The Washington times., 1911-03-06

f; man with really sparkling mind-im'
! pulsive-strOng in the convictions Of
| the moment-thinks and acts quickly
| invariably sways other people by his
! enthusiasm and dash?'
| The details are all correct
! That curly-haired young man in the
| pictures with Norman Dcston is Forbes
| isn't it?' Burton asked, startled for the
moment, as he jerked a thumb toward
the album.
| Yes
81 judged as much" Burton settled
| back. There is absolutely no connec-
ton between the murder and the disap-
| pearances!" he propounded.
am glad 10 hear you say it,
Barker began-but Gray was saying:
| Burton, / wonder If you and I are
{ reaching around for the same idea?"
| Il shouldnt be astonished. Go on
| Gray" grunted the spectacled detec,
tive.
I will" The other smiled slightly
! ''Mr. Barker. | think We'll devote a
little. attention to the Amato family
Very we'll"
On the idea that finding them and
finding Forbes will be the first step
toward learning definitely why Nor
man Deston shot himself" Gray went
on. You have known these two a
long time?'
AS long as I have known the Des-
| tons. Since before Nina's BIRTH
AIt'' = -OOh L 4itll lIlt AIldlOS dnO
the DestOns were even older friends,
l take it?''
"Amato became associated with Des-
ton twenty-five or thirty years ago.
They were bosom friends-business and
personal. Since both retired, they have
been inseparable almost"
There is no Mrs. Amato?'
Mrs. Amato died when Nina was a
few months Old
What is the family-Spanish, Italian,
South American, for two or three
generations. Amato's mother. be-
lieve, was an EngliShwoman. His wife
was Spanish. For the last fifteen years,
he and his daughter have lived alto
Sether in this country"
II see. They stayed here?"
Every frequently, and for long periods
AmatO never settled down to a home
after his wife's death. They lived at
the old Altmere in New York. when
they were in the city, as l told you
And the girl grew up with these
Deston boys. in way"
oh, yes"
Almost like brothers and sisters,
Very much indeed" Barker smiled.
AS Child. did this Nina favor any
one of the boys more than the others -
As child, Nina stuck pretty close
to Wilkes. as l recall them" the lawyer
unused. He was the big fellow, you
know"
But she became engaged to Nor
About a year ago"
'Wcll, was she in love with Norman?"
Burton asked, bluntIy.
''What?" Barker started up in amaze
ment. "Of course. she was!'
Il mean, it wasn't anything that had
been arranged in early childhood by
their parents-and just became a matter
Of course"
'WeII-I don't Lypo,,- - T1o,.I,or fro,,.,,
Cd. 1T had been an accepted idea for
good many years, l suppose
Had it?" Gray muttered. Just
what sort of young woman is this
Miss Amatc. Mr.. Barker-strikingly
beautiful, just-Just ordinarily good
looking, not beautiful at alI?"
"Beauttful,' Barker cried. Nina is
me most superbly beautiful child that
"Eactly. Just a minute" GRAY was
thinking. Burton interrupted:
You know, I hated to think anything
OF that sort. after the general view of
the family Barker gave us last night"
,What was that, Mr.. Burton?' Barker
"Barker.' Gray was speaking again.
You, of course. have been with the
family more than any one else, and
you're a pretty observing person, L
imagine. Now, in perfect honesty. has
II ever struck you that. even since her
NAitse . '4llthl " NUT man DeSIOn, MISS
Amato may have-may have cherished
a certain liking for GeraId?"
That's utter rot,'' the lawyer cried,
hOtly. You don't-understand matters
of course. You don't know the people
you're discussing or anything about
An right. Hold on" the detective
smiled, calmly. You haven't answered
the question, Mr.. Barker"
For an instant the lawyer stared at
him; then he sat back rather Imply and
a slow flush came to his checks. AL
most furtively. his eyes wandered to-
ward the detective and away again.
II suppose that nothing but the
cold truth is Of any value here" he
said. Il haven't admitted it even to
myself, buff You force me to make
statement one way or the other, l have
thought more than once during the last
two or three years that Nina was-um-
rather fond of Forbes-yes!'
"HeiEhO,' said Gray, very family
But if you're connecting them now,
in matter of this character, you're go
ing ridiCulOusy far from the truth" the
lawyer said, with renewed warmth.
You know, that's just what occurred
to me, three or four seconds ago." Mr..
Burton said, astonishingly. The obvi-
GUS quality itself would discredit--"
You are reasoning against your own
common sense, MIR. Barker" Gray said,
quietly.
Common sense be hanged The law
yer'S voice rose saVagely. IF you had
known Nina sinCe-yes, since her birth
If you could realize how utterly open
and beautiful her mind, her whole life,
is. yOu'd-why, you'd know that YOU
were talking like coafounded ass, sir"
As concerned expression and emotion,
Mr.. Gray's face might have been carven
from stone. Barrows stepped in rather
with:
Mr.. Amato himself
"Weu, what about Mr. Amato him
self?" Barker demanded truculently.
"Why-why does he wear a wig?' Bar
rows asked, almost wildly.
He doesn't" Barker stated, impa-
But he-he does" Barrows said, in
Young man -" Barker began, iron
iCally.
Pardon me-" the younger detective
with a frown, but are you
perfectly positive that Mr.. Amato does |
not wear a wig?''
The lawyers anger was subsiding.
Mr.. Barrows," he said dryly, II have |
known Mr.. Amato intimately for the |
past two decades. ! have observed him |
in every stage of dress and undress, /
from sitting at a dinner table to diving 5
from a SpTingboard. | have observed /,
with the casual interest of friend the I
turning of his excellent and perfectly /
rooted black hair to gray and black. |
might almost say without eXaggeration |
that ! personally have noted the arrival |
of at least every third gray hair-and if !
can do nothing more to assist you, I !
can at least assure you that Mr.. Amato
does not wear a wig
Barrows' eyes were rather wider.
The man they called Amato at the !
that Amato?'
ut wasr'