Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-02-06
CHAPTER VI.

II AAlHL A4AN bt gtl lIl'N-iAA AAh4Al W La
has been related that Mr.. Barnes had
lost any Of his old time skill That he
I did not vet quite understand the case
upon which he was working is little tc
/ be wondered at when it Is remembered
that less than two days had elapsed since
/ the robbery had occurred, and that a
I great part Of this time he had necessarily
( been absent from the city upon another
| case.
After his disappointment at discover
| ing that tho button which he had found
was less valuable than he had at first
| supposed, he had decided upon mode
/ Of procedure from which he hoped to
gain much. He had seen many men
finch when brought unexpectedly into
the presence of their murdered victim.
He knew that many in fit of passion,
or even in cold blood, might have the
nerve TO take human life. Few resisted
a shudder when shown the ghastly, mu-
tilated, perhaps decomposing corpse.
When he left the hotel that morning,
it was about 10 O'Clock. While he had
been convinced by Mr.. Mitchell that the
button found at the scene Of the murder
was not one Of the original set, or rath-
er that il could not be proved that it
had been, he was equally satisfied that
the fact that it presented a portrait of
Miss Remsen was significant. Thus,
after all, it was possible that Mr.. Mitch
el had murdered the woman, or at
least he had visited the apartment. In
either case, supposing that he knew the
woman was dead, it would be idle to
take him up three flights of stairs to
confront him with the body, for that
would give him ample premonition of
what was about to occur, and he would
readily control his countenance. This is
what the detective did:
He went at once to the coroner and
told him enough to have him render his
assistance. Therefore during the time
which had elapsed the coroner had i'm
paneled jury, taken them TO the scene
Of the crime and then adjourned the in
quest, leaving the doctors to perform
the autopsy. The body had been taken
down to room on the first floor which
opened directly on the main hall. Here
it was laid out upon a table, so placed
that the gaping wound and now hideous
face would at once meet the gaze Of any
one entering. The doctors had been in
structed to postpone their work until the
arrival Of the detective. Thus Mr.
Barnes knew, as he led the way down
stairs, that his trap was set As they
reached the main hall he spoke:
ff(,put lApoau 7 an, about to och a
favor Of you. You were both on the
train when the robbery was committed.
There is a question in relation to it
which should like to ask both Of you
and hear each answer separately. Would
you oblige mo?''
with pleasure" said the French
man.
81 have already told you that you
may ask me any questions. said Mr..
e'Thank you'll Turni9g to the hall
boy, who, of course, had been taught
his part, ho continued, "Can we find a
room where we can talk privately for a
few minutes?"
eyes, sir; step this way" and the
boy led them toward the one where the
corpse lay.
"Mr. Mitchell said Mr.. Barnes,
will you wait few minutes? viii
not detain you long Mr. Mitchell bow
ed, and the Frenchman followed the de-
tectiyo into the room, the boy closing
the door after him. Nothing was to be
seen save the table bearing the body, the
doctors being hidden in room beyond.
Mr.. Barnes stopped near the corpse and
simply gazed steadfastly at Mr.. Thauret,
who in turn looked intently at the muir
dered woman. Not muscle moved to
show any agitation. Mr.. Barnes waited,
but apparently nothing was to happen.
Yet he was determined that the other
should speak first that he might draw
some deduction from his words. There
fore he maintained a stolid silence. Two
minutes passed, which seemed an age,
and then tho Frenchman gave tho de-
tective genuine surprise. Looking him
straight in the eyes he said in the coolest
tones imaginable:
Chow did you discover that l am
pnysician?"
''I don't understand you," said Mr..
Barnes, not knowing what the man was
aiming at
"Mr. Barnes, you brought me into
this room saying that you wished to ask
me a question. When l entered and saw
this corpse, knew at once that your
pretended questioning was but a subter-
fuge. l wondered why you brought me
in here, and while thinking it out l
kept silent. So have you. Very good.
A 7 . 10 = I,,s
having been murdered and knowing that
l am a physician, You wished an ex-
pert opinion in the case. l wondered
how you had discovered that l have
medical education, and so l asked you
the question. Do make myself plain?"
"Quite so" said the detective coJdly
and much disappointed my reply
must be that / did not know you to be a
physician, and that l did bring you in
here to ask a question.
"Indeed Then what is it?"
"Iwish you TO tell mo who this wom-
an is. "
"'You overrate my ability. 1 never
saw tho woman before. Is there any
thing more you wish to say|"
Nothing" "
"Then / will wish you good morn
ing" With polite bow and drawing
on his glove, Mr.. Thauret started to
leave the room. Mr.. Barnes quickly
stepped in front of him, determined
that no should not have a chance to
warn Mr.. Mitchell Opening the door.
he then let him pass, thus keeping his
| eyes on the two others. Mr.. Thauret
bowed formally to Mr.. Mitchell and
passed out Then the latter followed
Mr.. Barnes into the presence of the dead
woman. If Mr.. Thauret was undis-
turbed at the sight which met him, it
was not so with Mr.. Mitchell. He had
| scarcely observed what was before him
than, with an ejaculation Of horror, he
stepped closer to the corpse and ex-
| claimed:
my God, Mr. Barnes, what does
this meanF'
"What does what mean?" said Mr.
Barnes quietly.
The two men stared ut one another Il
few moments, when Mr.. Mitchell sud
denly lowering his eyes, said, I'm a
foolp' and once more turned TO look at
the corpse. Presently he turned and
said, with all Of his old time composure
"You said you wished to ask me a
question. What is it?"
Il wish you to tell mo who this
woman is. "
Was, 1 suppose you mean. She was
Rose Mitchell "
| 4 l.