Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-15

him it's worth money, If he don't want to
come. Do you understand"
You bet" chuckled the grinning lad. "A
fve-dollar bill is mighty clearing to the
mind, sir But must I turn right back be-
fore going Oh to the hotel and hearing the
news?"
"Wen help you turn the cart" grimly
suggested Mr.. Harper. Get up there,
Dobbin, or whatever your name 49, Here,
Ransom, lend hand!
There was nothing for the fellow to do but
to accept the help proffered, and turn his
cart. With one longing look toward the
hotel he jerked at the rein and shouted at
the horse, which, after few feeble efforts.
pulled the cart about and started or again
in the desired direction.
lawyer, as lad and cart went jolting of.
Remember to ask for Lawyer Harper when
you come back. l won't be far from the
office" ..-
The fellow nodded; gave one grinning look
back and whipped up his nag The lawyer
and Ransom eyed one another. Its only
possibility emphasized the former.
Don't lay too much stress upon It.
LET us speak plainly" urged Ransom
"A1r. Harper, are you sure that you know
just what my thought fs?"
THE time has not come for ID discussing
that question. Let US defer 1t. There Is
fact to be settled first"
whether the girl"
mo; this! Whether your wife could have
jumped from her window to the balcony,
from below, but Is then remarked to you,
| our opinion may change when we consider
it from above. VIII you go upstairs with
me to your wife's room?'
II will go anywhere and do anything you
please SO that we learn the exact truth
But spare me the curiosity of these people.
The crowd on this side is increasing"
Eve will go in y the kitchen door. Some
one there will show us the way upstairs.
And in this manner they entered; not es-
Gaping entirely all curious looks. for human
nature is human nature, whether in the
kitchen or parlor
In the hall above Mr.. Ransom took the
precedence. AS they neared the fatal room
he motioned the lawyer TO wait till he
could ascertain If Miss Hazen would be dis
turbed by their intrusion. The door, which
had been broken in between the two rooms.
could not have been put back very securely,
and he dreaded incommoding her. He was
gone but a minute. Almost as soon as the
lawyer started to follow him, he could be
seen reckoning from poor Georgfans door.
Miss Hazen is asleep" whispered Ran
| som, as the other drew near. We can look
about this room with impunity."
They both entered and the lawyer crossed
at once to the window.
"Your wife could never have taken the
| leap ascribed to her by the woman you
call Anitra," he declared after a minute 8
| careful scrutiny of the conditions. 1.-The
balustrade of the adjoining balcony Is not
| only in the way, but the distance is at least
| five feet from the extreme end OF this WIN
1
| of adventure or to the feats of gym
nasum might do it, but not a lady of Mrs.
| Ransoms habits. If your wife made her
way from this room to the balcony outside
her sisters window, she did it by means
| of the communicating door"
But the door was found locked on this
side. There is the key in the lock now"
You are sure Of this 2"
IT was the first one to call attention to
| it."
''Then," began the lawyer judicially,
but stopped as he noted the peculiar eager
ness of Ransoms expression, and turned
| his attention instead to the interior of the
room and the various articles belonging to
| Mrs. Ransom which were to be seen in 1t.
| 1.-The dress your wife wore when she signed
her win.' he remarked, pointing to the
| light green gown hanging on the inside of
( the door by which they had entered.
| Ransom stepped up to 1t, but did not
| touch 1t. He could see her as she looked in
! this gown in her memorable passage through
| the hall the evening before, and. recalling
| her expression. wondered II they yet under
! stood the nature of her purpose and the
! determination which gave it such extraor-
| binary vigor.
Mr.. Harper called his attention to two
| other articles Of dress hanging in another
1 part Of the room. These were her long
| gray rain coat and the hat and veil she
| had worn on the train.
''She went out bare-headed and in the
/ plain serge dress In which she arrived"
1 remarked Mr.. Harper with a side glance
| at Ransom. II wonder II the girl met on
the highway was without hat and dressed
/ in black SERGE"
Ransom was silent.
"Anitra's hat is below and here is Mrs.
i Ransom's She who escaped from this
house last night went out bare-headed,' -
repeated the lawyer.
! Mr.. Ransom, moving aside to avoid the