The Washington times., 1911-02-24
1.-THE SINS OF THEFATHERS Tss, s,,alla

/ Gerald may have ridden toward NIL.
ridge"
Yes, SIR"
Pell left. Uncertainty, Amato crossed
the library and stood beside the table
the elder mans eyes We're blank In hor-
rified bewilderment and a steady, un,
controllable tremor seemed to have set.
tied upon him.
Wilkes" he quavered. IL can't
believe it."
The elder brother nodded.
why could he have done it?'
God alone knows" Deston said
hoarsely.
He was-he was so utterly sane and
and removed from that sort of thing!
He-oh, 1 can't believe it!'
He settled in a chair and stared un-
comprehendingly at the floor Deston
watched the shaking head and the thick
black hair, streaked here and there
with gray, for a little. Then:
"Amato. you heard nothing in the
night?"
'I? No" the elder man looked up.
''I am at the rear of the house"
Still, a shot" Deston broke of
win SiOoL.
II know, know. heard nothing.
- When could it have happened.
wilkes?"
Not early in the night. was read
ing, in this very room. until a little
past twelve"
And then?'
Then / went to bed and to sleep.
had Just finished dressing when
And l must have been asleep a very
little after ten." Amato muttered,
Z" He stopped short and stared
at the elder brother.
"Er~' Wilkes"
Was >. was Norman's body
"What?" Deston shuddered violently.
No, Amato."
Then he. he must have done it
some hours ago."
4 suppose So" Wilkes choked.
Then why did not Gerald find him?"
Deston's head came up with a jerk
Second after second, the two men faced
one another-until, quite abruptly. he
He left by the servants stairway.
OF course"
"Eh?'
Gerald usually takes that way to the
stable when he makes an early start.
1t saves steps and isn't so likely to dis
turb the rest of US.
But Gerald is a very light sleeper
and his bedroom opens directly on the
corridor by the stairs" suggested ANA
to, with a puzzled frown.
"Dr. Alden gave Gerald some sort OF
sedative last night" DestOn said. Il
am rather astonished that he woke III
time for a ride, even"
Amato nodded. Silence fell once more
on the Iibrary-silenCe broken by dis
tant, stifled sounds of sobbing now and
then, and soft tiptoeing steps in the cor
ridor. Wilkes Deston seemed wholly
occupied in gaining n firm grip upon
himself: and the task appeared TO be
fairly we'll accomplished at last for ne
looked up and aid:
well. DR.. Fitch, our coroner must
be notified, I suppose. I will telephone
for him and then send for Barker.
He
A light tapping upon the door halted
him. Deston hcsitated a moment and
rose and opened the portal. Willis was
standing there, stiffy and soberly' ana
his grave eyes rested significantly upon
the elder brother as he said softly:
Might I speak to you privately out
here, sir, for a moment?'
"I-eh?" Wilkes stepped out and
looked at his second man in faint as
tonIshment
Beg pardon. sir" Willis cleared his
throat and his voice dropped to whis-
per. Il didn't want to tell anyone but
you till I'd investigated, sir. Mr.. Ger
aid hasn't taken a horse from the stable
this morning, Mr.. Deston."
What"
mo, sir. And II asked a question
or two, sir. in case he might have left
special orders to have his room done
very early, sir. or something like that,
but
He stopped. as if rather affrighted at
his own words.
We'll? What is it?" Deston asked.
We'll, there amt a wrinkle in Mr..
Ieralds bed, sir the second man muir
Mr.. Gerald didn't go to bed
at all last night, sir
Continuation of This Story VIII Be
Found In TOmOrrOw's Issue
of The Times.)