The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-15
a THRILLING DETECTIVE
Had there been fire in the room
but there was no fire Or had Mr.. Gil-

Had there been fire in the room
but there was no fire. Or had Mr.. Gil
lespie left the room ~
Speak OUT" the stern tones again en-
Joined. you think some of us took II:
81 do not say So was the conctliatory
reply. But this scrap must be found. Its
remarkable disappearance shows that 1T
has more or less bearing on the mystery
of your fathers death"
"Then we must entreat you to use your
power and find it if you can 1t was
still Leighton who was speaking.
George, Alfred, let us accept the situa-
ton with good grace; we will gain nothing
by antagonizing the police
Two muffled oaths answered himF their
natures were more passionate than his,
or possibly less under. control. But they
offered no objections, and the next minute
the old detective appeared in the hall.
One look passed between him and the
young man lettering at my side. Then
the latter turned to me:
This is to be my task" he whispered.
81 don't know the house at all! l near
that You have been up.
From whom could he have heard this?
From Dr. Bennett? 1t was possible
Such fellows worm themselves into the
confidence Of warier persons than this
amiable old physician.
Il have passed through the halls ad-
mitted, none too encouragingly. But
/
Its tourist building, I suppose.
All the houses along here are
Eyes it Is fOur-story house.
He rubbed one hand awkwardly against
the other; indeed, his whole manner was
awkward; then he walked slowly down the
hall When he reached the library door
he stopped and looked in with shy and
depreciating air. Suddenly he began to
back away. Someone was coming out.
1t was Miss Meredith. When she was IN
full sight and he brought to standstlll
by the wall against which he had re-
treated he spoke, but not to her, though
his eyes were fixed upon her in sort of
blank stare she may have attributed to
the power of her beauty, but which felt
was of character to make her careful.
-Four stories!" he muttered. 'tParlor
floor, first bedroom floor, second bedroom
floor and the attic! Where shall begin?
Ha! l think l know" he smiled, and
passed quickly down the hall. :.
She had given an involuntary pressure
to her hands when he mentioned the word
attic. -..
l thought of the position in which I had
found her there; Of the doubts expressed
by the doct or as to how she could have
received an intimatlon Of her uncle's
death before an alarm had been raised or
her cousins fully aroused, and felt forced
to acknowledge that the police were justi-
fed in their action, great as was the
spell cast over me by her loneliness.
That, justified or not, they meant to do
their work, I soon saw. With. a steady
eye the coroner held us all to our places,
while the young detective disappeared
above followed only by Leighton, who
had asked the privilege of accompanying
him for fear of some alarm being given to
his little child who was upstairs alone.
From the way Miss Meredith's eyes fol-
lowed them I knew there was something
to be feared from this quest which she
alone had the power or measuring.
What was I to think of this young girl
who chose to be reticent on subject in
| volving questions Of life and death. I
would not probe my doubts too closely.
steeled myself against her look, resolving
to be the lawyer-her lawyer-if required,
but nothing more, at least till these shad-
ows were cleared up.
| Her two cousins remained in the libra
ry, to which Mr.. Gryce had returned after
making the signal to his man Sweetwater
| We were all under great restraint with
! the exception of the doctor, who was
chatting confidentially with the coroner
What he said could in measure gather
| from the expression Of Miss Meredith's
! face. who was nearer him than l. That it
| served to intensity rather than relieve
I the situation was apparent from the graV-
! ity with which the coroner listened. Later,
some stray words reached me.
Had the greatest dread or poison
! This I distinctly heard Never took
| any medicine without asking l could
not catch the rest. Tell him symptoms
all the poisons-like a child-he never
poisoned himself This last rung in my
ears with persistent iteration. 1t rang so
loud I thought everyone on that floor
must have heard it. But L saw no change
in Alfred's restless figure lowering on
the threshold of the library door a few
feet behind Miss Meredith; while George
conversing feverishly with Mr.. Gryce
raised his voice rather than dropped
it as these Fatal words fell from
the lips of one who certainly
had the best reasons for believing himself
in the confidence Of his patient.
| Miss Meredith. who was listening to
something besides this conversation, fate
| full as it was. was meanwhile schooling
| herself for Sweetwater's returns. I could
discern this by the change that passed
/ over her fact just when his step began to
| be heard; and was conscious Of quite a
/ personal shock when I saw her hand fall
| involuntarily on her bosom as If the thing
he sought was there and not in the rooms
| above.
Cursins myself for the infatuation
| which would not let my eyes leave her