The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-02-19


wants to see you"
''Send him up here" said WILDLY. Il
don't care to go down."
In a moment Col. Warrenton entered.
He was short, middle-aged man, with
a red face and iron-gray hair. He put
his silk hat on table and gave WILDLY
his hand.
81 was dumfounded by the news" he
said. I'VE are such good friends that
I waived all ceremony and came right
round"
I'm glad you did, old man." returned
WILDLY. "Sit down, and excuse me if
am not entertaining. The truth is, l
am badly broken up over this affair.
Something is wrong with me; am not
myself at ALL"
The visitors glance wandered aim
lessly about the room in the silence that
followed Whidby's remark. Then the
colonel said:
you need not tell me anything. l
have heard all about it from Capt.
Welsh. He and I have been intimate
friends for years. You have not asked
for my advice, but, l love you like
brother, and l don't want to see you run
your head into trouble for the lack of
lawyers opinion"
"Why do l need legal advice?" asked
WILDLY, nervously. "In what way? l
don't understand"
The lawyer drew his chair nearer TO
the young man, who was seated on the
lounge, and laid his hand on his knee.
"Of course it is absurd to think of
your being concerned in Strong's death,
Alfred" he began; "but am obliged,
through the force of habit, to look at
such affairs from a professional stand
point. l know you are innocent; but
innocent men have been hanged before
this, and | have seen men put on trial
for murder with less circumstantial
evidence against them than there is
against you"
WILDLY brushed back his disheveled
hair with quivering hand, and stared
at his friend.
"You mean that l may yet be ac-
cused?"
SIT all depends on Hendricks" the
colonel interrupted. "He is the bright
est man in his line in the world. If he
gets on the track of the real criminal,
you are all right, and not soul will
accuse you; but if his Investigations
should be confined to this house it might
grow very unpleasant for you. 1t
struck me that this view of the case
might not occur to you, and that is the
reason l am here. You see, it is well
that l came of my own accord, for if
you had sent for me it might have an
ugly look"
The young man rose and began to
walk to and fro across the room. 81 am
very much obliged" he sighed, 81
never dreamed of being suspected. Mat
thews said that after left the room
during the inquest something was
brought up about the blood stain on my
hand and uncles will; but that did not
trouble me-"
Col. Warrenton's glance followed his
friends form back and forth for mo-
ment: then he said:
Pardon me, my boy, but do you real
ly know if you got the blood on your
hand from the sheet, or from the por-
there? Is your memory clear on that
point?"
'No; l did not notice it till l started
to wash my hands. In fact, the detec-
tive called my attention to it. must
have been very much excited, or would
have noticed thing like that; but, old
man, my head is in such whirl that
l do not know what am saying. /
oversight, and feel as if l had been
drugged. Besides"-Whidby stopped
at the colonels side and put his hand on
his shoulder-"besides, to tell the truth,
something has come into my mind since
/ have been in this room-someth thing !
did not remember at the inquest. Per-
haps / ought to tell the police about it,
since / did not think of it when testi-
flying. AS | was lying down just be-
fore you came up, something flashed
into my mind like dream. seemed to
recall walking about my room and be-
ing half walked by stumbling over a
chair near my bed. I caught the chair
to steady myself, and half remember
that my shirt, which I had thrown on
the chair when I went to bed, fell on the
floor. 1t seems to me that picked UP
| the shirt and replaced it, and then went
back to bed. 1 know the shirt was on
| the chair when l walked this morning
but can't imagine what was doing up
in the night"
"Ah, that is indeed curious" said the
lawyer. thoughtfully. Can you re-
member passing the portiere, or touch
ing it with your hand?"
"No; l have told you all remember
''Was the chair between the portiere
and your bed?"
"Yes."
''Was the back or the front part Of
the chair towards the portiere?"
"The back"
"You are sure of that?"
Eyes; it is quite clear to me, though
1 can't explain why, that l ran against
the back of the chair"
"Then you were undoubtedly coming
from the direction of the portiere ant
going towards your bed?"