The Hattiesburg news., 1909-09-20

Notnlng. read or his death Mon
day evening for the fret time.
"Mr. Bailey did not see him on his
way across the lawn"
Il think not. If he had seen him
he would have spoken of it,"
THANK you. That is all. Miss Ger
trude Innes."
Gertruas's replies were fully as con-
else as Halseys Mrs. Fitzhugh sub
jected her to close inspection, COM
mencing with her hat and ending with
her shoes. flatter myself she found
nothing wrong with either her gown
or her manner, but poor Gertrude's
testimony was the reverse of com.
forting. She had been summoned,
she said, by her brother, after Mr..
Armstrong had gone. She had waited
in the billiard room with Mr.. Bailey
until the automobile had been ready.
Then she had locked the door at the
foot of the staircase, and, taking
lamp, had accompanied Mr.. Ba!ley TO
the main entrance of the house, and
had watched him cross the lawn. In
stead of going at once to her room,
she had gone back to the billiard
room for something which had been
left there. The cardroom and billiard
room we're in darkness. She had
groped around, found the article she
was looking for, and was On the point
or returning to her room, when she
had heard some one fumbling at the
lock at the east outer door. She had
thought It was probably her brother,
and had been about to go to the door,
when she heard it open. Almost i'm
medlately there was a shot, and she
mad run panic-stricken through the
drawing room and had reused the
house
You heard no other sound?" the
coroner asked. There was no one
with Mr.. Armstrong when he en-
tered?"
ut was perfectly dark. There were
no voices and heard nothing There
was just the opening of the door, the
shot, and the sound of somebody fall
ing"
Then, while you went through the
drawing room and upstairs to alarm
the household, the criminal, whoever
1t was, could have escaped by the east
door?"
| Yes"
Thank you. That will do"
l ftatter myself that the coroner got
little enough out of me. I saw Mr.
Jameson smiling to himself, and the
coroner gave me up, after time.
admitted l had found the body, said
had not known who 1t was until Mr.
jarvis told me, and ended by looking
up at Barbara Fitzhugh and saying
that In renting the house l had not
expected to be involved in any family
scandal. At which she turned pGrpl6
The verdict was that Arnold Arm
strong had met his death at the hands
OF parson or persons unknown, and
we prepared to leave. Barbara Ftz
hugh founced out without waiting te
speak to me, but Mr.. Harton came up
as knew he would.
You have decided to give I'D the
house, hope, Miss Innes." he said
Mrs. Armstrong has wired me
again."
I am not going to give 1t up." I
maintained. until understand some
things that are puzzling me. The day
that the murderer is discovered. I will
leave"
Then, Judging by what I have
heard, you will be back in the city
very soon." he said. And I knew that
he suspected the discredited cashier
of the Traders bank.
Mr.. Jameson came I'D to me as I
was about to leave the coroner's Of
fee.
How is your patient?" he asked
with his odd little smile.
Il have no patient" I REPLIED
startled.
Il will put it In a different way.
then How is Miss Armstrong?"
She-she is doing very we'll"
stammered.
Good cheerfully And our ghost?
Is it laid?"
Mr.. JAMESON" l said suddenly. .T
wish you would come to Sunnyside
and spend a few DAYS there Tho
ghost is not laid. l want you to spend
one night at least watching the cir.
cular staircase. The murder of Arnold
Armstrong was a beginning. not an
end"
He looked serious.
Perhaps I can do it." he said .T
nave been doing something else. but
well. l will come out tonight" !"
We were very silent during the
trip back to. Sunnyside. I watched
Gertrude closely and somewhat sadly
10 me there was one glaring flaw in
ner story, and it seemed to stand ont
for every one to see. Arnold Arm. |
strong had had no key, and vet she
said she had locked the east door He
must have been admitted from within
the house; over and over I repeated II
to myself.
That night as gently as could
told Louise the story of her stem.
brothers death. She sat in her big
pillow-flled chair, and heard me
through without interruption. 1t was
clear that she was shocked beyond
words; if had hoped to learn any.