Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-15
81 SAW SOMETHING
DISCOVERED

Alice, the under housemaid. young fair
haired girl, who stated that during the night
she had distinctly heard a sound like the
low creaking of light shoes on the landing
below where they slept.
This first aroused our interest, but on
full reflection it seemed 80 utterly improb-
able that an assassin would wear a pair Of
creaking boots when on such errand
that we were inclined to disregard the girls
statement as a piece of Imagination. The
feminine mind is much given to fiction on
occasions Of tragic events.
But the girl over and over again asserted
that she had heard 1t. She slept alone in
a small room at the top of the second fight
of stairs and had heard the sound quite
DISTINCTLY.
when you heard IT what did you DOR
81 lay and listened"
For how long?"
ooh, quite a quarter of an hour, I should
think. 1t was just before half-past 1 when
I heard the noise, for the church clock
struck almost Immediately afterward The
sound Of the movement was such as had
never before heard at night and at first
felt frightened. But I always lock my
door, therefore I felt secure. The noise was
just like some one creeping along very
slowly with one boot creaking."
But If 1t was so loud that you could hear
1t with your door closed, 1t is strange that
no one else heard it, the detective SER
geant remarked obviously.
st don't care what anybody else heard;
heard 1t quite plainly" the girl asserted
How long did it continue?" asked the de-
tective.
stealing along the corridor. We often hear
movements at nights, because Short is al
ways astir at 2 o'clock giving the master
his medicine. If 1t hadn't ha' been for the
cracking I should not have taken notice of
1t. But 1 lay quite wide awake for over
half an hour-until Short came banging at
our doors and telling us to get up at once,
as we were wanted downstairs"
s,-aAI he tve t,
want to ask all of you a very simple ques-
tion and wish to obtain honest and
truthful reply Was any door or window
left unfastened when you went to bed?''
mo, sir" the cook replied promptly. ct
always go round myself, and I saw that
everything was fastened
1.-The front door, for example?'
II bolted it at Miss Ethelwynn's orders"
"At what timer"
lone O'Clock She told me to wait up till
then. and If mistress did not return 1 was
to lock up and go to bed
"Then the tragedy must have been enact
ed about half an hour later?"
81 think so, sir
"You haven't examined the doors and
windows, to see If any have been forced?'
LAS far as l canssee they are just as
left them when l went TO bed, sir
That's strange-vepy strange" remark
ed the inspector, turning to us 1--WE must
make an examination and satisfy our
selves"
The point was ONE that was most impor-
tant in the conduct 1of the inquiry. If all
doors and windows were still locked then
the assassin was one Of that strange house.
hold
Led by the cook, the officers began
round of the lower premises. One of the
detectives borrowed fthe constables bulls
eye, and, accompanied by a second officer
went outside to make am examination of the
window sashes, while 1--WE remained inside,
assisting them in their search for any
marks.
Ethelwynn had been. called aside by one
Of the detectives and was answering some
questions addressed to ther, therefore for an
instant I found myself alone. It was the
moment had been waiting for, to secretly
examine the clew had obtained
I was near the door of the morning room
and for a second slipped inside and switch
ed on the electric light.
Then took from my vest pocket the tiny
little object had found and carefully en-
amined It.
My heart stood still. My eyes riveted
themselves upon 1t. The mystery was
| solved.
alone knew the truth.
(To be continued