plausibility in the artists sugges-
ton? All at once he turned upon his
friend with q new question:
''Maxcy, are you sure you have not
been robbed?"
Maxcy started.
81 was thinking of that very thing
myself. I have not missed anything,
but I have been very much excited, and
possibly-possibly, Lamar, I 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 valuablcs he alarmed Ellen, who
was asleep on the bed. She thought per-
haps it was myself returning and called
to him. To save himself he sprang upon
her and cholled her. When she became
motiOnless, he ran and locked the door,
perhaps to make suro of not being inter
rupted, or, better still, because he heard
me coming and was afraid. He then con-
cealed himself i'll one Of tho 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."
well done, MaxeyH' cried Lamar,
with something approaching enthusi-
asm. You have devised at last plausi-
BILE theory.
He stopped abruptly, with IN 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 i'll the lock. twas
locked on the inside, was it not?'
1T was and is and will remain SC
until l get the leisure to bring lock-
smith here to fix it. l twisted the key
off in the lock the other day and nothing
will dislOdgc the stump
Nevertheless Maxey tried the door. 1t
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, passageway ex-
IL $500
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. It would
have been easy for the intruder, with
this ample provision for his purpose, to
have escaped observation until su1ta-
BILE opportunity presented for his safe es-
cape from the suit
Maxey began his search Of the prem
Uses by looking under sofa and behind
a bookcase. From this thorough begin
ming he went on in most careful and
methodical 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 s
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 that2''
Maxey took from his hand the corner
of newspaper with a charred edge. He
scrutinized it suspiciously. Ordinarily