The Washington times., 1911-03-08

n
Il Of man remained crOuched in
n the doorway.
In that second Mr.. Gray's
hand shot beneath his coat and into his
right hip pocket
And then Gray laughed, for Pell
stralghtened UP and stared at him, and
the detective said:
Listening at the keyhOle, eh?"
No, sir! / the butler stammered
What were you doing there Pell?"
Barker demanded.
The buffers forlorn countenance was
turned toward the lawyer.
- dropped pencil there, and
was just stopping to pick it up" he
protested. II was coming with word
from Mr.. Wilkes when you rang"
Gray glanced at the floor. However it
had come there. the stub of a pencil
was lying in plain sight, and the detec-
tive turned away with a shrug At
least, the burning curiosity of a family
servant was not astonishing
Mr. Deston wished to know if you
desired his presence" Pell went on. dol
orously.
Gray turned toward him.
Yes, Ask Mr.. Deston if he will come
here. And l want to talk to you, Pell,
and Willis as well,'
The butler left. A minute or two of
silence, and Wilkes Deston walked
quietly into the library, and the three
investigators surveyed him with lively
curiosity. It went quite unrewa rded;
whatever powerful emotions had Swayed
Deston in his fancied solitude a little
while ago he was very much himself
again now. His grave eyes went in
quiringly from one to the other and he
asked:
well, gentlemen, have you reached
any conclusion?"
Burton's pale eyes were fairly glued
10 the enigma as he shot in:
Mr. Gray states that your brother
took his life upon discovering that Mr..
Forbes and Miss Amato were in love
and about to elope!'
Deston bowed grave assent as he took
That is my own view!" he said.
'Why-Wilkes, you don't believe"
escaped Barker.
THAT is my own view, Mr.. Barker"
And that neither of them is aware
Of the tragedy at this moment-unless
Amato has caught up with them and
Informed themi' Gray added.
Exactly Mr.. Gray"
Burton, following his own peculiar
mental processes, regarded the surviv-
ing brother open-mouthed; then, with an
inaudible grunt, he shook his head and
turned away.
And possibly you can help US to
strengthen that theory. Mr. Deston?
have noticed many little Indications
YOU have seen and heard things which
led you to believe that they might end
up in just such runaway match as
Il fear that I am not a very keen OBJ
server" DeSton said, quietly. Possibly
] am basing the belief altogether upon
a certain wonder which l have always
entertained-as TO Nina, to whom people
were a necessity and who made diver
sion her chief concern, should have
chosen to marry Norman, whose mind
ran toward business affairs and who
Rind." Rde"'su "0''ie u SO''"' '''i'''' ol any
Destons general sanity rose several
points in Gray's estimation. and the de-
tective would have liked to question him
further. Indeed his lips opened for the
first of several questions that occurred
20 him; and at the sound Of Deston's
heavy sigh and the sight of his bowed
head, they closed again. Careful ex-
animation, judiCious refreshing to Des- |
TOMS memory, might bring to light
LATER on. Alone with Deston, that gen !
tleman might be made to talk; the pres
ent was not the time for the effort
Pell had reappeared now with Willis, !
ond man over keenly. The former rose
and took to walking up and down as
he talked. and Pells hurt, watery
eyes followed him.
What time did you go to bed Monday
night, Pell?' Gray asked.
EARLY, sir. A little past 10. wasn't
feeling we'll, sir"
Slept soundly enough, thought"
I'm heavy sleeper, sir" the butler |
mumbled.
WHO locked up the house, them"
81 did," Willis said.
AT what time?'
1T must have been half past eleven,
sir"
Every door and Window"
Every door and window"
did you happen to do the unlocking |
Tuesday morning, after-young Mr.. |
Deston was found?"
Later in the morning; yes, sir" !
''Were all the windows and doors still |
locked-just as you left them?'
"AIl but the front doors, SIR
What about the front doors?"
There is a heavy bronze bolt run '