The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-19

And Ben6tde

said. you and---and Jack left al
most at the time 1t happened. The
detective here thinks that you-that
we---know something ABOUT it.
The devil he dots'" 1ialseys eyrs
were fairly starting from his head
I beg your pardon. Aunt Ray. but
the fellows a lunatic.'
Tell me everything. won't you,
Halsoya" | begged, Tell me where
You went that night. or rather morn
ing, and why YOU went as you did.
This has been "A terrible iorty-eight
hours for all of as
He stood staring at me, and could
see the horror of the situation dawn
ing in his face
Il cant tell YOU where went.
Aunt RAY" he said, after a mo-
ment. AS to why. YOU will learn
that soon enough. But Gertrude
knows that JAck and left the house
before this thing-~this horrible muir
der~-oecurred, "
Mr.. Jameson does not believe
me-" Gertrude said dre@ri'S. ~ -
soy. &c the worst comes. II they should
arrest Nou, YOU mHst--tell.'
Il shall tell nothing. he said with
a new sternness ia his voice. Aunt
Ray, ii VAS necessary for Jack and
me To leave that night. / cannot
tell Won why~-just Net. As ia where
Ne went, II have II depend on that
a. an alibi I SHAH not tell TIL
whole thing is an absurdity. trump
ed .up charge That cannot possibly be
serious.
Has Ar. Bailey sonc back 10 the
city l denanded or to the club
Nether. deflantI9; AT the pres
e4t moment j DO not know where
he is.e
"halsey' asked graVefY, leaning
forward have you the slightest sus-
5ieion who Killed Arnold Armstrong
The police think he was admitted
from within, and that he was shot
down from above by some one on
the circular staircase
Il know nothing OF it he main
tanned, bat | fancied | caught sud
den glance at Gertrude. flash of
something that died as it came.
As quietly. as calmly as | could, ]
went OVER tn, whole story. from the
night Biddy and | had been alone up
to tho strange experience of Rosie
and her pirsuor. The basket still
stood OH the table, q mute witness
Ia this last mystifying occurrence
There is something else, | said
hesitatingly, at the last. "iIalsey.
have never told this even to Gertrude,
bnt the morning after the crime. |
found, in n tulip he'd. a revolver. It
il MAS yours. lIalsey.'
For an apprecia bic moment Halscy
stared at me. Then he turned t.
Gertrude
My revolver, Trude," he cxelaim-
ed. Why. Jack took my revolver
with him. didn't he"
..Oh. for Heavens sake don't say
hat lnt loo,
thinks possibly Jack Bailey came back
and~-and the thing happened then"
Tie didn't come back" Halses said
sternly. Gertrude, when you brought
down It revolver that night for Jack
to take with him. what one did YOU
bring Nine"
Gertrude VAS defiant nov.
No. Yours was loaded and was
afraid Of what Jaek--mght do. l
gave him one | have had for year
or two. 1t was empty"
Halsey threw up both hands &C.
| spairingly.
! Of that isn't like girl" he said.
.aWhy didn't Won do what asked
You to. Gertrude? You send Bailey
| off with an empty gun, and throw
| mine IN Il tulip bed, of all places on
| earth Niue WAS u thirty-eight call
I bre. The inquest Will show, OF course,
/ that the bullet that killed Armstrong
was II thirty eight. Then where shall
! be-"
You forget" ! broke in. that /
I have the revolver, ana that no one
I knows about it."
liut Gertrude had risen angrilF.
Il cannot stand it: 1t is always
With me- she cried "Halsey, | did
/ not throw your revolver into the tu-
! lip bed. --thlnk-you---tlid it
Yourself"
They stared at each other across
| the big library table. with young eyes
all at once hard, suspicious. And
then Gertrude held out both hands
to him nppealingly.
we must not" she said hrokenlv.
Just now. With 50 much mt stake,
| its shameful. / know you are as
/ ignorant as | am. Make me believe,
it, 1ialsey."
(To he Continucd)