The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-19

WERE scRAwLEp.
that point was ffty-two minutes. Take
twenty-five minutes on for the time
between the discovery OF the crime
coincIdent with your uncle's death
and my marking OF the bowl. That
leaves twenty-slx minutes. Now add
four minutes for the time taken by the
murderer In washing his hands. That
makes just half an hour that your
uncle lived"
This Is guess work." said I. "How
do you know that the murderer left no
water in the bowl?"
he did was TO push down this bit OF
paper. and he wouldn't have done that
while there was water In the bowl. He
didn't let any run afterwards, other
wise the paper would have been soaked.
He pushed II in. suppOSing that II
would fall down the pipe. Then he re-
placed the stopper-oF It fell into place
and my tImepiece was in operation.
Now as TO the closing OF that door.
Watch this little experiment ! open
the door thus. Now will you obllge me
By opening the main door suddenly.
Thanks You perceive the draught Of
air shuts this one. II faStens Itself.
I've replaced the lock you broke. and
everything Is as 1t was. So we've dis
posed of your delusion that you were
right on the heels OF the murderer"
was considerably pcrplexcd by this
sudden change OF theory. IT was hard
to escape the detectives reasoning in
regard to the time Of the commission
OF the crime, yet there were several
points that needed explanation. For
instance. how could the door have been
locked on the inside with my uncle's
keys? | heard them drop out Of the
lock. Who had put them into Il?
1T was MIR. Davis himself" said
Johnson, when l put the question to
him: he was trying to get out. Doubt
less he was feebly crying for help, but
no one heard. Those marks Of hands
upon the door were his. The position
shows that they were made by some
one who was supporting himself with
difficulty.
"He could not open the door and for
Very good reason. Dnzed and dying,
he had selected the wrong bunch OF
keys. got the right one out OF his
pocket and the key OF that door was
on H.
And that's the great point OF this
case That door was locked-nOt
with Mr. Davis key, for otherwise II
would not have been IN his pocket.
There is but Que other, and that be-
longs to-"
"StnlbridEe!" / exclaimed.
Correct. aud beyond a doubt Stall
bridge ls the murderer"
My instinct told me so, even when
l believed absolutely that knew him
TO BE- innocent"
"And now for the reason why I de-
ceived YOU" continued the detective.
AT first acted on general principles.
Ny theory prDpopnded In this room
was Intended to deceive everybody.
Afterwards | ncted for the sake OF the
effect upon Stalbridge. did not know
him to be guilty. but strongly sus-
peCtcd him. had heard Of his stop
ping you and taking you for a walk.
II he had anything 10 say, why didn't
he bring you up here? Or take you
into one OF the rooms OF the Union
Lines? 1t was fair TO gurrS that he
wanted to keep you out OF the way.
nj last you forced him back TO tho
scene u his crime. What must have
been his surprise and horror at find
Ing that HIS victim Btill lived But
soon he saw that II was to be his own
salvation,
''Thc closing door. the wound in the
heart-cVcrythl seemed 20 Indicate
that the crime was but Just done.
Then he could prove an abb through
you.
Instantly the desire to convict Nor
man seized upon him. lie was Nor
mans rival FOR Miss Davis hand.
ana had worked in that cause as well
as for money In getting your uncle Into
his power. II was In my favor that
he should plot to convict Norman. for
he wns more likely 10 be led into an
IndIgCrctlOn. And the suTCRt way to
keep him ut Il was to satisfy himself
OF his own safety-tO make him
over.cOnhdent. For that renROn |
worked upon you. He would not
have believed me, but no put faith
In what came to him through you.
lie knew you 10 he his bitter enemy.
and nothing could sustain him NO much
ms your confidence In his innocence.
Meanwhile had Norman more or
LEGS under suspicion. ] knew that he
had been here, though was not aware
TINT StalbndEr was present Mt the
same time. You forced that out Of
SinIbrldXc and also tho very valuable
ana singular hlibi for Norman"
"IIOw about the Italian"
"IIc was saved by the water clock.
He could account FOR himself M to
the time when lie entered this building
and TINT time was absolutely known.
It was three minutes before eleven.
The crime was committed five minutes
| earlier Judge then, of my satlPfnc-
ton when you remembered PcclnE An
tonclll Stalbrldgc was with you Mt
that time. IIu had Just appeared.
lilo hnd time to leave tho scene OF the
| crime, tu ttHvC the building by the
aide door to see you approaching. and
10 stop you In order that you might not
md the body.
| 'To StalbTIdre. then. nil ciews lend.