The Washington times., 1911-10-03
CHAPTER w (Continued).
XII CAN tell you only this" I sal
After passed the librar.

xxi CAN tell you only this" said
After 1 passed the library
i where 1 both heard and saw
Philip and MISS Leslie, went or
downstairs and looked into Mr.. Max.
wells study.
he asked me to sit down. l did not
40 SO; but after a word or two l went
oh through to the billiard room.
looked at the clock In the study as
PASSED and 1t was exactly 10. / cant
say, though, at just what rime the gen.
tlal alarm was given; l should think
iesS than half hour later"
l can tell yOu," said Gilbert. When
concluded to go home i looked be-
tween tween the portieres into Mr.. MAXWELL
20 ana II was twenty minutes pass
~. MI. Maxwell was noddng over his
paper; he Is little deaf, so he prob
ably didn't hear me-
Al any rate, he didn't look Up. Then
went Immediately upstairs, and /.
could not have been more Than two
minutes before 1 called DIR. Sheldon"
All this is OF interest and l thank
you, said Detective Hunt. Though, as
you say, since there is no criminal to
alscoVer, there is small use of collect
Ing evidence"
Queer chap, isn't hep 1 said to Gil
pert as the detective went away.
Yes, but l think he's clever
don't; If there were any occasion
for detective work on this case believe
could give him cards and spades and
then beat him at his own CANT"
Perhaps you could" said Gilbert, but
ne spoke without interest. There was
plenty for all to do that day. l had ex-
pected to return to New York, but both
Mr.. Maxwell and Miss Miranda begged
me to stay with them till afte4 the fu-
neral. As there was no reason for my
immediate presence in the city, l was
glad TO be OF service to my good friends.
l assisted Mr.. Maxwell TO write letters
10 the various relatives, and together We
looked over poor Philips effects.
\ The boy had no business papers 20
speak of, for he had no money except
what was given him by his uncle, and
apparently he kept no account OF its
expenditures.
4 paid ali his bills" said Mr.. Max
we'll. in explanation of this, and kept
the receipts 1 allowed Philip such
ready cash as ne wanted, and. may
say, l never stinted him. Whatever
his recent trouble may have been, II
could not have arisen from lack OF
funds
Unless he had been speculating prt-
vately." l suggested
Il can't think So" replied his uncle:
Phillip wasn't that sort and, too, had
that been the case, we would surely find
papers of some sort TO show IL.
This was true enough, and as Philip e
papers consisted entirely of such docu-
ments as scented notes addressed in
feminine hands, letters from college
chums. circulars of outing goods and
cigars and old dance orders. l agreed
that there was no indication of fnan-
cial trouble.
Later in the morning l went for a
stroll with Irene Gardiner. The girl
looked so pale and wan that l nope
brisk walk would do her good.
''Do you believe in the 'accidentaf
theory" she asked as soon as We
were started.
NO" I replied. "PhiIip was too well
used to firearms to shoot anybody ac-
cidentally or allow anyone to shoot
Maxwelrs theory that the boys brain
was temporarily affected and that he
shot himself in moment of insanity. V.
But if he shot himself first, how
did he then shoot MIldred?''
I've puzzled over that, ! confess, and
think he shot her first-as I said-not
being responsible for his actions. And
then, overcome by grief at what he had
done, he killed himself in his sudden
despair
Yes" said Irene. IT suppose that
must have been the way of 1t. But.
granting all that, I don't see how Mil
dred came to have. the pistol in her
hand"
Nor l. II is almost mysterious. Let
US hope that Mildred will soon recover,
and then we will know all
Mr.. King, l suppose you will think
very hardly of me. but I have looked
at this matter in all lights, and ! want
to ask you II this isn't a possible case.
Mightn't Philip have shot Mildred, and
might she not have snatched the pistol
from him and shot at him in return"
/ looked at Miss Gardiner in amaze
ment I felt horrifled that she should