Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-26

the waste of snow to where in the dis
lance the trees that frontcd The Grange
met his eye. Should he, he wondered,
fathom the mystery of the midnight
murder within that dwelling, whose
|snokeleas chimneys stood out black
against the wintry sky?
Breakfast, with it's steaming coffee,
its crisp toast, savory bacon and new
laid Egg over, and Darrent felt anoth-
er man, ready to commence his investi-
cations, TO piece together every tiny
scrap, every minute fragment, until
the whole puzzle was complete, the
mystery solved, Josiah Marsden avenged
and Justice satisfied.
Mine host, who waited upon the
stranger from Chicago himself, was of
a communicative turn of mind. Oh,
yes, he knew the Marsdens, father and
son-at least they called him son-well
enough. Josiah Marsden was n strange
sort of fellow seemed to have no
friends and no enemies. Visitors to The
Grange were very rare indeed. Marsden
kept himself to himself and never assoc
ciated with the inhabitants of Nor
connie; went over to Barnstaple once
or twice a year. He rarely had any let
tiers. Now and again one with a foreign
pOstmark. so the village postinan told
him, would come, or maybe he would
have a French newspaper or a chess
magazine. Young Marsdcn-ah, he was
always n nice, atfable young gent, he
wasl Many's the bottle he'd had in the
room where they were now, and many
more bottles he hoped to open for him.
Yes, Astray Marsden staid there at the
Palace on the night of the murder, and
in the morning, after Dobson had called
and seen him, he left for Barnstaple.
"Bless your heart, sir" said mine
host as Darrent buttoned up his coat
and prepared to start for The Grange,
"there are some people who suspect
Astray of the murder, but they might
just as well suspect me, sir-iust as
we'll"
The irritating church clock chimed
the hour of 0 as Darrent reached the
gates of The Grange and found await
ing him, erect as n soldier on parade,
the patrolman he had seen the previous
night.
Good morning. l am glad to find
you are punctual'
"Good morning, sir.
"Any message from Mr.. Dobson ?"
"Ho hoped You would call upon him
again this morning.
Fright. Have YOU the keys?'.
eyes, sir, answered the policeman,
unlocking the gate as he spoke.
Il suppose you didn't see the ghost
who committed the MURDER" Darrent
hazarded, with a smile.
"Ghostl' laughed the young officer.
"Not much. There's no ghosts in Nor
/, combe. I've heard the fairy stories
about ghosts and The Grange being
haunted, but l don't believe any such
nonsense. sir"
"Indeed!'
"No, sir, not a bit of it. There wa:
flesh and blood on this job, sir, and I
looks like IA case of revenge
what makes you think that?'
"Well, sir, as far as we can max
' out, nothing in the house has been dis
turbed and no robbery committed
well, leu : etJ iIlNl'tc'
> The policeman unlocked the heav'
E door and pushed it open.
: Now, go slowly, said Darrent a
they entered, land tell me all you know
about the building,
The door banged after them, and tn
, dull echo of the sound r~everberate,
J, through the house.
!. The entrance hall gave access t
' rooms on either hand, and the police
f man, unlocking and opening a door o.
the right, stood on one side for Barren
to enter.
The room, which was at the back Q
= the house and evidently the library
was a large and lofty apartment panele
~ III dark oak, and the old fashioned fun
niture matched the decoratiOn-soli
+ armchairs with deep seats and sun
backs and a massive oblong table. Tn
walls We're lined with bookcases, bu
V they We're evidently very rarely opened
for Darrent noticed how thickly tn
dust lay in all the crevices where tn
glass doors shut. He walked slowl
round the room. Two sides We're CT
Il tirely taken mp by the bookshelve'
4 while at the two others We're the fire
place and Il broad window. The chin
IS ney piece, with its high mantel i
carved oak, had a couple of coy corn(
seats, one on each side. The window
+ which was opposite the fireplace, con
manded a magnificent view OF the di'
"A tant snow covered country for mile
and the windings Of IA river, its froze
surface glistening in the sunlight. Som
dozen skaters We're gliding over tn
20 splendid ice, and Darrent, after watcl
ing them for a moment, turned with
~ sigh from the scene. He could not "
afford time for indulging in an exhil,