Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-11-06

ed to me ne was afraid some one would
Try to steal some Of his plans an
drawin'a"
Where did he keep them"
In big safe in his laboratory"
"Your master has been troubled with
excessive nervousness lately, 1t seems,
said Hendricks, restoring the weapon
to his pocket
Never saw its equal, air. Half the
time he couldn't seem to sleep wink
at night, an then here Of late he seemed
10 be awful hard to pleasa Hes been
quarreIin with everybody-Mr. Kaipn
an Miss Alice an Mr.. Montcastlo. He
couldn't bear that man in his sight.
sir,
"was II because his daughter seemed
to prefer Montcastle?" asked the detect
i've
~ suppose SO. sir. Anyway she likes
him, an he il after her IL ever man
was after o woman. They met each
other ut Newport last summer an have
been correspondent ever since. Mr..
Ralph invited i'm to the house party.
His sister got i'm to do It Master
raised o awful row when he heard what
the young folks was up to. but it was
too late to stop it Miss Hastings had
already started, an Mr.. Montcastle was
some place where Miss Alice couldn't
reach i'm"
How long have you been in the
family. Jarnaginl"
"More'n 20 years, SIR"
Hendricks doubled his beard over his
fingers and put the end between his
teeth. Lampkin had seen him do IL
when he was in deep thought Sudden
ly he pulled himself together
~ presume Mr. Ralph and this Bos-
ton girl like each otherr" he said.
1T looks very much like it, cir, "
said the coachman, though she basn't &
been shown il much, because Mr.
Ralph is q pretty wild youngster. IL
looks like she's afraid to trust herself
to i'm. Mr.. Ralph Is always in debt an
has given master lot Of trouble in one
way or other You see, sir. Miss Alice
an her was in college together, an Miss
Alice tod her all about Mr.. Ralph be-
fore she met i'm, an Miss Hastings was
prepared to meet u pretty rapid fellow.
| She's gone on i'm, though. rs I've told
Mr. Ralph more'n once. She can't hide
It She pretends to be interested in
what the others are sayin or doin OF
evenin's. but il Mr. Ralph misses his
train an cant get home on time she
gets 20 restless she can't sit still. "
Hendricks deliberately changed the
subject
HAS Miss Alice had entire charge OF
the household affairsY" he asked.
only since her aunt went away,
sir, returned Jarnagin-
Her aunt? Who's she?" asked Hen
dricks
Miss Martha Benton. masters old
maid sister," explained the coachman.
They sent her of two weeks ago 10 q
mind doctor IN Philadelphia. She's
there now takin his medicine.
What allied herr" asked the detect
i've
"She had q mighty morbid disposi.
ton. sir. She's always sayin she didn''
want to live an the like Mary told me
they had hard time not long ago tc
keep her from KILN herself. She
bought bottle OF poison an had it ready
to take when Miss Alice caught on tc
il, An her an Mr. Ralph talked the old
lady out OF IL Them two think the
world mn all Of her With all her cranky
notions she has been mother TO 'sm
since mistress died"
Hendricks parted his beard and slow
ly scratched his chin.
"Do you think, Jarnagip, he said,
THAT your masters irritability could
have been due to any physical disease
any mental trouble?"
| 81 believe he had softenin Of tn
rain, SIR" said Jarnagin. lookinl
guiltily toward the door, as II from tht
consciousness that he was betraying the
hiding place Of family skeleton. "A
New York doctor was TO see i'm once
m one Of the maids overheard i'm say
that IL master didn't stop losin sleeI
an worryin it would kill i'm. That wa
three years ago. Master give up worl
an went TO Europe. He come back look
In better, but it wasn't month befor'
he was pacin mp an down the norti
walk again at all hours Of the night al
eternally tinkerin away in his labora
tory"
"He has not had medical advice sine
he came back from abroad?" asked tn
detective.
"Ithink not. sir. Miss Alice has beel
tryin TO persuade i'm to do ii, but he
been so irritable an full Of fancies"-
"FanciesT" interrupted Hendricks.
Eyes, sir, said the coachman. III
thought all Of Us, even bis own chill
dren, was plottin to ruin an kill i'm.
"Have you ever heard him say any
thing ON that liner" asked Hendricks
carelessly knocking the ashes from hi
cigar and looking to see II. it wer
burning.
II heard i'm accuse Mr.. Ralph Al
Miss Alice the other day Of wantin (
get i'm out Of the way 50 they coul
handle his money an the income on hi
inventions.
"what did they say TO that?" aske
the detective, scratching a match an
holding il to his extinguished cigar.
ut made em awfully mad. MI
Ralph swore at i'm, an Miss Alice wen
70 her room cryin.
Hendricks stood up and yawned lazl
ly. He put his hand into his pocket an
took out 90 bill and gave it to Jarns
gin.
Here's something for you, my goo
man, but mind you don't say anythin
about this conversation. Itwould often
the family, you know"
Jarnagin's eyes sparkled Il kno'
my place, sir. You needn't be afrait
Besides they'd discharge me II the
knew l told you anything"
Hendricks went to the door and l0ol
ed ont
II see my friend Dr.. Lampkin CON
ing across the lawn. Send him to N
here"
i fro N CONTINUED
Coartsng In Cordova.