The Washington times., 1911-03-07

| 49, hIaN DOlIl OTDtS ana ANA
TO are known to have carried luggag
! with them
| Barker nodded.
| The DR.. Alden you have mentione,
came here for the express purpose o
| giving Forbes a sedatiVe
breekfasted with Alden this morn
| ing"
"Eh?" Earrows cried
"The breakfast was incidental--be
! cause | wanted to see him and ge
| back before you fellows were up,
! the detective smiled broadly. "In tn
| lmpenetrable disguise of a neuralgia
| sufferer. | popped in on Alden and Sc
| cured some pills I didn't take. and tn,
| chat drifted to nervous people. Quite
| by accident, of course, the topic o.
| Forbes came up. Alden says that Tho
| dose lie gave him was the very limi
1 and that If he took it before goine
TO bed. as directed. it certainly was 9
| physical impOssi bility for at least ont
person to hear any shots that night"
Oh' So Barrows began.
so he didn't take it. or he wouldn't
have left the house at all. That sim
ply proves that his departure was pre-
ineditated; 1t was just one powder
a idCn Said--
Then he didn't take it," Barker put
IN shortly. willis found powder on
his table"
He had planned to go away. That
was one Of the causes of his excite
ment during the evening, too. l suspect.
And since he was so extremely care
full not to mention his plans, we are
justified in thinking that they involved
something pretty startling and impor-
tant-to himself, at any rate"
He paused for comments. None came.
And while | will not say that this
is what happened. this is what We shall
find eventually did happen" Gray went
on. Forbes and Miss Amato were in
love, He
oh" Barker snorted.
My dear sir, / understand Your view
Of the matter perfectly, but suppose we
deal with things as they appear until
we discover that every appearance is
contrary 10 fact" the detective sug-
Sested rather sharply. Forbes and
Miss Amato were in love. They hadn't
the courage to own up to the truth
and-raise the dickens all around.
Working Out a scheme previously ar
ranged. they simply fled together, and
now thery re married and the Lord
knows where! AmatO learned Of it,
imagine. was Thoroughly Mortified, and
went off in pursuit"
"Rot-the whole idea!'' Burton said.
doubtless. But that is what hap
pened, just the same"
But it has no bearing on the sui
eide BaITOWs said.
Hasn't it," Gray smiled. Norman
DestOn discovered the scheme at the
last minute. Far be it from me to guess
at this moment just how things worked
out that night. but very likely Norman
heard Gerald Forbes leaving the house
and they met-at a rough guess, I
should say that he followed Forbes out
doors. ] venture TO guess, Mr Barker,
that whatever the young lady's true
sentiments, Norman DestOn was head
over ears in love, with her?"
Norman simply lived for that girl"
Barker admitted.
You couldn't have put it more appro-
priateIy-you've made the very point
] m after. lie came face to face with
Forbes and Forbes. being caught with
the goods. so to speak, in the shape OF
his way. Young Deston came back to
the house and shot himSch,'
"On the impulse OF the moment,
Burton inquired softly.
II imagine So Gray murmured. un-
gIardedly.
Turton's pale eyes blinkcd with ma
iCiOus enjoyment.
But the young man. of course, man
aged to control the impulse of the mo-
ment long enough to return to the
house, lock every door and window,
walk to the big foyer out there and
ire the fatal shot?"
1T needn't necessarily have been the
impulse of the mathematical instant"
GRAY answered. In fact, my idea is
hat he returned to the house and was
I'll ms way u Deu' pToDaOIJ IN
stunned frame of mind. He looked
around at the familiar things there. He
'ealiZed suddenly that, according to his |
fiew at the moment at least, his whole !
ife was blasted. and so on. And then |
and there he suCCumbed to the impulse |
# self-destructIon!"
Burton leaned forward.
HE must have gone I'D 10 Forbes |
'oom first, though? He must have Sc
'ured Forbes keys--which were fas- |
ened to Forbes, by the way-and opened |
7orbes' safe. Then, taking Forbes own |
PISTOL. he must have descended again, |
cray"
'ther quietly.
Il am only theorizing on what seems |
O be the hare facts. Young Deston |
night have come into possession of that |
,istOl in n dozen different ways. That !
etail does not impress me as strictly |
1T impresses n?e as very material"
Sarker stated. bluntly. THAT pistol of |
ierald's was locked up with his own
eysr
"Then, like the gun that invariably
xplodes when 1t isn't loaded. I should
ay that this was probably the time
hen tie pistol wasn't locked up-un-
ass, of course, we assume that Forbes
hight have put 1t in his pocket before
and then, for some utterly in
onceivabIe reason. have handed it to
,orman Deston and requested him to
eplaCe it."
"Nonsensicall' Burton commented
"Of course it is nonsensicaI," Gray
aid, and a little Irritation had crept
ito his tone. "But-wait! Very likely
e can settle this question of the safe"
Te frowned thoughtfully at Barker.
You said that Forbes had no valet.
Would anyone have occasion to go 10
is room after he retired Monday
ight?''
Norman was the last enc there, to
he hest of my knowledge"
Either of the men-servants, L mean?"
Barker thought for a moment.
"Um-possihly. I know that frequent
:, on his wakeful nights, Gerald has
OF milk or hot chocolate sent to his
nom."
BY Pcn?"
More likely Willis
We'll talk to Willis! Gray an
ounced.
He arose and crossed to the hutton
nd pressed il impatiently. More impa-
emily, he stepped TO the door and
,rked 1t open. ,
And very abruptly Mr.. Gray jumped ,
aCk. for a figure was crouching iust
ltside!
OF This Story VIII Re
Found in Tomorrow Issue |,
mn