The National tribune., 1901-10-31

llt-NdN Dldte. dShtu. bS sOOh
as l had recovered from my surprise al
seeing him.
II he same business that brings you
here he replied. with a quiet smile.
! glanced at him in surprise. How
can YOU know what my business is in
coming hereT' l said, puzzled at his words.
How was Miss Harding when you
came away he asked without paying
the slightest heed to my question.
she WIS much improved l replied,
my surprise increasing.
That is good news he said, lighting
his pipe. and leaning back in his chair.
Her mother has been very anxious about
her, but l have managed to keep her
cheered up as much as possible, keeping
the girls true condition from her as much
as l was able. | expected Il letter from
Mrs. Graham today in reference to her.
Poor Mrs. Harding he added, with a
shake of the head This has been a sore
trial for her"
You are at work upon the case?" /
said, now fully convinced that Ruggy was
a detective.
"Yes-that is, l was"
Have you abandoned it then?'
Il have gained all the information
desire
l looked at him in amazement.
Then you have already discovered who
committed the murder?' | said.
He nodded his head slowly.
Let me tell you the story from the be-
ginning" he said. As you will remem-
Der, Sir Arthur met his death on the night
of the 18th. On the 10th Vincent Enrol
was murdered in broad daylight Enrol
was, as you have doubtless learned, the
sole heir of Sir Arthur, and as he was
something of a dissipated fellow, | half
suspected that he had committed the
deed, but when he, too, was murdered in
pretty much the same manner as was
Sir Arthur, it seemed useless to follow
up that theory.
Il am not a regularly employed detec-
tive, you must understand, and work just
as fancy, and always in my own way.
On arriving at the Expresses, | made
careful inspection of the premises, giving
most careful examination of both rooms
where the deeds had been committed. The
fact that Sir Arthur had been robbed did
not IN the least convince me that the OBJ
ject of the murder had been robbery. 1t
was 4 very natural thing to do in order to
throw the detectives off the scent. 1t was
not long till had arrived at q conclusion
on the subject, and l proceeded 70 follow
it up. My belief was that Sir Arthur
had been murdered by his nephew, Vim
difficult. Who had murdered the nephew?'
Il said nothing to anyone of my sus-
plcions, but went to the rooms that had
been occupied by Vincent while STAYING
at the Expresses. Here l discovered, half
melted in the CRATE of the fireplace, and
hidden under some bricks that had been
removed from the hearth, mass of gold
which | had little trouble in recognizing
as having once been a watch In the
same place | also discovered curiously-
shaped cuff button, which, from the de-
scriptiOn | had of the trinket, was one of
those worn by Sir Arthur when he met
his death.
Taking care to place these articles in a
safe place to be used when necessary, I
next went to the room in which Vincent
had been murdered. | well knew that,
with the proofs / already had, unless /
could account in some way for the death
of Vincent, my case would be far from
complete. This room, which was just over
the library, was fitted up as kind of
study, and contained a number of yalua-
bic books treating on scientific subjects
In addition to these was q collection of
exquisite paintings and miscellaneous brio
a-brac. The polished oaken floor was cov-
cred with costly rugs, richly embellshed
in figures of strange and grotesque pat
tern, while from the high ceiling hung q
cluster of candlesticks of antique design.
"At one end of the room stood q wide
desk of dark, polished wood, Uttered with
the manuscript sheets of an unfinished
article on some scientific subject Tie
north part of the room resembled a Gu
rloslty shop more than anything else. Over
the wide, Old-fashioned fireplace was the
shaggy head of an immense African buff
falo. Above this was a large rawhide
shield, across which was fastened two
hideoIs-lcoking spears. Upon the mantei
beneath was a collection of pieces of odd
ntR % H..
coins and small bronze clock of Japan
ese creation. Against the western wall
were two cabinets containing geological
specimens, TO. the left of which stood a
stand loaded with curiosties from many
lands, including some rare vases, queer
looking figures in Dresden china and many
ornaments in carved ivory. Racks con- |
tanning the crude instruments of savage
warfare occupied all the available space
on the wall above.
'In an alcove at one end of the room
was massive cabinet of oak and ebony,
while standing as if on guard beside it
was the bronze figure of an armed knight
one mailed hand uplifted as if to menace
all who intruded upon his secluded niche
In front of this cabinet was a dark stain
Of blood, indicating the spot where Vim
cent Enrol had met his death.
Into this alcOye none, excepting Sir
Arthur, was ever permitted to enter and
tAt la'l lldl IDIIOi Anu Dee1 iii lUe place
when murdered, was enough in itself TO
arouse my suspicious as to the object of |
his errand there.
Il had learned from the old butler that |
in this cabinet Sir Arthur kept all his |
most important papers. 1t had also been |
whispered about that he had made a cod |
icif to his will, which had been made some |
years before, and that there were reasons
to believe that Vincent Enrol had been
virtually disinherited thereby.
by putting all these points together,
was not long in arriving at q conclusion
as to what the errand Of Vincent had
been in entering the aleove. 1t WAS doubt
less to search for the codicil. if there
should be one, and destroy it before il |
should be brought to light, provided it was |
not in his favor. Having settled this in !
my mind, now came to the most import |
ant problem of all-that of discovering |
the murderer of Vincent Errol
Il began by making careful inspection |
Of the room, determined that nothing |
should escape my notice. All doors. |
windows, and other possible means of
egress / examined with the greatest care. |
There were but two doors by which the |
room could be entered. and one of these. |
the servant informed me, had not been
opened for years. 4 close inspection of
the lock convinced me that this was the
case. The room had been closed for some
time prior to Sir Arthur's return from
abroad, and it was plain to be seen that
the door In question had not been opened
1.-THE only door by which the murderer
Pould have pSpanpd from ha room, tb,D