Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-05


the professor, was there, and also MIR.
Sexton and two or three other students
of the Rusk Medical college. Simon
Hopper, the detective, had also come at
the invitation of Ben Rice, who seemed
to be acting as sort of master of cere-
monies. Rice appeared to be in excel
lent spirits this evening, and the quaint
half smile that always fingered about
his mouth seemed to tremble toward
laugh more than once.
Just when they had got about settled
and ready to listen to the professor
Rice was called out Of the room for a
moment. A gentleman wanted to see
him at the door. He returned in few
minutes. remark;ng that friend had
called for him, but he had excused him
self on the ground of having an engage
ment.
Professor Gilman sat in an armchair
near a small writing table. He was
talking to Josephine Maxwell and idly
rapping his left hand thumb nail with
a long lead pencil held between the
thumb and forefnger of his right hand
Rice took a seat over against the
partition wall between the professors
room and his own and, fitting his chair
back, prepared to listen. Conversation
among the others stopped, and Professor
Gilman voice was heard saying:
1.-THE periods of certain variable stars
make it probable that
Noting the silence, he stopped and
said: "The company seems to be ready
to hear about my theory; so, if you will
excuse me, Miss Josephine, I will con-
tinue what 1 began to tell you about
the so called star of Bethlehem some
other time. -
Shifting his position a little in his
chair, Professor Gilman began:
"I have it in mind to say, by way OF
preface that in the exposition of my
theory I may make two or three seem
ingly startling statements. I would
caution you, however, not to jump too
hastily to the conclusions they may
seem to point to lest you fall into error
and for the time at least cause your
suspicious to rest in the wrong quarter
You would better suspend judgment
until have finished.
The assembled company looked a lit
tie mystifed, but no one said anything
81 will add, by way of further pref
ace," continued the professor, "that all
the facts assumed by my theory may
not prove to be just as I hope and ex-
pect them to. 1t is an easy matter to
overlook some circumstance that might
have a more or less important bearing
on the case. Especially may this be
likely considering the quite limited
time and attention that have been de-
voted to this matter bSme. However,
you all understand this no doubt and
will not attempt to make fun of the old
professor" his gaze swept the faces OF
the half dozen medical students, and the
wintry smile played about his lips-"lf
he falls into error now and then. -
Professor Gilman paused moment
and then began: perhaps we may as
well take up the question of the student
named Mutt and try to trace his con-
nection with the disappearance of Da-
mon.
"Mr. Mutt states-or so I am told;
have had no talk with him-that he
spent the Wednesday night in question
with friend at the Lincoln hotel. This
friend, it appears, left for Mexico on
the following day, and Mutt, rather
singularly. is unable to remember the
name of his destination; hence it is inn
possible to communicate with this man
and through him possibly establish an
alibi for Mutt We merely have Mr..
Nuts unsupported word here, and SO
far as evidence is concerned it would
have to be regarded as worthless In any
event. But here comes our friend Mr.
Hopper tonight with the statement that
the police authorities have discovered
that his story about spending the even
ing with his friend is myth-a fabrl-
cation pure and simple. The police au-
thorities have been able to learn what
Mutt was unable to remember-the des-
tination of the man named Mason. He
has been communicated with and de-
MES that Mutt was with him that night.
He knows Mutt, and saw him that day,
but it was before 6 o'clock in the even
ing.
"I mention this discovery by the po-
lice because you may be interested IN
it, not because it is important in estab-
fishing the theory hold. / was con-
vinced, as indeed were the police, that
if Mutt was at the Lincoln House at all
that night it was for only short time
Like the police, I fully credited the
story told by the student named Wy
man. He says he saw Mutt in company
with Damon ascend the steps to the
vacant house at 430 Taylor street at
about $50 p. m. Wednesday. He knew
both young men well. He was quite
near them and is certain that it was
they whom he saw. 1t seems quite clear
therefore that Mutt entered the vacant
house that night, and that when the
door closed behind him it also closed
upon Damon.
81 may say. however, that it matters
not a rap to my theory whether Mr..
Mutt was at 430 Taylor street that
night or Thousand miles from there. "
And the wint1y smile played about Pro-
fessor Gilman's lips.
Some of those present looked aston
ished, particularly Simon Hopper, the
detective, but Rice and the other stu
dents only looked curious.
81 perceive by the look on Mr.. Hop
,or,, f,,a rarDmaJ tho r,rnfassor