Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-12-21
The House of the
Whispering
Pines

for pleasure in this house. Do as l
do. and may Arthur see and remem-
ber.'
"Her fingers opened: the glass fell
from her hand and lay in broken frag-
ments beside her plate. Carmel fol.
lowed suit. and. before l knew it. my
own fingers had opened and my own
glass lay in pieces on the tablecloth
beneath me. Only Ranelagh's hand re-
manned steady. She held her breath.
watching that hand. and | can hear
the gasp yet with which she saw him
set his glass down quietly. on the
board. That's the story Of those three
broken glasses"
The district attorney sought out and
lifted a paper from the others lying on
the desk before him. 1t was the first
movement be had made since Cumber-
land began his tale.
I'm sorry" said be. with a rapid
examination of the paper in his hand.
"but I shall have to detain you a few
minutes longer. What happened after
the dinner? Where did you go from
the table?"
II went to my room to smoke. l
was upset and thirsty as a fish,"
".Have you liquor in your room?"
Sometimes"
did you have any that night?"
mot a drop. didn't dare. I want
ed that champagne bottle. but Adelaide
had been TOO quick for me. 1t was
thrown ,Out-Wasted-I do believe, vast
ed"
$50 you did not drink? You only
smoked in your room?"
Smoked one cigar. That was all.
Then l ent down town."
May | ask by which door you left
the house,"
'The side door-the one I always
take"
what overcoat did you wear":
IT don't remember. The first one |
came to. ! suppose"
But you can surely tell what hat?"
/ They expected a violent reply. and
they got it.
mo. I can't. What has my hat got
to do with the guilt of Elwood Rane.
lagh?"
Nothing. we hope" was the imper-
.urbable answer. But we find it nec-
essary to establish absolutely just
what overcoat and what hat you wore
! down street that night"
Eve told you that l don't remem-
ber." The young mans color was ris-
ing.
Are not these the ones?" queried
the district attorney, making a sign to
Sweetwater. WHO Immediately stepped
forward, with a shabby old ulster over
his arm and a battered derby in his
hand.
The young man started. rose. then
sat again, shouting out with angry en-
phasis:
mo" ~ 5
yet you recognize these?
why shouldn't L? They're mine.
Only l don't wear them any more.
They're done for. You must have
rooted them out from some closet"
mir. Cumberland."-the district at
torney was very ~serious-'this hat and
this coat, old as they are. were worn
! into town from your house that night.
This we know absolutely. We can
even trace them to the clubhouse"
Mechanically. not spontaneously this
time. the young man rose to his feet.
staring first at the man who had ut
tered these words. then at the gar
ments which Sweetwater still held in
view.
IL don't know anything about it."
were the words with which he sought
to escape from the net which had been
thus deftly cast about him. II didn't
wear the things. Anybody can tell
you what clothes | came home in.
Ranelagh may have borrowed
"Ranelagh wore his own coat and
hat. Mr.. Cumberland, you have told
us that you didn't know at the time
and can't remember now, where you
spent that night, and most Of the next
morning. All you can remember is
that it was in some place where they
let you drink all you wished and leave
when the fancy took you. and not be-
fore. 1t was none Of your usual
haunts. You dreaded to have your
sister know how soon you could es-
cape the influence Of that moment.
You wished to drink your I'LL and leave
your family m the wiser. Am |
not right??"
Yes. it's plain enough. isn't it?
Why harp on that string?'
you cannot remember the saloon
in which you drank. That's possible
enough. but perhaps you can remem-
Der what they gave you. Was it
whisky. rum. absinth or what"
The question took his irritable lis
tener by surprise. Arthur gasped and
tried to steal some comfort from Coro-
ner Perry's eye. but that old friends
face was too much in the shadow.
II drank-absinth." he cried at last.
From this bottle?" queried the 9th
er. moHoning again to Sweetwater.
who now brought forward the bottle
he had picked up in Cuthbert road.
Arthur Cumberland glanced at the
bottle the detective held up. saw the
- q" H.