The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-10-29
CHAPTER iii.

LII. Ldmpkln ana hendricks turn
cd round the house, taking the walk Il
the left. AS they were passing tn,
drawing room windows Hendricks
glanced in.
Il see another young lady and two
young men in there" he said; "mem
bers of the house party, no doubt"
Shall you search the house?' asked
Lampkin.
I'D begin there first if it were moi
Tor disappointing the police. They think
you don't know your business if you
don't address your first inquiries to the
corpse.
II think should begin at the house,
too" said Lampkin.
why, old man?''
II don't like the looks of that fellow
Montcastle. -
Hendricks said nothing.
1t looks TO me as if there were some
sort Of secret understanding between
him and this Miss Benton" the doctor
went on, watching Hendricks mex
pressive face.
The detective stopped Suddenly,
turned and surveyed the building from
the side, his sharp gray eyes fixed now
on the windows, again ON the doors.
"Oh, beg pardon'' he said lyon were
saying that Montcastle-yes, he started
out to catch the 1880 train for New
York, but for some reason or other de-
oided not to leave"
"'Are you sure of that?" asked Lamp
KIN excitedly.
As sure as I can be of any of my de-
ductions, (" replied the detective, allow
ing his glance to rove down into the
garden, where, at the end of the north
walk, he could see policeman on
guard
How can you be so devilish accu-
rate?" asked the doctor.
Hendricks smiled. He drew the note
book from his pocket, opened it and
took out the newspaper clipping.
Its time table," he said "You
see. pencil mark has been drawn here
At the 1880 train. That shows why the
clipping was preserved. know it came
from an afternoon paper because the
schedule was changed yesterday. From
the ragged edge of the paper, can see
that it was half cut, half torn, from
newspaper by an excited person in q
deuce Of hurry. From the way it had
been crammed into the book all in a
W6d and from the fact that the light Of
the electric lamp at the corner would
reach to the spot where we found the
book judge it was consulted again
nfter the cab started and that it slip
red from the hands of the owner"
s'Unnoticed by him?" asked Lamp
kin.
Perhaps he knew it and was in too
great q hurry to stop to regain it, You
know Montcastle said, as if it were on
the tip of his tongue, that it contained
nothing of Importance. That looks as If
be had since he lost it calculated on
The consequences of its being found"
But why didn't he pick it up later?''
might have been afraid the place
was watched. r.
A door leading to the back veranda
was opened.
"ShP' said Hendricks, covertly slid
ing the book into the pocket of his coat.
Ralph Benton came down the steps
and slowly approached them.
Mr.. Minard Hendricks, olieve,"
he began. II am Ralph Benton. My
ulster told me you had conre. If there
IL anything, Mr.. Hendricl s, that / can
10 to help you, ehall be only too will
ing. / want this thing run to the
oround Robbery was evidently not the
motive. and If my father had an
onemy"-
''Has an exa,sination been made to
how that your father was not robbed?"
DR.. Lampkin saw the young man
start. For fully 80 seconds he stared at
Hendricks with wavering expression
"a the eye without replying, and then
be said awkwardly:
II don't know--that is-I--I only
thought it did not look that way You
zee, my fathers valuables are always
kept in the safe in his laboratory.
Men have been killed for very small
amounts. said Hendricks, still study
ing the young mans face. eff no exam
nation has yet been made, it would be
Impossible to say that robbery was not
tho motive. Who was first ON the
scone?"
''Mr. stapwood, guest of the
house. /"
Lampkin saw strange, baffled ex-
preston cross the face Of the detective.