Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-22
CHAPTER VII.
The Man Short and His Story.

The Man Short and His Story.
A light footstep sounded behind me. and
scarcely had I time to thrust the little OBJ
ject hastily back into my pocket when my
weu-beloved entered in search of me.
What do the police think, Raiph?" she
asked, eagerly. "Have they any clue? Do
tell me?"
''They have no clue" I answered in a
voice which 1 fear sounded hard and some
what abrupt.
Then 1 turned from her as though fully
occupied with the investigation at which
was assisting. and went past her, leaving
her standing alone.
The police were busy examining the doors
and windows of the back premises, kitch-
ems. scullery and pantry, but could find no
evidence of any lock or fastening having
been tempered with The house was a
large detached red-brick one. standing in
a lawn that was quite spacious for sud
den house and around it ran an asphalt
path which diverged from the right hard
corner of the building and ran in two parts
to the Toad-One n semi-circular drive,
which came up to the porttco from the road
and the other a tradesmen'S path, that ran
to the opposite extremity of the property
From the back kitchen a door led ont
upon this asphalted tradesmen's path. and
as l rejoined the searchers some discus
sion was in progress a S to whether the door
IN question had been secured. The detsc-
tive-sergeant had found it unbolted and
unlocked, but the cook most positively as
serted that she had both locked and bolted
It at half-past 10, when the under house
maid had come in from her evening out"
None Of the servants, however, recollected
having undone the door, either before the
alarm or after. Perhaps Short had done
so, but he was absent in search of the dead
mans widow.
The police certainly spared no pains in
their search. They literally turned the
whole place upside down. One man on his
hands and knees and carrying candle.
carefully examined the stair carpet to see
II he could find the marks of unusual feet.
It was wet outside, and II an intruder had
been there there would probably remain
marks of muddy feet He found many, but
they were those of the constable and the
two detectives. Hence the point beyond
solu ion
The drawing room, the dining room, the
morning room and the big conservatory
were all closely inspected, but without any
satisfactory result. My love followed us
everywhere. white-faced and nervous, with
the cream chenille shawl still over her
shoulders She had hastily put up her
wealth Of dark hair, and now wore the
shawl wrapped lightly about her.
That shawl attracted me. l managed to
speak woth her alone for moment. ask
ing her quite an unimportant question, but
nevertheless with a distinct object. As we
stood there l placed my hand upon her
shoulder-and upon the shawl. It was for
thdL very TedSDN-ln CTEeT 10 IGeI the tex
ture Of the silk-that I returned to her.
The contact Of my hand with the silk
was convincing. l turned from her once
again and rejOined the shrewd men whose
object 1t was to fasten the guilt upon the
assassin.
Presently we heard the welcome sound of
cab wheels outside. and few minutes later
young Mrs. Courtnay, wild-eyed and breath
less rushed into the hall and dashed head
long up the stairs. 1, however, barred her
passage.
Let me pass"' she cried wildly Short
has told me he Is worse, and has asked for
me. Let me pass!'
"No. Mary, not so quickly. Let me tell
you something" 1 answered gravely, plac-
Ing my hand firmly upon her arm. The
police were again re-eXamning the back
premises below. and only Ethelwynn was
present at the top of the stairs where I ar
rested her progress to the dead mans room.
But Is there danger?" she demanded
anxiousIy. Tell me-
The crisis is over" I responded ambigu-
ously. But is not your absence tonight
rather unusual?"
at was entirely my own fault" she ad-
mitted. Il shall never forgive myself for
this neglect. After the theater we had
supper al the Savoy. and l lost my last
train. Dolly Henniker. of course, asked me
to stay, and I could not refuse" Then
CHANGING from my face to that of her sis
ter she asked why do you both look so
Strange? Tell me,' she shrieked. Tell me
the worst, Is he's he dead?'
] nodded in the affirmative.
For a second she stood dumb. then gave
vent 10 a long wall, and would have fallen
senseless If l had not caught her in my
arms and laid her back upon the long set
tee placed In an alcOve the landing
She. like all the others, had dressed hur-
riedly. Her hair was disheveed beneath
her hat. bat her disordered evening dress
was concealed by her long ulster, heavily
lined with silver fox, a magnificent gar
meut which her doting husband had mr.
q at
presented TO her as a birthday gift.
From her manner 1t was only too plain
that she was filled with remorse | really
pitied her, for she was a light-hearted
firty little woman, who loved gafety, and
without an evil thought had no doubt al
lowed her friends to draw her into that
round of amusement. They sympathized
with her as every woman who marries an
old man is sympathized with-and they
gave her what pleasures they could. Alasl
that such a Clanship between women so
often proves fatal to domestic happiness.
Judged from logical point of view, it was
merely natural that young Mrs. Courtney
should, after year or two with an in
valid husband, aged and eccentric, beat her
wings against the bars. She was a pretty
woman, almost as pretty as her sister, but
two years older, with fair hair blue eyes
and pink and white, almost doH-like COM
pleXiOn. Indeed, l knew quite well that
she had long had host of admirers, and
that Just prior TO her marriage with Court
nay II had been rumored that she was to
marry the heir TO an carbon, a rather
rakish young cavalry officer up at York
To restore her to consciousness was not
difficult matter, but after she had re-
quested me to tell her the whole of the
CHASTITY truth she sat speeches. as though
turned to stone
Her manner was unaccountable She
spoke at last, and to me 1t seemed as
though the faiRting fit had caused her an
utter loss of memory. She uttered words
at random, allowing her tongue to ramble
6fSinf fad
which could make nothing.
My head! Oh. my headr' she kept on