The Washington times., 1911-10-04
CHAPTER v.
The Coroner's Inquest.

-HE situation was indeed changed
NV latent detective instinct was
now fully reused, and determin-
ed to do all l could toward solv-
ing the mystery.
/ said as much to Mr.. Maxwell, and
he THANKED me earnestly for my SYM
patty and interest.
He also asked me whether L thought
Mr.. Hunt skilled detective or wheth-
err advised sending TO New York for a
more expert man. This annoyed me
for it proved that he considered my
services as well meant. but not especl-
ally valuable. However, l showed no
irritation, and answered simply that
thought Mr.. Hunt quite capable OF dis
covering all that could be discovered
You see," l went on, I'VE are at a
disadvantage in having lost so many
hours already. Had we known last
side we could easily have caught him.
AS 1t is, he has probably made good his
escape"
THAT is true" said Mr.. Maxwell with
a sigh. But we must do our best and
leave no stone unturned in our en-
deavor to find Philips assailant."
determined 10 go at once to the IL
brary, the scene of the crime, and make
thorough search for clues before Mr..
Hunt should arrive. All the detective
literature ndO ever TedO 1du Taught
me that II is next TO impossible for a
human being to enter a room and go
out again without leaving a trace of
some sort. though visible only TO d
trained detective.
So to the library went and subjected
the room and all its contents TO a mi
mute and systematic scrutiny. Contrary
to all precedent, literally and roper
torial, l found nothing.
Again i went over the room. even
more diligently. remembering Sherlock
Holmes, wise advice to discriminate
carefully between vital and incidental
clues.
But, alas could find neither. except
the very doubtful one Of fluffy bit OF
yellow marabout feather, which might
have fallen from a lady's fan or the
trimmings of her costume, rcmem-
bered no one who had worn yellow the
night before, but, then, l Take little
note of ladies' dress.
In lieu OF anything more interesting
put the hit of down carefully away
IN my notebook and proceeded with my
examination. All to no purpose. The
room had been put in order by the serv-
ants that morning-tIusted and possibly
swept-so 1t was absurd to look for any
thing on the floor or furniture.
Signing to think of the opportunities
we had lest. l turned my attcn-inn to
tn" window by which the INTRUDER MIST
have entered: It was long French
window. reaching from floor to ceiling
II was in three divisions, each OF which
was really a door, and opened out on
the balcony, which, as l have said, ran
around both sides and the front of the
house without barrier
The panes were of ground glass IN
diamond pattern; ard I knew that at
night. with lights inside the room. an
outsider might look ir through the glass
unseen by those within.
/ opened the middle door, stepped out
or the balcony and endeavored to s-rIl-
tiniZe in n scientific way
Signs Of a sLuffle there certainly were
Just outside the library window in the
dust of the balcony I observed many
long. sweeping marks that had every
appearance OF being the tracks of men
who scraped their feet around In 4
wrestle Of. struggle of some sort. From
the shape OF these streaks in the dust
! could net gather the size Of the shoes
that made them or the style of their
toes: but as even the paint Of the bal
cCny floor vas scratched nv the marks,
felt sure that tussle of some sort
had taken place there.
I looked for a continuation Of these
tracks. but found none. save the
scratches that were to be seen every
where over the bale 5ny floor AS many
people had walked there the night be-
fore. this was OF no Importance, but I'M
less some one had danced a clog dance