The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-15

ahots?"
ibid you fire twice." asked Ralph.
1--WE heard only one. II was at exactly
25 minutes after TO-"
"AhI" calculated the adept impul-
sively, and then, with equal impulsive-
ness, augmented by innate modesty, he
put his hand to his mouth and relapsed
into silence.
"At 30 minutes after TO-" said Hen
bricks, II fired the revolver you found
near your father. You did not hear it.
At 20 minutes past 10 fred lsimultane-
Ously that revolver and another-a 3S
caliber weapon. Those shots, it seems,
you heard"
Ralph looked mystified.
~ can't understand what you did
that for" he said. II presume you are
trying to prove that some one shot my
father, but the more l think about it
the less agree with you. You see. l
know his handwriting. If you think the
note he wrote was forgery, you are
wrong. No one could initiate his hand
writing. It's true read it only by the
light Of match that night, but the
next morning examined it closely"
"You don't understand what am
trying to prove" said Hendricks. II
don't dispute that your father wrote it.
He probably went out with the deter
mination to shoot himself. 1t was re-
markable coincidence, but I have evil
denoe that some one was hidden under
his bed that night between o'clock
and the time he went into his labora-
tory"
"You think thats" cried Ralph aston.
ished.
II am sure of it,"
"How could you be sure Of such
thingi"
"The chambermaid who attended to
your fathers room," explained the de-
tective, chad not been giving much care
to it. Perhaps it was because, during
the stay Of your guests, she had too
many other duties to perform. Any
way she failed to sweep under his bed.
and the dust accumulated. I first no.
ticed spot on the floor where some one
had lain and then detected the odor Of
chloroform. This called for close ex-
animation. found that chloroform had
been spilled on the floor under the bed
and been wiped up with a cloth or
handkerchief saturated with the fluid.
This led me to believe that somebody
had been hidden there, waiting for an
opportunity to apply the drug to your
Fothar'c noctrilc hon bo fall oo1oop
But your father did not go to bed, as
we know. He went from his room into
the laboratory and thence down into
the garden.
"You believe" put in Ralph excit-
eddy. that the person under the bed
followed him?'
Eyes, and shot him with revolver
he had brought along for his own de-
tense in case Of being surprised. Your
father could not have shot himself
without leaving some powder mark on
his person ar clothing. These indica-
tons I found missing on the morning
Of the inquest Moreover, here is addi-
tionul proof Of my theory"
From his pocket Hendricks produced
piece Of lead
THAT, he explained, twas once the
ball of SS caliber cartridge. 1t was
fattened in striking your father's skull.
1t passed through and lodged in the
brain. The undertaken and medical
expert secured 1t for me the day Of the
inquest. The revolver you found near
your father carried SO caliber ball."
But" protested Ralph, Zone of the
chambers Of my fathers revolver was
empty"
Hendricks produced bullet almost
perfect in shape, except that the sharp
end was fisttened slightly.
II found this" he said, Embedded
in the soft, rotten wood of the old sum-
mer house, 40 yards from where your
father fell. "
''Then you hold that he fred at his
assailant," exclaimed Ralph, land that
I did not hear it because it was the
smaller weapon of the two. I begin to
see.'
"They fired at each other simultane-
ously," answered the detective, "or so
nearly at the same instant that the two
reports blended into one."
Ralph hung his head refectively.
1T was the increased volume of |
sound that caused him to hear it,, put
in DR.. Lampkin.
Exactly" replied Hendricks.
"Have you any olew to the guilty
persona" asked Ralph.
Hendricks stroked his beard thought
fully for moment, t,aon-said:
"There is little matter which you
can help me in if You are SO disposed.
II am subject to your ORDERS" re-
turned Ralph. ITO what do you refer?"
Hendricks looked into the house.
Suppose we 60 back into the Ii
brary," he suggested. "Kola, shall
leave you with Mr. Stanwood. Tell him
how your people climb string and
disappear in the clouds. Come on, doc