The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-03-11

Then Derby stepped forward hls
hand IN his breast pocket, and, with
| most moving evidences OF shame and
c0ntrltIon he produced II letter nd
dressed TO Mrs Culver and bearing
the return stamp Of n well known en-
plOymcnt agency He hnd given her
the letter when she came In with
IEronod and had seen her put It upon
ihc table IN the drawing room Some
lays before he had incurred the lady's
1lgpcnsurc and he fcared this com
mpnics lion dealt with the question OF
bl. g,Irrcasor 40 he had 40 far dcbnscd
himself NJ the hrhcst Of natural curios'
ity ns 10 20 In and get the letter, In
tending 10 read 1t In the hall and re-
turn It 10 lts place before Mrs. Culver
should mIss H.
But didn't take the money he
declared, with trnrs in his eyes.
And. II lie had taken II. what In the
name Of all mystery had he done Win
~ lie could not have hidden 1t IN the
han. because my eyes were on him'
and me had been nowhere else except
IN the drawing room itself, and there
unt more than one minute. hs ! c0uld
testify Moreover. n Mrs. Culver had
left tho bag closed. how could DERBY
have known ihnt the money was In w
krcu2ld .nrw, for Mrs. Culver had
told him. but III" lady had opened VI"
hing nftrr entering the room ana had
scrn The money In IT, Therefore II
Krouold hnd taken II II must stlIl ~ IN
tho room But the table was at least
fifteen feet distant from the piano, ana
nv own ears 30 witness that hro'
mold had played all the time that b"
was alone,
Mrs. Culver evidently believed that
Derby had hidden the money In the
room and she began a search, Derby
meanwhile was leaning against the
wall. figure Of wood kronold took
me aside He had the bag In his
hands and he coycrtly showed me
small moist stain upon 1t.
THAT looks to me like blood said
he "Do you observe that Derby has
scratch across two OF his fingers"
"Ycs." | answered, but 1t doesn't
seem to be bleeding"
Il saw him wiping 1t with his hand
kcrchicf," said he Now, If this stain
IL blood that shows that the fellow Is
living, for he said that he did not touch
a. ftt utn n tina 'hil.
drcns hospital. and one Of the doctors
over there could tell me in a jlny
whether It's blood or not. Then we'd
have Derby in n moose"
AZ this moment Mrs. Culver In her
search approached the piano, and |
saw spusm of uncomfortable nervous
terror sweep over KrOnold's face. A
great Illumination dawned upon my
' mind-the money was in the piano
' Mrs. Culver had not remembered just
| where she had put down the bag. She
3, must have put il on the piano and not
I on the table kronOld had opened It
q with one hand, while pounding the
E keys with the other, had taken out the
= money and then had cleverly tossed
the bag to the table.
may ms we'll say at once that my
deductions except as to the hiding
j place of the moncy-were absolutely
e accurate That Is precisely the way IN
: which the robbery was committed
/. Subsequent Investigations proved kro
= mold TO be beast Of prey. with long
record on the other side Of the Allan
!, tic He was, besides, as clever as q
Q conjurcr and one to whom the trick OF
l. the bags lock was simple as A B c.
r At that moment had an inspiration
e 10 save Mrs. Culver Il shock. A painful
scene was inevitable, but 1t would bet
n ter involve no one except the thief and
myself.
mfr. Kronold has made brillian
?, suggestion" said |, addressing the lady
u 1T will nccesState our going ont TO
Cethcr for few minutes. May | ash
II you to remain in this room, keep Derby
J. here and admit no one elseT'
II Mrs. Culver assented without QucS
2 ton, and Kronold and left the room
The musician seemed glad of my com
e pany, and as | stepped out from Mrs
Culver's portal into the glare OF the
e. western sun my mind was busy will
y the riddle OF the mans demeanor. Tit
next instant was alone. The heav!
e door was shut, and Kronold was upol
g. the other side Of it.
Il 1t may have been ten seconds before
had the wit to use my knuckles ant
the bell. Derby admitted me. wonder
L. Ing,
IS Where is Kronold?" l demanded,
The butler stared and stammered
d IL supposed he went out with you
e sir"
II This, however was grievouS error
10 Mr.. Kronod went out of that house b!
% way of a basement door and thence t.
Is the street at the rear.
Is And now | come to the richest par
'r of the ioke-the money went with him
70 1t had been In his pocket up to the mo
It ment when he stood by the table show
10 ing how the bag had lain Then tn
clever rascal put 1t into the bag an(
lie snapped the lock and Immediately ell
le tered upon the farce of the search o