The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-10-27

sits complicated, simple as 1t seems.
You see, the motive was scarcely rob-
berry, as the packet was found there
afterward. I'll be plain with you: II
it was not your husband it was some
one within this house, and there's no
clew so far Having nothing to go
upon Pm going to concoct something.
You must he patient and give me
time"
She did try, but shan't forget her
face when, an hour or so later, she
came to tell me that her husband had
been committed on the coroner's war
rant. 1 had plan in my head by
that time, but ! felt certain, il nothing
came of it, there was not much chance
for Leo Markhouse.
About 8 o'clock that evening the
drawing room at the Wimbledon
house presented rather q dramatic
sight. All the household, from Sill
verley down to the scullery maid, had
filed in there at my request and formed
gaping, excited group. When, after
giving them plenty of time for whis-
pering, walked in, carrying black
bag, you could have heard pin fall.
'All here?" began, very impress
sively. VERY good" A queer pause.
"Now, l wish to tell you all something.
Up ii two hours ago, I confess,
could find no possible loophole in the
net that at this moment surrounds Mr..
Leo Markhouse. / have called you
all here to tell you that now fancy
there may be one" Another breath
less pause, as / fetched out square
of cardboard. "All hangs upon this"
1 said, "h photograph of the deceased
gentleman's eyes, taken after death.
Two hours back 1 made the acciden-
tai discovery that there was in those
eyes the indelible reflection Of face,
face all but recognizable at sight,
and then L remembered something
BY tomorrow morning, il there is any
basis for the well-known scientific
theory that the eyes of person meet
ing death by foul play often catch and
retain likeness of the assassin's
features, we may be in possession of
the truth. is this the face of Mr. Leo
Markhouse? am not at all certain
of it; am going straight away now
to have this snap shot of mine enlarged
tenfold and then In the meantime,
j will ask you not to let the matter go
beyond the house"
A shiver and then craning of pale
faces to catch glimpse of the photo
graph, but 1 was gone before they
could fully grasp what 1 said. L had
motioned to Kate, and she followed
me to the hall door like one cropping
in dream.
"Will you will you save me?"
I recollect her whispering. "You
have discovered this, you suspect some
one, and yet you warn them all. You
it is falsel Show me that photo
graph, or shall scream outp'
"Shl you're too sensible" said.
"The photograph! 1t lisa blank card;
seel Mrs. Markhouse, I've simply
played a card don't possess, that's
all. Time is precious. Now, listen.
They think I'm off to town; you will
let me in by the drawing room window
in ten minutes from now. Goodby.
First train in the morning" / added,
loudly, and the big door changed.
-Four hours later, when everything
was quiet, heard someone creeping
along the passage leading from the
servants quarters and up the stairs.
/ had been waiting in the drawing
room; / was out in jiffy. A man
yes, he was standing at the top of the
fight, as if afraid to go on. L had
him! Up crept. He went straight
along to that room and tried the han
die. When it gave he jumped back
and almost saw me. Another second
then in he went. / heard him
striking match. was there. He
had lit a candle and was turning this
way and that drawn, white face that
bore the marks of the four hours sus-
pense. 1t was Silverley, for years the
valet of the man lying behind those
white hangings, and it seemed that
my bit of bluff was going to have re-
suits. Holding the candle high, he
drew back the hangings and stared
hard at the poor old gentleman's eyes.
They were closed, of course, and
would never open again. He had
waited four hours in fever for moth
ing at all.
A click behind him did the rest.
was pulling the door to, and he sprang
across in fair frenzy--just too late.
managed to lock it on the outside,
and his nerves weren't proof against
that second shock. He gave sort Of
choking scream, and then all was
quiet. Down / ran and woke one of
the servants. However, when we
opened that door there was no need
to use force or even to ask questions.
He was on his knees there and gasped
out the truth on the spot.
T-I did in it self-defence! Let me-
out-only let me out! They'll never
hang me-they couldn'tl You think!
1t was all quiet in there. ran
through the drawing room and along
the balcony, and he was sitting with
his head down SO, and the packet was
lying there-anyone's property! II
Thought he was in a fit and found nv