Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-08-18
From Clue to Climax.
BY WILL e. HARDEN.
copyright 1896, by J. B. Llppincott Col
CHAPTER XII.-CoNT1NUED.


Then you could not tell whether
he hdd knife in his hand when he got
up on the fatal night or not?" asked
Hendricks.
"Ah! No. I was a fool not to think
of that; but l could not watch every
thing. One has to concentrate his mind
on single idea to hypnotic success
fully"
"Quite right, doctor; but, having my
eyes well open last night, though |
did have to look through slit in that
screen over there, observed that Mr.
WILDLY, before getting up, seemed to
be trying to push something away from
him. 1t was knife the murderer was
trying to give him. And finally when
Mr.. WILDLY did get out of bed his hand
was not closed"
"Ah! 1 see" cried DIR. Lampkin. 81
was very stupid"
''Not at all" returned the detective,
with a laugh. 81 make great many
mistakes, and sometimes my mistakes
help me to get on the right track in
the end That was one point you
missed. Here is the other. Come over
to this window. Do you see anything
unusual here?"
81 examined it early this morning, :"
broke in Col. Warrenton, putting on his
eyeglasses, "but to save my life l could
not guess what you were looking at
last night"
The detective put his finger on the
window-sill.
Don't you see that little cracl5?"
PLAINLY now," said DIR. Lampkin;
"but it means nothing to me-"
Hendricks looked around at the circle
of faces.
after failing to put the knife into
Mr.. Whidby's hand the murderer stuck
tia big one it was, too-right here,
with the handle up; then he stood away
and tried to make Mr.. WILDLY go to
it and take it, He failed three times.
You remember how Mr. WILDLY would
slowly draw near the window and then
go back? Well, that is the explanation.
The hypnotist could not control his
subject sufficiently. What did he do
next? He made Mr.. WILDLY sit on
the side of the bed, just as he did last
night, you know, for about ten min
utes. Then he took the knife himself
hastily, perhaps angrily, foryou notice
the wood is splintered a little. If he
had been perfectly cool lie would have
drawn it out carefully. He was vexed
over his failure to control Mr.. WILDLY
His next move was to hypnotic Mr.
Strong into merry mood, and then
he committed the deed.
''What did he do after that? To me
it is as plain as the nose on a mans
face, for / made thorough examina.
ton of that corner last night. He stood
there with his dripping knife in his
hand, and succeeded in controlling Mr.
WILDLY to the extent of making him
go into the other room. He made him
touch the murdered mans throat and
return to bed, His plan was to make
Mr.. WILDLY sleep till he was found
next morning with signs of guilt on
him. But, as you know, the cook, who
usually called the two men in the morn
ing, was absent. Mr.. WILDLY slept til
late, walked Of his own accord, anC
summoned the police with such an ap
pearance of innocence that he was mo-
arrested"
I'VE are delighted, and very grateful
to you, Mr. Hendricks" said Col War
renton, when the detective had con
eluded. I'm sure it has taken a load of
the minds Of this young couple"
Il can only say that 1 am so happy
I cannot express my feelings on tn,
subject, - said Miss Delmar. She blusheC
as she caught Whidby's arm, and they
walked from the room.
Hendricks found them in the librarl
a few minutes later, Col. Warrenton anC
Dr. Lampkin having left the house.
Il have explained all this for a pur
pose, Mr.. WILDLY" said he. "As rule