Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-01-24
CHAPTER VI.

CHAPTER VI
# Hendricks went back to his chair be-
|Dkide Mr. Meynell, who seemed to be
waiting for him.
The coroner glanced at sheet Of pa
5per on which he had written the names
@bf the witnesses. -
81 think I have called them all ex-
scept the son of the old man, said he.
Just then they heard groan from
Ralph Benton and saw him clutching
#|ht the mantelpiece. A china cup and
saucer fell to the hearth with crash,
:,nd the young man sank slowly TO the
floor, face downward.
ooh, he has faintedp' cried his Sis
liter, and she ran to him and tried in
vain to raise him up Montcastle Sc
cured a pillow from the sofa and put it
under the young mans head. Hendricks
sprang up to get some water, and find
ling the jug on the table empty he ran
into the next room. There he filed
glass from water cooler and brought
Eiit back As he entered Ralph was re-
MI viving. The young man opened his
eyes, smiled family, drank little OF
the water held to his lips by his excited
sister and then drowsily closed his eyes.
lis he subject to fainting attacks?'
Ny asked Hendricks.
"He used to have them when he was
Ia child" answered Miss Benton. "Oh,
NJ II don't know what to do! 1t is all so
MI awful My poor father is dead. and if
brother were to die 1 don't know what
/ should do. Call Wilson and Jarnagin. .
She looked up at Montcastle. HE
must be removed to his room. 1t has
NH all been too much for him. | hope it
will soon be over" She was looking at
Hendricks. ''SuTely you won't keep us
here much longer?'
"Will his testimony be necessarily
asked the coroner, touching the detect
i've on the arm.
"Why, not at ALL said Hendricks.
"You won't find out anything else
from the family and household. We
must look outside. my friend, outside. -
"Thank you,'' said Miss Benton,
/. holding a bottle of smelling salts to her
NJ brothers. nostrils and rubbing his fore
MI head tenderly. Wilson and Jarnagin
VI approached. They raised the young
man between them and bore him from
the room. They were followed by the
Mother witnesses, and Hendricks, the
coroner and the jury were left alone in
NJ the library. A verdict was soon rem
II dered. 1t read as follows:
N eve find that Jacob Benton met his
death from shot fired by an unknown
Nj person.
N AS the jury were retiring Hendricks
/. turned to Mr.. Meynell.
"What were the contents of the dead
NJ mans pockets?' he asked.
The coroner opened a brown paper
parcel on tho table. It contained note
book, purse of $40, penknife, a lead
pencil and watch and chain.
Looks as if nothing were taken, "
said the detective tentatively.
"No; robbery was not the motive
evidently, Mr. Hendricks. You can
safely bank on that. -
Hendricks nodded thoughtfully.
ST should like to keep these things
along with the revolver if you have no
objection, said he "They may sug-
gest an idea for operation. For the
present am at sea in very poor craft. :"
Mystery to me" said the coroner.
"By the way, presume 1 did right in
letting the undertaken look after the
body. I see they are bringing it round
to the drawing room. %
Perfectly right, % replied the detect
i've. "Oh, I say, Meynell!' as the
coroner was turning away. 81 presume
we have seen all the people who usual
" live in the house, haven't we?''
''Well, no, not exactly" replied the
coroner "There is q Mr.. Brooks Allen,
an elderly man, who has been for years
associated with Mr.. Jacob Benton in
his scientific work. / was told by the
chief of police that he lives here about
N half his time, though he has not been
N in East Orange for week or so.
Hendricks pulled his beard reflective
ly.
''There is one other thing he said.
I'D like to have the clothes in which
old Benton was found. Please have
them done up carefully for me. I may
+ have a use for them
EASY enough answered the coro-
ner. "I'll speak to the undertaken about
them at once. I wish you luck, Mr.
Hendricks. I'm sure you are the right
man to throw light on the mystery
LAS you go out said Hendricks,
n frowning down the compliment, "please
II Eend that coachman to me. I'll wait
here
LII q Au1uuto cdIudSlu SutOISu IT'LL
bricks smiled at him reassuringly.
Thought you might help me little,
H Jarnagin," he began. "Hold your
/ tongue, and I'll see that you don t lose
anything by it,
81 am the sort that can do it, sir, -
said the coachman, already at his ease.
ST know that, Jarnagin,' said the
detective, throwing himself into an
easy chair and biting the end of cigar.