The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-17
the OBJECTIVE BACKED THROUGH DOORWAY
INTO THE MAIN ROOM.

The OBJECTIVE BACKED THROUGH A DOORWAY
INTO THE MAIN ROOM.
stalbrldge Joined me in the search. It
| was fruitiess at first. except that We
found all the doors unlocked. showing
that the murderer could have had IN
| lmpeded passage through the rooms.
After n careful examination. ! was
on the point OF abandoning that field;
but Mr.. StalbrldGe insisted that there
| must be something 10 reward our en-
deaYors. And so there was. for, on the
final search. found ten thousand tiny
| bits Of paper In cupboard under set
bowl in one OF the roSms.
II might not have recognized the i'm
| portance OF the discovery but for Mr..
StalbridEc. Said he: The murderer did
this. II was to be expected. We ought
/ TO have known for n certainty that
these scraps OF paper were here. He
had committed murder 10 secure that
document. He dared not go out upon
the street with Il In his pocket for fear
/ OF arrest. II he had been taken with
this upon him, what could have saved
hlm?''
II was inclined to be skeptlcal. bu,
| an examination OF the bits OF paper
showed Inc that they once formed part
OF legal document, Besides. II was
easy TO see that they had not been many
hours In that place. Moreover, care
fragments OF nearly equal size, go as
| TO prevent any person from putting
them together properly"
ut can be DONE" said Stalbridge;
| and VIII stake my life that the doru-
ment proves TO be the contract which
delivered the Twenty-seventh street
road into our hands, Moreover. Mr.
Davis" he continued. addressing me
directly. II have q inform you that
your friend Norman has disappeared.
You lie, Staibridge." said a deep. In
tense voice. Il am here TO defend my
SELF
Norman strobe Into the room. He
was almost giant In stature, and the
strength OF his facial outline matched
the tremendous energy OF his form.
| His cheeks and even his forehead were
| flushed with anger. I knew that he
had heard Of the suspicion that had
been directed toward him; the attempts
TO find him and the search OF his apart
ments, and that he attributed the In
! jury. rightly, 10 Stnlbridge.
Knowing Eorman's high temper,
was afraid that he might do an act OF
violence which he would regret NIL his
life. / hastily placed myself between
them: and Just then Johnson said, In
his most llfeless tone:
"Mr. Norman, I had the pleasure OF
calling upon you this afternoon when
you were not at home, and took sew
eFal things out OF your room"
The giant uttered sound like the
growing OF a tiger, and Instantly
turned upon the detective. expected
| to see Johnson annihifated. but he skill
fully reiterated from the peril which he
had so recklessly invoked. He backed
through doorway into the muHic
room, and Norman followed.
What happened In that room after
wards, am unable to state, but there
was no violence. Probably Norman
found 1t impossible to be angry with
such an automRton us Johnson.
There was a great deal In my mind.
| In that moment when ! found myself
alone with Stalbridge. saw In him
! the most dangerous prosecutor Of my
| friend, and for that alone would have
opposed him in every possible manner,
| Hut hated him, besides. and to hght
against him was pleasure.
"stalbridge," seid ]. you know Nor
man 10 be Innocent"
'sI know nothing OF the kind" he re-
Joined anErily. You don't know what
you are talking about"
walt n Bit" ! rejolned LET me
tell you what mean. When we were
walking down Yesey street this morn
Ing. you mentioned Norman's name.
aud at that moment you CHANGED to
look up You started. turned toward
you, and noticel peculiar expression
In YOUR face. was then too deely IN
tent upon another matter, to under.
stand your look, but a comprehension OF
It's meaning has been growing on me
ever since Staibrldgc, you saw Walter
Norman In that train which passed US
at that moment. and II was the coinci-
dencc OF seeing him thHt az nus name
WINS on your lipE which startled You
StnlbrldRe glanced townrd the music
room. johnson had closed the door.
A Inok OF amusement OverHpread my
ndyersnry's countcnRnCc. Such n look
nav run around the circle OF the ticnds
when the red light strikes into new
face.
a low tone. "You expect TO prove an
abb for Walter Norman by my test-
You do not deny what assert"
,Aly dear fellow, In II necessary Can
Won expect my conduct TO be areotcd
| Nv the circumstance Of my seeing or
not seeing Mr.. Norman NJ the time you
mcntIOnY II you had seen him, that
would have been different matter"
DO you mean to tell me" demand
ed. horror stSckcn. that you VIII let
him be condemned for this crime when
n word from you cnn save him?"
."rm not so sure that he could be-
saved In the way you suggest" he re-
| Joined. Suppose that hc was on that
iraln; he might have gotten OF nt Park
PInce and have reached tho Ann street
building ahead OF us."
You stultlfy Yourself cried. He
| member that there was Il blow struck
before the fatal thrust with the dagger:
| that the criminal locked the door, that
| he washed his hands; that he stole
| paper from tho deak. Could all this
nhnvc been done In the time that Nor.
man would have had, By your suppo8!-
Perhaps not" said stnlbrldge,grln-
ming.
~ chn gor TINT we are wasting words"
said /. "Whntcvcr mny be the value Of
the evidence you could Rive In his ia
vOr. You will not give IT,"
"Your intellect is unusually clear this