The Washington times., 1911-03-01

I'm what way. sir?"
His clothes-his belongings-so on?'
"Well-yes, sir Willis flush seem
ed TO be mounting again!
Just so. Willis. you've been about
Mr.. Gerald'S room since he--left?"
! i've put it in shape. sir"
well, is anything missing. Willis?"
Barker asked hatly.
| The second man started violently.
| 'Why, Mr.. Gerald had a great many
| clothes-a great deal of everything!' he
| five suits at a time. and shirts two
dozen at time, and-like that. sir"
| We'll is anything missing?'
| ~ gu see, | wouldn't be likely to know
II anything was gone or not, sir. l
never kept close track SO to speak,
! well, is anything missing?" Barker
persisted, in higher tones.
| For a moment the second man hesi-
tated. Then his hesitation vanished and
defiance took its place and he cried:
Look here, sir! Mr.. Geralds friend
of mine, and he always was! He's
treated me white, sir, and m giving
notice, sir he said, surprisingly, turn
ing to Wilkes. I'm leaving this after
nOOn!'
Barker went quickly to his side.
My dear boy" he said, Use just
little sense and remembe" that Mr.. Des-
mind at least as much as you. We are
simply trying, as you must understand,
to get some inkling of why he left US
in the way nc did. II don't know
away for an instant. but for Mr.. Ger
AIDS own good, for heavens sake tell
me anything you know. What is miss
ing
he second man gave "A long, search
ing glance at the lawyer; then, ratter
thiCkly, he said:
We'll, the clothes don't know about,
sir. Three or four suits might be gone,
possibly, without my noticing 1t. But
Mr.. Geralds big valise is gone, SIR
The one with the heavy bellows on
the side?" escaped Deston.
Yes, sir. The one he always carried
when he went on long trips" The sec
ond man relaxed, and Barker's sharp
eyes deduCed that the whole weight
was off his mind now.
Was it there-before, Wilis?" he
asked.
1T stood in the same spot in Mr.
Gerald's closet this last three months,
sir. ] was in there last on Saturday
morning, two days before Mr.. Gerald
went. And it was there them"
And you are sure that it is nowhere
else about the place."
There was nobody that would notice
or think about that grip, but Mr.. Gerald
or ne. | haven't said a wOrd-but I've
been over this house from top to bottom
looking for it," Willis said, frankly. |
Its absolutely gone"
''Well-thats enough" Barker NUT |
tered.
Along with the elder brother, the law !
yer avoided his eyes. For a long time
he stared across the room, until at
length his voice came, distantly but /
tenSely:
wilkes. Nina Amato has gone |
somewhere. That's all we know about !
her: Her father, we know, left hurried ,
" for journey. Gerald, we know, left .
hurriedly for journey. And this all /
happened within thirty-six hours
DestOn said nothing.
And 1t was in the thirty-six hours
following NOrman's death" He turned
suddenly on the other. Wilkes. there !
was no reason under Gods blue sky for
IT, '' nc W
'Why-Barker," DestOn said hoarseIy.
raising hand of protest.
We found Norman, even with his
finger tight on the trigger, Wilkes. We
know that he did kill himself And
we know that he couldn't have killed
himself! And whatever else We know
or don't know, were dead certain that
those three have disappeared as utterly
as If the earth had opened and taken
them in! It's beyond my wits, Wilkes!
It's come to point now where detec-
uyes, real detectives, will have to be
called i'm
Deston was on his feet, shaking.
Barker, you don't think he cried.
Il don't dare to think" said the law
yer. But I'm going to have"
Deston's fist came down hard upon the
ia ble
II say no! We will have no detectives,
We will let the whole matter rest as 1t I
is"
Barkers own fist came down with a
siam. and his glittering eyes stared into
Deston's across the table
And I say yes" came through HIS
Teeth. ''If murder has been done here,
were going to find ii OUT
Continuation of This Story VIII BE
Found in TOmOrrOw'S Issue
of The TImes.O