The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-19

johnson, when i 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
a very good reason. Dazed and dying,
he had selected the wrong bunSh OF
KEYS. / got the right one out of his
pocket and the key of that door was
ON it.
"And that's the great point of this
case. That door was locked-not
with Mr.. Davis key, for otherwise il
would not have been in his pocket.
There is but one other, and that be-
longs to-"
"Stalbridge" I exclaimed.
Correct, and beyond a doubt Stall
bridge is the murderer"
"My instinct told me 30. even when
L pencyed ausolu.NiJ .nat Knew him
10 be innocent"
"And now for the reason why de-
ceiyed you," continued the detective,
"At first / acted on general principles.
My theory propounded in this room
was intended TO deceive everybody.
Afterwards / acted for the sake of the
effect upon Stalbridge. did not know
him to be guilty. but i strongly sus-
pected him. i had heard of his stop
ping you and taking you for a walk.
If he had anything to say, why didn't
he bring you up hereP Or take you
into one of the rooms Of the Union
Lines? 1t was fair TO guess that he
wanted to keep you out of the way.
"At last you forced him back to tho
scene of his crime. What must have
been his surprise and horror at find
ing that his victim still livedl But
soon he saw that it was TO be his own
salvation.
"The closing door, the wound in the
heart-everything seemed to indicate
that the crime wns but just done.
Then he could. prove an alibi through
you.
Instantly the desire to convict Nor
man seized upon him. He was Nor
mans rival for Miss Davis hand,
and had worked in that cause as well
as for money in getting your uncle into
his power. 1t was in my favor that
he should plot TO convict Norman, for
he was more likely to be led INTO an
keep him at it was to satisfy himself
of bis own safety to make him
over-conhdent. For that reason /
worked upon you. He would not
have believed me, but he put faith
in what came to him through you.
He knew you to be his bitter enemy,
and nothing could sustain him SO much
as your confidence In his innocence.
Meanwhile hid Norman more or
less under suspicion. knew that lie
had been here, though WINS not aware
that Stalbridge was present ut the
same time. You forced that out of
Stalbridge and also the very valuable
and singular alibi for Norman"
"How about the Italian?"
He was saved by my water clock,
He could account for himself up TO
the time when ne entered this building
and that time was absolutely known.
It was three minutes before eleven.
The crime was committed five minutes
earlier. Judge. then, of my satisSac-
tion when you remembered seeing An
tonelli. Stalbridge was with you at
that time. He had just appeared.
He had time to leave the scene of the
crime, to leave the building by the
side door, to see you approaching, and
to stop you in order that you might not
find the body.
ITO Stalbridge. then, all clcws lead.
He will be here presently and you
shall sec how he faces the accusation"
"Is he under srrest?"
"No; but he IL shadowed. He will
be arrested IL he does not keep the ap-
pointment which he has with rue here,
He Is overdue"
johnson glanced at his watch and
then stepped to the door: saw him
start. His face suddenly flushed.
''Come here" no cried.
A slender young man In rather shah
by dress stepped quickly TO the door.
Where's StalbridgeT he gasped, as
he glanced into the room.
"He hasn't been here" returned
johnson. by heavens, Mack, you've
lost himi"
"Not on your life. ] shadowed him
TO this room"
"He did not come in. The man has
escape. He got onto you and took
the alarm"
Mack, the shadow, struck his fore
head with his right hand.
"Is II possible that he got in there?''
he said, and then he pointed to the door