The Washington times., 1911-10-08

that the coast was clear. and that for
twenty minutes / need fear no inter-
runtiOn from Jnen.
Eagerly seizing his coat from the hat
stand where he had flung it, FASTENED
to the library.
/ found Hunt there. and after closing
the door 1 held up the coat for his in
spection.
You don't mean to say you have
found the man. he cried
Il don't know about that" l said.
very soberly, but have certainly
found a coat that ought to be looked
after. What do you make Of this?'' .
| feld the front OF the coat toward
and drew Hunts attention to the al
most invisible spots on IL.
He looEed at them in silence mo-
ment and then said abruptly: Get some
:lore blotters."
We dampened the bIotters and ap-
Piled them very carefully, for the spots
were faint. and the surface of tire cloth
dusty.
But the results showed strong evi-
dcnce that the stains were similar to
those on the carpet.
Whose coat is it?' said Hunt, though
j think he knew.
Gilbert Cranes" l answered, looking,
straight at the detective.
But that does not prove that Gilbert
Crane committed the MURDER he re-
sponde,l. looking at me with equal di-
rectness.
TT does not" I said emrhatically.
but il is certainly e clue that must
lead somewhere"
And we must followed it wherever II
leads.
Yes" / asscnted: now that we nave
something to work on, let us get 10
work. Shall | call Gilbert up here and
ask him il he can explf in these spots
on his coat: somehow, / can't help
thinking that he cOUid DO -"
Not yet" said Mr.. Hunt Il think
1t wiser to straighten out a few points
before we speak TO Mr.. Crane on the
subject. He is a peculiar man, and
don't want to antagoniZe him.
II would much rather, If you please,
that you would replace the coat where
you found II, let Mr. Maxwell know
that he need not detain Mr.. Crane any
longer, and then bring Miss Gardiner
bach back st,he! here with you for short con-
1 followed Mr.. Hunts suggestions to
the letter. but il was with a rapidly
sinking heart. Not for a moment did I
think Gilbert Crane a villain, and yet
there were many circumstances that
looked dark against him.
! was also disturbed at Mr.. Hunts
request for Irene. A strange foreboding
made me fear that some dreadful reve-
lauon was about to take place.
The jury had rendered its verdict of
and ! fervently hoped the criminal
might remain forever unknown rather
than that the shadow of guilt might fall
on anyone VINO had been Hospitality re-
Ceived at Maxwell Hall
Still, in the cause of justice, every
possibility must be considered, and l
knew that Mr.. Hunt would shirk no
duty, but would doggedly follow any
clue that presented itself.
looked in at the study door. and the
merest fitting of my eyebrows was suf-
fiCient TO inform Mr.. Maxwell that a
detention of Gilbert was no longer
necessary. l looked at young Cranes
inscrutable face. and was obliged to ad-
nit to myself that IL was not a frank
countenance in its general effect. But
] resolved that this fact should not be
allowed to prejudice me against him.
Finding Mrs. Whiting in the hall and
learning from her that Miss Gardiner
had gone to her own room. ! asked her
10 say to Miss Gardiner that Mr.. HCtlt
desired to see her in the library. Mrs.
Whiting promised to send Irene there
at once, and. greatly dreadinR the in
terview, / returned to the library my
self
I found Hunt making a tabulated
statement of certain facts.
You see, Mr. King" he said, with a
very grave face. while things are
not positively incriminating, they are
serious questions which need clearing
up"