The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-06-01
CHAPTER XIV (Continued)
a Confession.

- SOUIcSSlOn.
Wizards face grew drawn and
stiff, like that of paralyZed man,
but his burning eyes seemed unable
to tear themselves away from the
quiet gaze OF Fleming Stone Then
with groan Willard's head sank
into his hands and he fell forward
.le laole-the very table at which
Madeleine had sat on that fatal
night
There was stir. and Schuyler
Carleton rushed forward to Willard's
assistance if need be But the man
had not tainted, and, raising his
White face, he squared his sh0ul-
Gers clenched his hands, and again
liking his eyes on those of Fleming
Stone, said in a desperate voice, GO
on"
Il must go on said Stone gently
"a know that each of you is think
ing that it is absurd to imagine a
Illlu vi III ldld NtlSul anu
sirth climbing up through he seem
ingly small opening in the fireplace.
But this can be explained To one
who does not know how such
feat would seem impossible. 1t is
only one who knows how can do it.
There are men in certain occupa-
tions, such as engineers and boiler
(men, who are continually obliged to
squeeze through holes quite as small.
The regular boiler man-hole is oval,
and measures ten by fifteen inches,
but there are many of them in large
tanks which measure even less each
way. | had occasion some time ago
TO interview an engineer on this sub
ject, he weighed two hundred and fiji
teen pounds and had a chest meas
ure of forty-two inches. He told me
that he could go through much
smaller man-hole than another work
man who weighed only one hundred
and sixty pounds, simply because
he knew how it was done by certain
manipulations of the great muscles
and by following certain routine of
procedure. But the method is unim,
portant for the moment. The fact
remains and can be verified by any
engineer. | have discovered today
that Mr.. Willard is or has been an
expert engineer, and for many years
held such a position in a large fac.
tory right here in Mapleton. AS to
Mr.. Wizards presence in this house
upon that fatal night, tiny clue
discovered by Mr.. Fessenden gives
us undubitable proof. Mr.. Fessenden
found next morning on the drawing
room floor a cachou. have learned
these are by no means common in
Mapleton, and, moreover. that it is
not the custom of any one of the
men now present TO use them | fur
ther learned that Mr. Willard left
here that night to 80 to the hotel;
he found by chance small bottle
of these in the room which was as
signed to him. | am assuming that
he carelessly put a few in his pocket
and that in his struggle through the
ash-chute one fell upon the carpet
The room which Mr.. Willard occu-
pied at Mapleton Inn is in the second
story and its windows open upon a
veranda roof, which has gentle
slope almost to the ground. This
provides an easy means of exit and
entrance, and as Mr.. Willard has
no alibi later than half-past ten on
that evening, the time would permit
him to come here and 20 away
again before the hour when Mr..
Carleton is known TO have arrived"
Then turning and meeting Toms
intent gaze. Fleming Stone address
ed himself directly to him, and said.
Why you chose 10 kill your cousin,
l dom know; but you did"
Il did said Tom, in hollow
voice, and | will ell YOU why" He
rose as he spoke, and standing by
the table. he steadied himself by
placing enc hand upon it,
1t was certainly unpremeditated,
he said, and I'm going to tell you
about it, because ! owe confession
to Madeleine's memory, though l agl~
responsible for my deed to no one
here present"
Though Willard spoke with no at