The Washington times., 1911-03-03

causes and a very great many facts that
will go toward determining them"
Deston arose.
You do not care to state any definite
| opinion, Mr.. Gray?'
Il have no opinion to state" the de-
tective said, with a rather puzzled
smile.
Then think I shall leave you" He
turned to Barker. There is nothing
! for which you need me?"-
Why-l suppose not. Wilkes"
Then goodnight, gentlemen. We
shall, of course, meet again.
he nodded TO them, and save for muir
INJURED adieus no word was spoken as
the big man unlocked the door, passed
| out, and closed it behind him.
And with the click of the latch, for
three men heaved a simultaneous sigh
of obvious relief!
'IS he-alwayS like that Mr. Barker?'
Gray asked softly.
Always"
do You realize that he hasn't spoken
dozen words since we arrived here,
and with matter such as this under
discussiOn?"
Certainly. That signifies nothing"
Where has he gone now?" Barrows
asked curiOuSly.
To his own quarters" Barker re-
piled. wilkes has very, very little to
say about anything
Yes" Burton was speaking now.
Mr.. Barker, you have known the fam
lily very long time, believer"
Twenty years"
"Intimately?"
Very"
Then, as a boy, was this Mr.. Wilkes
Deston as-er-peCuliar as he is now?"
He's not peculiar. He is only quiet
tactiturn, absorbed"
We'll. did he inherit this tendency
from either parent?"
Not at all" Barker said rather
Mr.. Burton. He was born after the
turning point of Mr.. Deston's career
Just after John Deston had finished suf-
fering good many years of-well, pow
erty, l believe, of pretty distressing
Sight of the fortune he gathered event
ually. I know it was a pretty anxious
time for Deston and his young wife,
and have always attributed Norman's
few eccentricities to that"
Exactly. The parents were both
quite normal people?"
Decidedly"
DO you mind turning your face
straight toward that picture for a mo-
ment, Mr.. BarlIer?" Burton inquired
Pardon me?"
The large portrait on that wall. That
one. Thank you" Mr. Burton smiled
profound satisfaction, and blinked earn
estly at the rather astOnished lawyer.
Now, sir, let me ask you this and ask
for a careful answer. Mr.. Norman
DestOn had as many occasions as the
average man to experience such marked
emotions IS grief, anger, joy. and SC
on. Were these stronger emotions more
likely or less likely to upset his mental,
the average man?"
Very much less likely" Barker re-
Piled readily. In fact, 1 never saw
Norman, really angry; He was too
much like his father. Mr.. Burton. OBJ
stacles never bothered him; he simply
removed them as a matter of course" !"
"As 1 supposed. That large portrait
is a good likeness of the father?"
Excellent"
Il should like to see at least five
pictures of the unfortunate young man
himself in different attitudes"
You'll find ne Lrer five dozen of them
in that amateur Photographic album at
your elbow, Mr.. Burton. They are all
products of Miss Amato's camera; she
got them together recently
Burton's thick glasses were already
focused on the third or fourth page.
His somewhat heavy lips protruding,
the round investigator gazed for an
instant at one print after another;
finally tossing the little album to the
table with a pleased:
That, of course, settles it! Did l
interrupt you. Gray? Pardon me-"
The aristocratic detective glanced at
MIN with IalnI SIDle.
I've been trying to decide on point
for a beginning" he murmured.
Well before you decide that, let me
say one thing more" Barker broke in.
Whatever bills you gentlemen put in
will be paid without question, of course,
but-but this thing must be thrashed
out to the very last detail, and nothing
stimulates any sort Of human endeavor
like real money! he muttered iron
icaly I'm Mr.. Deston's name, l offer
you an added reward of ten thousand
dollars for the discovery of the condi-
tions which led to Norman's death. I
offer you another reward of ten thou
sand dollars for the finding of Gerald
Forbes. alive or dead. And If 1t should
turn out. I'm some ineXplicable way, that
murder has been done here or been at
tempted, I will guarantee the payment
of fifty thousand dollars to the man
who takes the guilty person.!
Gray started. Barrows said ''Phew!
quite frankly. Burton, apparently, had
"And now" the lawyer concluded.
have you formed any definite opinion
from the story itself?"
II haven't-not a clear one" Barrows
"oh, the fact Of the suicide itself, as
a suicide, is beyond any question,
Gray smiled. That detail is not puz-
us rs that your opinion, Mr.. Burton?'
The pale blue eyes stared at him in
mild astonishment for a moment; Bur-
TOMS mind seemed to be returning re-
luctantly from trip through space.
mo! No doubt on that score, ne
said I'VE understand, of course, that
the young man was murdered!
Continuation of This Story VIII Be
Found in TOmOrrOw's Issue