The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-29
Cbe barrow enigma
By MELVIN L. SEVERY.
Copyright. 1904. by Dodd, Mead & Go.

have passed him on his way to the hall
door, he placed his hand upon that
gentleman's shoulder, saying: "Pardon
me. sir, but | would strongly urge that
Browne paused. Both men stood like
excited animals at gaze.
CHAPTER III.
Maitland s request that Browne
should not leave the room seemed to us
all veritable thunderbolt. It i'm
pressed me at the time as being a thin
ly veneered command, and l remember
fearing lest the artist should be iniu-
dicious enough to disregard it. If he
next few moments, he would have had a
lesson in expression which years Of por-
trait work may fail to teach him. At
length the rapidly changing kaleido-
scope Of his mind seemed to settle, to
group its varied imaginings about a
definite idea-the idea that he had
been all but openly accused, in the
strumental in her fathers death. For
a moment, as he faced Maitland, whom
he instinctively felt to be rival, he
looked SO dark and sinister that one
could easily have believed him capable
of almost any crime. Gwen was no less
surprised than the rest Of us at
Maitland s interference, but she did not
permit peri it. to shoW in her voice as she
sented to go for an officer" As L
felt sure she must have thought Matt
land already knew this, as any one else
must have heard what had passed, I
looked upon her remark as a polite way
of saying: 81 am mistress here.o
81 Maitland apparently SO regarded it,
will not think me offcious, or unmind-
full Of your right to dictate. in matter
so peculiarly your own affair. My only
desire is to help you. MI. Browne 3 de-
parture would still further complicate
a case already far too difficult of solu
ton. My legal training has given me
and I only Wish that nat YOU may have s't the
benefit thereof. 1t is now nearly three
quarters Of an hour since your father g
death, and, assure you, time at this
particular juncture may be Of the ut.
most Importance: Not a ;. moment
should be wasted in needless discussion.
servant to the police station, I will, in
due time, explain to you why. l have
taken the. liberty of being SO insistent
on this point
He had hardly ceased speaking before
Gwen rang for a servant. She hurried
ly told him what had transpired and
sent him to the nearest police station.
the messenger was fleet of foot, an off
Ger was soon upon the scene. HWe
E I've the 9aa aateh
Examiner Ferris by phone at his home
in F street, and he will be here direct
ly. In the meantime I have been sent
along merely to see that the body is not
Iof~ h, hot
everything in the room remains exactly
as it was at the time Of the old gentle
mans death. Did I not underestimate
he said. to Maitland in an undertone,
THAT there is suspicion Of foul
TYes,n replied George, "that is one
explanation which certainly will have
~ thought I heard the Cap'n say
murder when he phoned, in town for
work on this case, I reckon. Hello!
That sounds like the doctors xig.'
A moment later the bell rang and DR..
Ferris entered the room.
"Ah, Doctor he said, extending his
hand to me, "what have we here's"
Before I could answer he had noticed
Maitland and advanced to shake hands
with him
els this indeed 50 serious as I have
been tOld7' he asked, after his greet
ing; oo,. - m ,;,.o,-. =, ,>,3oa
Maitland slowly, "to develop into the
darkest mystery I have ever KNOWN
"Huml replied the examiner. "Has
the body been moved or the disposition
of its members altered9'
"Not since 1 arrived" replied Of
fcer Barker.
"And befqre?' gueried DR.. Ferris,
Everything is absolutely intact. T
have made a few notes and measure.
ments, but I have disturbed nothing,''
replied Maitland.
"Good," said the examiner. "May
I see those notes before I go9 You
were on that Parker case. and you have,
you know, something Of reputation
for thoroness. Perhaps you may have
noted something that would escape
me.'
"The notes, doctor, are at your serv-
ice,' George replied.
DR.. Ferris examination Of the body
was very thore, yet, since It was made
from extended Practice, it was soon
| over. Short as it was, however, It was
still an ordeal under which Gwen suf-
fered keenly, to judge from her man
ner
as d. ooed at h bhsn nt tfsh ahd 6on
versed earnestly with him in an under
tone for several minutes. I do not
know what passed between them. When
| he left, few minutes later, Officer
Barker accompanied him.
AS soon as the door closed behind
them Gwen turned to Maitland.
"Did he give you his opinionq' she
asked with degree Of interest which
surprised me.
NHe will report death as having re.
known" rejoined Maitland.
Gwen seemed greatly relieved by this
answer, tho T confess was utterly at
a loss to see why she should be.
Observing this change in her manner
Maitland approached her, saying:
my seeming rudeness in Interfering
with your plan to make. Mr.. Browne
your messenger, and at the same time
allow me to Justify myself in the max.
! ing Of yet another request?'
| Gwen bowed assent, and he proceeded
to state the following case as coolly
and accurately as if it were problem
in geometry.
"Mr. Darrow," he began, "has just
died under peculiar circumstances. Three
possible views of the case at once sug
gest themselves. First, his death may
have, been due to natural causes and
hallucination under which he was labor
ing. Second, he may have committed
suicide, as the result, perhaps. of s
mania which in that case would also
serve to explain his last words and acts
or--you will pardon me, Miss Darrow--
these Last appearances may have beer
Intentionally assumed with a view tt
deceiving us. The officers you have
summoned will not be slow in lookins
fo1 or,r