The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-22
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
The sunken, cat-like eyes of Alfonso
the suavity OF his movements, and the
closeness with which he stuck to the
detectives elbow while the latter was
making his second and more complete
examination of the maroon-papered
room, had naturally drawn Stacey's at
tention to him.
you waited upon the parties In this
room at the time when these men were
killed, I believe" said the detective
suddenly, turning upon him after a
long look out Of one of the windows.
"Yes, SIR" replied the walter. He
had been gazing fixedly at the calm
face OF Beatrice Cenci above the man
tel, but when Stacey turned upon him
he dropped his eyes humbly to the
floor.
you are always assigned to wait
upon this room, l understand"
Eyes, sir''
"Show me how the table and chairs
were arranged upon the two nights
when these men were killed"
Alfonso started ever so slightly, and
of Beatrice, as though drawn by an
irresistible fascination.
II don't think I remember, sir"
"Try. The table is a square one,
and there were four in the party on
each occasion, therefore one must have
sat upon each side of the table. Now.
try to remember where Mr.. Larouse
and Mr.. Narbon sat when they were
killed"
II think 1t was there, sir" indi-
eating the side nearest the windows.
We'll you're mistaken; 1t was here"
said the detective. moving in front Of
other gentlemen who were present tes-
titled at the inquest"
Perhaps 1t was, sir; my memory Is
not good"
Apparently not. Now, come here,
l want you to sit there for moment"
and Stacey pointed to the fatal chair
with its back to the mantel
'I-certainly, sir, IL you wish," said
Alfonso with some hesitation. He
cast a furtive glance once more up
into the impassve face of the Roman
woman, and took the chair.
Stacey took from his pocket two dia-
grams procured from the coroner's
physician, showing the location of the
wound and the direction taken by the
bullet in each of the victims. With
these as a guide he located upon AL
fonse's head the spot marked by the
wounds, and placed q finger upon it.
AS he did 50 he felt that the man
trembled slightly, but he appeared not
to notice it.
He next gauged the track Of the bull
let's by means of his walking stick,
which he held against Alfonse's head,
regulating dts angle by means of the
diagrams. This done Stacey felt GER
tain that he had secured the line along
which the fatal square bullets had
Travelled.
And, therefore, he was greatly sur
prised when, upon prolonging the line
thus marked In the air by his walking
stick, he found that the other end ter
minated in the face of the Beatrice
Cenci.
Having very little of the artistic in
his soul, the detective had heretofore
pau pul SllSul dlleIlllOn 10 the picture,
excepting as one of the component
parts of the room as whole possess
ing about the same relative importance
in his eyes as the windows and the
furniture. 1t now suddenly leaped into
prominence as the one single feature of
the apartment worthy of his attention.
He dismissed Alfonso, and turned tu
the picture.
1t hung about eight feet from the
floor level and three feet above the
oaken mantel. The canvas appeared
to be about "a by 3Oinches, and was sur
rounded by a heavy gilt frame. Hav-
ing observed this much from the van-
tage ground of the carpet Stacey rang
the electric bell and demanded a STEP
ladder When this was brought and he
was again alone he proceeded to make
a closer inspection of the picture. He
was no sooner at the top of the ladder
and his face upon a level with the por-
trait than he made an important dis
covery.
There was no pupil in the left eye of
Beatrice Cenci.
A little round hole had been cut