Barbour County index., 1910-06-08


her stop suddenly, as if she had been
struck.
He does not" she said in a tone
that was not her own. "Mr. Bailey and
my brother know nothing of this.
The murder was committed at three.
They left the house at a quarter be-
fore three"
How do you know that?" Mr.. JAM
ieson asked oddly. DO you know at
what time they left?'
Il do" Gertrude answered firmly.
"At a quarter before three my brother
and Mr.. Bailey left the house, by the
main entrance I-was-there."
"Gertrude,- II said excitedly, you
are dreaming. Why, at a quarter to
three"
Listen" she said. cat half-past
two the downstairs telephone rang. l
had not gone to sleep, and l heard it.
Then l heard Halsey answer it, and
in few minutes he came upstairs and
knocked at my door. We've talked
for a minute. then l put on my dress
ing gown and slippers, and went down
stairs with him. Mr.. Bailey was in
the billiard room. We've all talked
together for perhaps ten minutes.
Then it was decided that-that they
should both go away"
Cant you be more explicit?" Mr..
Jameson asked. Why did they go
away?"
Il am only telling you what hap
- \
evenly. "Halsey went for the car,
and instead of bringing it to the house
and rousing people, he went by the
lower road from the stable Mr..
Bailey was to meet him at the foot of
the lawn. Mr. Bailey left"
Which way?" Mr.. Jameson asked
sharply
by the main entrance. He left
it was a quarter to three. l know
exactly"
The clock in the hall is stopped,
Miss Innes," said Jameson. Nothing
seemed to escape him.
He looked at his watch" she re-
piled, and l could see Mr.. Jamieson's
eyes snap, as if he had made a dis
covery. AS for myself, during the
whole recital l mad been plunged into
the deepest amazement.
Will you pardon me for a personal
question:" The detective was a
youngish man, and l thought he was
somewhat embarrassed. What are
your-your relations with Mr. Bailey?"
Gertrude hesitated Then she came
over and put her hand lovingly in
mine.
Il am engaged to marry him." she
said simply.
l had grown so accustomed to sur
prises that 1 could only gasp again,
and as for Gertrude, the hand that
lay in mine was burning with fever
''And-after that" Mr.. Jameson
went on, you went directly to bed?"
Gertrude hesitated.
NO" she said finally IL am not
nervous, and after l had extinguished
the light, l remembered something I
had left in the billiard room. and l
felt my way back there through the
darkness"
Will you tell me what it was you
had forgotten"
Il cannot tell you," she said slowly.
'I-I did not leave the billiard room
at once
'Why?" The detectives tone was
imperative. This is very important,
Miss Innes.'
Il was crying" Gertrude said in a
low tone. When the French clock in
the drawing room struck three l got
up and them heard a step on the
east porch, just outside the cardroom.
Some one with a key was working
with the latch, and l thought, of
course, of Halsey. When we took the
house he called that his entrance, and
he had carried key for it ever since.
The door opened and l was about to
ask what he had forgotten, when
there was flash and report. Some
heavy body dropped. and. half crazed
with terror and shock, l ran through
the drawing room and got upstairs-I
scarcely remember how"
She dropped into a chair, and l
thought Mr.. Jameson must have fin
ished. But he was not through.
You certainly clear your brother
anu ue Sdlu.
The testimony is invaluable. especial
ly in view of the fact that your broth
er and Mr.. Armstrong had, believe,
Quarreled rather seriously some time
ago.
Nonsense l broke in. Things are
bad enough. Mr.. Jameson, without in
venting bad feeling where it doesn't
exist. Gertrude, l don't think Halsey
knew the-the murdered man, did
he?"
But Mr.. Jameson was sure OF his