Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-09-26
TIE DANVERS jE Wells

I'LL UHlYVLhO Ill Milo
"Tes.' said Charles.
"Yesl' echoed whisper fronIthe bed.
Charles looked up slowly and deliber-
ately, and the eyes of father and son mot
again.
"We do not often agree, father" he
said in measured voice. II mark this
exception TO the rule with pleasure"
when had made out rs much as
this, continued Ralph, father told me
to call both of you and Charles to con-
slider what ought to be done before we
make any move"
'Havey You an inventory of the jewels?
asked Mnrston at length.
None said Sir George, "unless Mid
dleton had one from Sir John"
therenpon recapitIlated in full all
tho circumstances of the bequest, finally
adding that Sir John had never SO much
as mentioned an inventory.
$50 much the better for the thief"
said Marston, his chin In his hands. "It
is not q case for detective" he added.
Il think not" said Charles.
A kind of hoarse. ghostly laugh came
from the bed.
Charles is always right" whispered
the sick man. quite unnecessary,
am sure"
oh, / don't know" said, feeling
had not yet been of as much assistance
as could have wished. Now think
detectives are Of use-really useful, yor
know, in finding out things There
was detective, remember, trying to
trace tho people who murdered that
poor lady at james old house since my
return.
but who could it have beenp who
could it have beam burst out Ralph.
unheeding. "They were nll friends. It
is frightful to suspect one of them. One
could as easily suspect ones self. Which
of them all could have done thing
like that? Out of them all, which was
it?'
"Carr!' replied Charles quietly, look
ing full at his father.
Ii a bombshell had fallen among us al
that moment it could not have produced
a greater effect than that one word, ut
tered SO deliberately. Sir George started
in his bed and clutched at the bed clothes
with both hands. My brain positively
reeled. Carr, my friend Carr, introduced
into the family by myself, was being ac-
cused by Charlesi was speechless with
indignation
81 am sorry, Middleton continued
Charles. 81 know he is your friend, but
can't help that. Carr took the jewels.
distrusted him from the moment he set
koot in the house.
Where is he ut this Instant" said
Marston, getting up. SIS no one with
! him.
There is no need to be anxious on his
account, replied Charles. ~ took him
up to the smoking room before l came
here, and turned the key in the door.
The key is here" And he laid it on the
table.
Marston sat down again.
What are your grounds for suspect
ing CARR" he asked. Remember this is
very serious thing, Charles, that you
have done in locking him up if you have
not adequate reason for it.
"You had better leave Carr alone
Charles" said Ralph, significantly.
q Let him go on said Sir George.
81 have no proof" continued Charles;
II did not see him take them, but am
as certain of it as if had seen it with
my own eyes. The jewels could only
have been stolen by someone staying in
the house. That Is certain. Who, ex-
cepting Carr, was a stranger among us?
Who, excepting Carr"
& Stop, Charles" said Ralph again.
Don't you know that Carr slept with
me down at the lodgew
Charles turned. on his brother and
gripped his shoulder.
Do ycu mean to say. he said sharp.
", that Carr did not sleep in the house
last night"
e "Dear me! Charles, that was an over
sight on your part, came Sir Georges
whisper.
NO." replied Ralph, che did not. The
house was full, and we had to put him in
that second small room through mine in
the lodge If Carr had been dying to
take them he had not the opportunity.
He could not have left his room without
passing through mine, and never went
to sleep at all. had sharp touch of
neuralgia from the cold, which kept me
awake all night"
He got out through the window"
said Charles
"Nonsense!" said Ralph, getting wish
bly, angry; "you are only making mat
tiers worse by trying to put it on him
Remember the size of the window. Be
sides you know how the lodge stands,
built against. the garden wall. When
came out this morning there was not q
single footstep in the snow except those
We had made Us we went there the night
before. noticed our footmarks particu-
1arly, because had been afraid there
wcnld DO moro snow. No one could by
any possibility have left the house during
the night. Even Jones himself had not
been out, for there was little eddy Of
snow before the back door, and re-
member calling to him that he would
want his broom"
'sThe snow clinches tho matter,
Charles" said Marston, gravely. "You
have made mistake
quite unintentional, I'm sure" whis-
pered Sir George.
There was something did not like
about that whisper. 1t seemed to imply
moro than met the ear.
Charles did not appear to hear him.
He was staring fixedly before him, his
hand had dropped from Ralph's shoulder,
his face was quite gray.
eThen," he said slowly, as if waking
out Of dream, sit was not Carr
no. said Sir George, "Inever thought
1t was"
Good God.. calculated Charles, sink.
ing into a low chair by the fire, and
shading his face with his hand. mot
Carr, after all!"
But my Indignation could not be re.
strained o moment longer. had only
been kept silent by repeated signs from
Marston, and now broke ont.
"And so, sir, you suspect my friend,
Isaid, land insult him in your fathers