The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-11-26
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~ Fred M.WAec
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for the sake of argument. These
people had no quarrel with you,
and, therefore, they did not modest
, you. All the same, they wanted
to get rid of you, or they would
not have cut off the light
But did they cut off the light ?"
Ravenspur asked. Let US go down
to the basement and examine. the
| electric meter"
They found that the cable had
been clean cut with some sharp in
strument; the fracture had been
recently made.
so far, so good Dallas said.
1--WE have proved that these PEG.
pie were here last night while you
were actually at work in the
studio"
"That puzzles me more than
ever" Ravenspur replied. why did
, they not get rid of me an hour be-
fore, which they could have done
equally as well by the same simple
expedient?'
Simply because they could af
ford to wait till half-past one. You
| may depend upon it that Mr.. De-
| lahay's movements were absolutely
known to them. They were per-
| fectly well aware of the fact that
he was not expected here till some
time past half-past one. 1t is not
nice insinuation to make, but
| when Mr.. Delahay left his hotel at
midnight he had not the slightest
intention of coming straight here.
Doubtless he had important bust
ness which was likely to last him
an hour and a half, and for some
reason or other he did not want his
wife to know what it was. Surely
married man, more or less on his
| honeymoon, does not want to visit
an empty house after midnight.
| Surely he could have waited till
daylight.
Then you think he went out to
| keep an appointment?
Il feel quite convinced of it.
| will go further and say that Mr.
| Delahay came here after you had
gone this morning to keep a secret
appointment. 1t is just possible
| that he might have been in the
1 house during your presence here.
| 1t is just possible that he cut the
cable himself"
"Ah, but that won't quite do
Ravenspur protested. when |
came out of the house this morning
| saw that the front door was care
fully fastened, and | am prepared
to swear that the latchkey which
Mrs. Delahay found this morning
was not in the lock then. No, no;
| am quite esure that poor Delahay
must have come here after | left
| am not prepared to contest your
theory that my unfortunate friend
came mere to keep an appointment.
Have you found anything yourself
that is likely to give you a clew?"
inspector Dallas hesitated just
for a moment.
Perhaps | ought not to mention
it, he said, but | am sure | can
rely upon your lordship's discretion.
When | was called this morning |
found Mr.. Delahay lying on the
|
far as We could see there were no
marks of violence on the body ex-
cept small puncture over the
heart, which appears to have been
made with some very fine instru-
ment. But. of course. we cant
| speak definitely on that point till
We have had the inquest. AS far
as We can judge struggle must
have taken place, because the loose
carpets on the floor were in great
disorder, and one or two articles of
furniture had been overturned. In
the hand of the dead man we found
something that might be useful to
us. Perhaps you would like to
see it,
From a pocketbook Dallas pro-
duced a photograph, carte de viSte
size, which had been torn into half
| a dozen pieces. The photograph
was considerably faded, and the ac-
tual face itself had been ripped out
of all recognition. Still, judging
from the small fragments, it was
possible to make out that the pic
ture had been that of a woman
One scrap of card bore the words
and Co, Melbourne" The rest of
the lettering had apparently van
ished.
I'VE found those fragments tight
ly clenched in Mr.. Delahays left
hand" Dallas said, "all of which
points to some intrigue, with a
woman at the bottom of it,. OF
course, | know nothing whatever
about Mr.. Delahay's moral charac,
ter"
Then I'll tell YOU" Ravenspur
said sharply. my late friend was
the soul of honor He was a very
| quick. passionate man, and he in
| herited his temper from his Italian
mother. But the man was incapable
of anything mean or dishonorable.
| He was genuinely in love with his
wife, and cared nothing for any
other woman. How that photograph
came into his possession | don't
know. Probably We never shall
know. But you can at once dis
miss from your mind the suspicion
that Delahay was mixed up in that
vulgar kind of business. Now, is
there anything more you can tell
me?'
Well. mo- Dallas said, after "a