The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-07-28
COPYRIGHT. 1907 ey o.p pu1MAr5 SONS.

| Certainly"
Every good. If you do, you will recol-
lect that tho squire said that my father
kept Marvels pistol. Now, what has
become Of that weapon
Mr.. Barnes saw at once the value of
this, and it had certainly not occurred
to him. He was thankful for this con :
versation.
"We have not looked for it" be re.
piled.
"You may not have done so. but I
have searched everywhere. and it is not
to be found"
perhaps the squire may have it,"
II have asked him, and he assures
me that my father would not part with
the evidence of the assault which had
been made on him. More than that, the
squire told me that he kept it locked in
drawer in the parlor."
"How, then, could Marvel have OBJ
tanned it,"
! ''My idea is this I think that after
his interview with Miss Lewis across
the river Marvel, as he admits, came to
the farm. l think he sought an inter
view with my father; that they quar-
relied, and that my father took up tho
pistol, whereupon Marvel got it away
from him and shot him."
Mr.. Barnes shook his head. "Therc
is no sign of struggle. Besides, if that
is tho truth, how could your father have
written the name of Walter Marvel Oh
the slip Of paper?"
Lewis thought minute and then re-
piled:
II have it. When my father heard
the barking Of the dog outside, he took
Marvel's pistol and fred at the man
whom he saw there. At the same mo.
ment bullet struck him. This was
either from Lucas pistol or else was
the shot fred by Miss Marvel from the
summer house, as she declared. Then,
when Marvel came, the weapon may
have been on the table right at hand,
for as father was wounded he would
scarcely have thought of locking up the
weapon again. As for the writing, that
may be as Miss Lewis guessed. My
father thought Marvel had fired the first
shot and so wrote lire to that effect,
not realizing to what extent ho had
been wounded. "
But what about the empty shell in
Miss Lewis wcaron:"
Perhaps her first statement was cor
rect, and she had previously fired it, or,
again, my father may have fired it at
Marvel in self defense"
A silence followed, and Mr.. Barnes
did not speak for several minutes, dur
ing which time he was thinking deeply.
At last, however, he said
"You are right; it is Of Importance
to find this missing pistol. But where
can we look for it? That is the ques.
tion."
~ think can guess that. too" said
tho other eagerlv-a little too eagerly,
thought Mr.. Barnes-al although he re-
hected that when a novice is working
out mystery Of great crime he is
usually impetuous Lewis continued:
Marvel himself described his move.
ments on leaving the farm. First he !
went home; then, making bundle Of
his wet clothes, no threw them into the
river, and, lastly, he went to his old |
house in Epping. Now, either he threw !
the pistol in the river. or else, remem-
bering that IL has his name on it, as |
young Harrison testified, ho was shrewd |
enough to take it with him and hide it |
in the Eppng place" !
"Your reasoning is very good, and it
may be as well for me to 60 to Epping
in the morning"
DO so, and while you are gone
will have the river dragged, in the hope
Of recovering the clothing'
Mr.. Barnes stopped, looked at Lewis
q moment; then slowly and distinctly
he said:
"Mr. Lewis, would prefer that you
60 with me to Epping."
Oh, said Lewis quickly, II should
like that, but l thought you detectives
preferred to work alono."
ave do, as a rule, but will make
an exception in this CASE" returned
Mr.. Barnes dryly. (!
BY this time they had reached River
side, and both at once retired to rest.
Mr.. Barnes awoko early and called
Lewis, who was still abed when he on
tered his room, and together they went
to Squire Olney's house, where Mr.
Barnes explained that something had
turned up which would prevent his ac-
companying him to Dover. With Lewis,
ho then FASTENED to the depot, where ho
was just In time to catch the train
which passed at 6:30 and getting
aboard they reached Epping few min
utes before Z clock.
After a little time spent in inquiries
Mr.. Barnes learned the locality of tho
house of which ho was in search and at
once repaired thither. Arrived at the
place. which was about mile beyond
the moro dcnSely built portion of tho
town. he found it to be, as described, in
a terribly dilapiduted condition. and.
recessed considerably from the road, it
was almost hidden amid an overgrowth
of trees and shrubEery. Without any
hesitation the two men entered tho
place, but scarcely had they crossed the
threshold Of the door when Mr. Barnes
uttered an exclamation of astonishmcnt,
for there in front of him stood Tom Bur.
rows examining pistol which he held
in his hand.
CHAPTER KILL
THE STATION AGENTS CLEw.
Tom Burrows had naturally taken no
active part i'll the cOroncr's inquest. He
I,,t ~ t,, Nv llnr,Dp n,l