Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-08-08

quick, lady. The mystery only deepens
| then. Is there" turning again to Carl
| ''any other way of leaving this room eN.
| cept by the door we came in?"
"Oh. yes. sir: there's a private exit!
| l will show you"
| Stepping quickly across the room, he
drew aside the folds of Il heavy curtain
of dark gold brocade.
| This door opened on a hall dimly
| lighted by skylight window of stained
| glass The hall was about sixteen feet
| in length, and at it's extremity was an
other door.
What singular arrangement! De-
| tective Hantlin murmured to himself
| in a musing tone. as he followed the
officer and Carl into this dim hall way.
We'll, it is, rather" returned Capt.
Monroe But there's no accounting for
the freaks of these rich men. l sup
pose. now. he had some special reason
your master had-in having this queer
way of leaving his dressing room?'
He had. Sir. He had two reasons.
Carl returned, eagerly. for he seemed
to think that the police captains words
threw some kind of a disagreeable re-
Election on his poor masters eccentrici-
ties-if one chose to think them so. I'm
the first place, this passage way leads
on one side to Mr.. GraysOn's bath room,
which he chose to have at a consider
able distance from his dressing room,
because he rad a nervous horrir of the
dripping of water, that sometimes takes
place from the pipes. however careful
because he had a nervous horror of the
other side of the hall, outside of that
door. is a stairway that leads to the
kitchen. Mr.. Grayson was the most
particular gentleman I ever served
about his food. He suffered at times
from acute dyspepsia. and he was SO
sensitive about it that I was. besides his
physician, DR.. Sprague, about the only
person in the world who knew it I'm
Il skilled cook. gentlemen. l learned IT
in Paris where served a marquis and
often. after all the household has re-
tired for the night, 1 used to cook a
dainty little supper for my master, and
bring it to him, unknown to anyone by
this private entrance to his dressing
room. 1t was as much as my place
was worth to be discovered-to be met
going or coming-and I beg to assure
you, gentlemen, that I would not now
reveal my poor masters little weakness,
only that it seems necessary to explain.
the existence of this passage way"
Just so-just SOL" returned Capt.
Monroe. Then it would have been pos
sible for the murderer to have made his
escape by this PASSAGE"
"Just barely possible, sir-that Is to
say, he might stumble on means of
escape by rushing through here, discov-
ering the staircase that leads to the
kitchen, and so find his way out into
the back yard-but not without being
seen, sir. Why, all the servants We're
down stairs. I was myself among them,
for I was expecting to hear my mas
ter's bell The wedding party were to
have started on their wedding journey
Immediately after breakfast, and
knew that Mr.. Grayson might ring for
me at any moment. No, sir; I don't
see how any one could have escaped
that way"
Let us take another look, anyhow.
Surprising the murderer to have reached
that door and to have found his way
into the hall beyond, he might have
concealed himself-he may yet be in the
house. It seems impossible that he can
have left it,"
The monster-the wretch!" cried
Carl, with concentrated fury. 'Oh,
that I could find him! But I'd make
short work of him. This way, SIR"
He hurried on ahead of the police cap
tain, who, however, made good haste
after him.
Hantlin, the detective, followed more
slowly, his gaze wandering about the
dimlylighted hallway, and then mus
ingly turned toward the skylight of
stained glass above him, as if intent or
observing it's various hues, and compar-
ing them with the colored reflections on
the floor.
Presently his toe grazed something on
the door. He skillfully avoided step
ping on it, stopped, picked it up, and,
with light throb of excitement, drop
ped it into his pocket.
Al that moment the valet and the
captain of police reached the hall door,
and Carl, Selling the door knob, hur-
riedly turned it, and would have torn
open the door, but it resisted. He pulled
and shook it. In his excitement he did
not seem to understand why it would
not open.
stop, stop!" cried Capt. Monroe.
Don't you see the door is locked, and
the key is on the inside? No one has
escaped this way"
Carl dropped his hand from the door,
and, for moment or two, stood gazing
stupidity at it.
THAT is so, sir, as you say he then
answered. mo one has escaped by
that door,"
What do you say, Hantlin?" asked
the captain Of police. addressing the de-
tective, who had now approached them.
well, I say it looks that way" re-
turned the detective. "Now, let's re-
turn to the room and make few in
quiries.'
Have you found anything, gentle
men?-anything calculated to throw
light on this awful crime?" Mrs. Martin
exclaimed, coming eagerly forward, as
the three men returned to the room.
Il have found something" Hantlir,
returned. His gaze seemed to take in
every one in the room as he spoke. II
know not Of what Importance it may be
yet, but think / have found the weap-
on with which the deed was committed.
There it is!!'
His hand had gone to his pocket
While he spoke, and, as he uttered the
last words, he held I'D q curious wcap-