The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-24
THE EVENING STW T

(By Conlin S. CoIIins.l

fully homelike, and he had hoped Tor
an evening of quietude. probably II
was one. Of the chaps who had heard OF
his return and who had looked him up
with the best of intentions.
1t was all very kind of him, but
Elder would rather he had remained
with a slight froWn that ne threw open
the door. leading to the hall.
He gave a start of surprise as he
perceived a Woman's figure sllhouetted
against the brighter light in the hall,
but Elder was accustomed to receiving
strange visitors at all hours and he
stepped aside to permit her to enter.
1t was not until they we're in the
tiny sitting room that the girl threw
back her veil. Elder started back.
Erica" he cried, this is most indis-
you receive other women on bust
ness, she defended as she clasped her
hands.
"on business" he repeated. Surely
you can have no business with de-
tective."
With little cry. the girl sank into
a chair. Jack Brayton told me at the
Bennington's that you were back" she
said. I could not sleep until I had
seen you. 1 came on from there. had
gone to consult Mr. Bennington. I
shall take only few minutes"
CuriousIy Elder waited for her, the
woman he had loved for years. Versed
in the play of expressions, he could see
that it was something serious which
had led her to violate convention, but
he could not imagine what had
brought her to seek his aid.
suppose you know" she went on,
that Uncle Jim is dead"
Mr.. Maltby?" he gasped. ''Why, I
saw him the night I left. He looked
good for a dozen years"
He was killed. the girl went on.
There was an effort made to make it
appear suicide, but the letter he was
supposed to have left upon the table
was found by the coroner to be a for
gerry"
Have they any clue?' he asked, his
professional interest aroused.
They say that Paul did it, she said,
crying softly. He was convicted yes
terday."
Convicted" he gasped. why, Paul
would not have killed a fly
There was a handwriting expert
who testified that some of Paul's char
acterlstcs were found In the letter.
They had a darkened court room and
lantern-slide engagements. Paul was
uncle's sole heir and he was known to
be IN debt"
"Have they taken an appeaI?" he
asked Surely the case will not be IN
contested"
There is an appeal" she answered,
but Vincent, the lawyer, says he has
no hope-that he cannot hope to con-
help me?" She rose from her chair
and held her hands toward him.
Il can and will he answered heart
lily. Believe me, Erica, before the
next trial comes, we shall have the
proofs ready and Paul will go free. Z"
For a moment she looked into his
eyes. Then she dropped her veil and
turned away. Il must go now" she
announced. "Will you come to me to-
81 was there this evening. he said
| simply. They told me you had gone
out, bat [ heard nothing of the trial. I
will come at eleven
He learned little that was new in the
morning. Paul Westcott was James
1 WeStcott's sole heir. He had been
caught in a hole in Wall street, and it
was believed that he had committed
the murder in the hope that he might
realize upon this fact to borrow the
money to save his margins. A letter
/ announcing the action as a suicide was
clearly shown to be a forgery, though
a clever one, and the case indeed look
ed black.
Elder came away from the house dis
heartened. He was certain that his
friend had not committed the murder,
but even to one of the best detectives
in the country, the case looked hope
less
He went to the lawyers and arranged
for copy of the testimony, and when
that was forthcoming, he shut himself
in his room to study it.
At the end of a couple of days he
locked the typewriter pages in his desk
| and gave himself over to his social du-
ties. Elder was a detective through
love Of the work, not because it was
necessary for him to earn living in
this fashion, and on those rare coca
sions when not engaged in a pursuit
he was welcomed in fashionable homes.
His temperance in society was ac-
/ cepted as being an acknowledgment that
1 there was nothing to be done for Paul
/ Westcott. for he was known to have
been Frica's sutton. and It was argued
that if there was any hope he would
have disappeared in search OF the muir
derer.
In spite of this, Erica seemed hopeful,
/ and the trial. through political infiu-
ence, was pushed to appeal. Gordon
/ Westcott, her cousin, was opposed to
! the haste, and argued violently against
it. but he had always been hostile to
Elder. and it was natural that he
should object to any of the latter s
suggestions
AZ in the previous trial, the evidence
hinged almost entirely upon the letter.
There was brief testimony to the eff
feet that Paul Westcott had been IN
danger of being wired out in the mar
ket TO prove motive. It was shown
that upon his arrest he had been un-
able to negotiate loans. and mad lost
heavily Then the prosecution put IN
| the evidence of a handwriting expert,
Who had testified at the previous trial.
and who discussed learnedly the indi-
viduaI peculiarities that. even IN a
forgery. viii unconsciously betray them
Almost letter by letter he compared
the formation Of the characters OF the
supposed last message with Pauf s
bandwriting. and with each fresh side
| there was more firmly established in the
minds Of the jury the fact that Paul
must have written the letter.
With the letter the prosecution reSteo
the case. and the defense began. Elder
was the first witness, and, to the sur
prise of every person, he took his stand
/ nv the lantern which had figured SO
/ spectacularIy at both trials.
ne frsf- flashed upon the screen half
a dozen examples of Paul Westcott's
/ handwriting. and then in succession
/ showed another hand displaying many