Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-06-02
The House
of the
Whispering
Pines
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN
Copyright. 1910. by Anna Katharine
Rohifs
Continued
BY ANNA KATHARINE GREEN

stracted the one which opens the wine
vault. The rest I left on the ring. 1t
was the sight of this key lying on our
hall table which first gave me the
idea. I feel like a cad when 1 think
of it, but that's Of no account now"
Flushed, he slowly sank back into
his seat. No complaint now Of being
in a hurry er of his anxiety to regain
his sick sisters bedside. He seemed
to have forgotten those fears in the
perturbations Of the moment. His
mind and interest were there; every
thing else had grown dim with dis
lance.
"Did you try the front door,"
what was the use2 / knew It to
be locked"
What was the use of trying the
window? Wasn't it also, presumably,
lockedP'
The red mounted hot and feverish to
his cheek.
you'll think me no better than a
street urchin or something worse" he
exclaimed. II knew that window. I
had been through 1t before. You can
move that lock with your knife blade.
/ had calculated on entering that
way"
"Mr. Ranelagh's story receives con-
firmation," commented the district at
torney, wheeling suddenly toward the
oroner. "He says that he found this
window unlocked when he approached
1t with the idea of escaping hat way"
Arthur Cumberland remained un-
moved.
The district attorney wheeled back.
"There were q number of bottles
taken from the wine vault. Some half
dozen were left on the kitchen table.
Why did you trouble yourself to carry
up so manyY'
Because my greed outran my con
venience. 1 thought 1 could lug away
an armful, but there are limits to ones
ability. l realized this when l re-
membered how far 1 had to go and SO
left the greater part of them behind"
"yYhy, when you had a team ready
to carry your"
al had no team" But the denial
cost him something. His cheek lost
Its ruddiness and took on a sickly
white which did not leave it again as
long as the interview lasted.
"You had no team? How hen did
you manage to reach home in time to
make -FOUR way back to Cuthbert road
by half past III"
81 didn't go home. I went straight
across the golf links. If fresh snow
hadn't fallen you would have seen
my tracks all the way to ,Cuthbert
road"
"If fresh snow had not fallen we
should have known the whole story of
that night before a hour had passed.
How did you carry those bottles"
'Tn my overcoat pockets-these
pockets" he blurted out, clapping his
hands on either side of him.
Had it begun to snow when you
left the clubhouse?"
mo" ~
"Was 1t dark?"
81 guess not; the links were bright as
day, or l shouldn't have got over them
as quickly as I did"
Quickly? How quicklyT" The dis
trfct attorney stole a glance at the
coroner, which made Sweetwater ad-
vance a step from his corner.
81 don't know. 1 don't understand
these questions" was the sullen re-
ply.
you walked quickly. Does that
mean you didn't look back?"
"How look back?"
"Your sister lit a candle In the small
room where her coat was found. This
light should have been visible from the
golf links"
Il didn't see any light"
A few more questions followed, but
they were Of minor import and aroused
less violent feeling. The serious por-
fion Of the examination, if thus 1t
might be called, was over.
The coroner glanced meaningly at
the district attorney, who, tapping
with bis fingers on the table, hesitated
Tor a moment before he finally turned
bgain upon Arthur Cumberland.
"You wish to return to your sister?
You are at liberty to do SO. l will trou-
BILE you no more tonight. Your sleigh
Is at the door, l presume"
They watched him go. each as silent
as he. The coroner tried to speak, but
succeeded no better than the boy him
self. When the door opened under his
hand they all showed relief, but were
startled back into their former atten
tion by his turning suddenly in the
doorway with this final remark:
what did you say about a bottle
with a special label on 1t being found
at our house? 1t never was, or, If 1t
was, some fellow has been playing you
a trick. / carried OFF those two bottles
myself. One you see there: the other
Isl can't tell where, but l didn't take
it home. That you a bet on"
One more look, followed by a heavy
frown and a low growing sound in
his throat-which may have been his
way Of saying goodby-and he was
gone.
A few more words, some understand
Ing as to the morrow, and Sweetwater
kTas also gone. The district attorney
and the coroner still sat. but very little
passed between them. The clock oyer
head struck the hour. Both looked up,
but neither moved. Another fifteen
minutes; then the telephone rang. The
coroner rose and lifted the receiver.