Evening star., 1899-03-18

Knapp shrugged his shoulders. He was
very well satisfied with himself.
Ihen give me chance" prayed Sweet
water tMr. Fenton." he urged more ear
nestly, II am not the fool you take me for.
I feel. know, have genius for this kind
of thing, and though am not prepossessing
to look at and though do play the fiddle, 1
swear there are depths to this affair which
none of you have as yet sounded. Sirs,
where are the $3.50 in bills which go to
make up the clean thousand that was taken
from the small drawer at the back Of
Agatha Webb's cupboard?"
They are in some secret hiding place, no
doubt, which we will presently come upon
as we go through the house, answered
"Umph! Then I advise you to put your
hand on them as soon as possible" retorted
Sweetwater. 81 will confine myself to go
ing over the ground you have already in
vesdgated" And with a sudden ignoring
of the others presence, which could only
have sprung from an intense egotism or
from an overwhelming belief in his own
theory, he began an investigation of the
room that threw the others more common
place efforts entirely in the shade.
Knapp, with slight compression of his
lips, which was the sole expression of anger
he never allowed himself, took up his hat
and made his bow to Mr.. Fenton.
Il see,' said he, that the sympathy of
those present is with local talent. Let local
talent work, then, sir, and when you want
me send to the tavern on the docks, whore
services are no longer required"
mo, nor protested Mr.. Fenton. "This
boys enthusiasm will soon evaporate. Let
him fuss away If he will. His petty busi-
ness need not interrupt u.s."
But he understands himself" whispered
Knapp. II should think he had been on
our own force for years"
All the more reason to see what he's up
to. Wait, if only to satisfy your curiosity.
1 shan't let many minutes go by before
pull him up.''
Knapp, who was really of a cold and un-
impressionable temperament, refrained
from further argument, and confined him
self to watching the young man, whose
movements seemed to fascinate him.
astonishing" Mr.. Fenton heard him
mutter to himself. Hes more like an eel
than a man. And indeed the way Sweet
water wound himself out and in through
that room, seeing everything and examining
everything that came under his eye was "a
sight well worth any professionals atten-
ton. Pausing before the dead man on the
floor, he held the lantern close to the white,
worn face. 'Ha.' said he, picking some
thing from the long beard, Here's crumb
of that same bread. Did you see that, Mr..
Knapp"
The question was so sudden and so sharp
that the detective came near replying to it;
but he bethought himself, and said moth
ing.
THAT settles which of the two gnawed
the loaf" continued Sweetwater
The next minute he was lowering over
the sun more pathetic hgure OF John, sit
ting in the chair.
Sad Sadr' he murmured
Suddenly he laid his finger on a small
rent In the old mans faded vest. You
saw this. of course said he. with quick
glance over his shoulder at the silent de-
tective-
No answer, as before.
It's new SLIT" declared the officious
youth, looking closer, "and-yes-there'
blood on it's edges. Here, take the lantern,
EpntOn- | looks
underneath. Oh, gentlemen, no shirt. The
poorest dockhand has a shirt! Brocaded
vest and no shirt; but he don't want my
pity, not now. All, only brufse over the
heart. Sirs, what did you make out of
this?"
AS none of them had even seen 1t, Knapp
was not the only one to remain silent.
Shall tell you what make out of it.
said the lad, rising hurriedly from the floor,
which he had as hurried1y examined This
old man has tried to take his life with the
dagger already wet with the blood of
Agatha Webb. But his arm was too feeble.
The point only pierced the vest, wfping off
little blood in It's passage, then the
weapon fell from his hand and struck the
floor, as you will see by the fresh dent in
the old board 1 am standing on. Have you
anything to say against that?
Again the detective opened his lips and
might have spoken, but Sweetwater gave
him no chance.
'Where is the letter he was writing?" he
paper lying about here?'
He was not writing" objected Knapp;
che WAS reading; reading In that old Bible
you see there
over and laid it down, with that same
curious twinkle of his eye they had noted
in him before.
HE was writing" he insisted. "See,
here is his pencil And he showed them
the battered end of a small lead pencil
lying on the edge Of his chair.
writing at some time" admitted Knapp.
Writing just before the deed" insisted
Sweetwater. Look at the fingers of his
right hand. They have not moved since
the pencil fell out of them"
''The letter, or whatever it was, shall be
looked for" declared the constable.
Sweetwater bowed, his eyes rowing rest
lessly into every nook and corner Of the
room.
.'The brother, James, was the stronger"
he remarked; yet there is no evidence
that he made any attempt at suicide"
How do you know that it was suicide
John attempted?' asked some one. Why
might not the dagger have fallen from
James hand in an effort to kill his
brother?'
Because the dent in the floor would
have been to the right of the chair instead
of to the left" he returned. Besides,
James hand would not have failed so ut
terly since he had strength to pick up the
weapon afterward and lay it where you
found it,
True, we found 1t lying on the table,"
observed Abel, scratching his head in
forced admiration Of his old schoolmate.
"All easy, very easy Sweetwater 1e-
marked seeing the wonder in every eye.
Matters like those are for childs read
ing; but what is difficult and what L find
it hard to come by, is how the $40 bill got
into the old mans hand. He found it
here. but how
Found it here? How do you know
that?'
Gentlemen, that is a point I will make
clear to you later, when l have laid my
hand on certain clue I am anxiously
seeking. You know. this is new work for
me, and 1 have to advance warily. Did
any of you gentlemen, when you came into
this room, detect the faintest- odor of any
kind of perfume
"Perfume?' echoed Abel, with a glance
about the musty apartment. "Rats,
rather"
Sweetwater shook his head with a dis
couraged air, but suddenly frightened, and,
stepping quickly across the floor, paused
at one of the windows. 1t was that one in
which the shade had been drawn down.
Peering at this shade, he gave a grunt.
You must excuse me for minute" said
he. "I have not found what I wanted in
this room and now must look outside for
it. Will some one bring the lantern?'
ct will yoluntee KnapD with grim