The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-12-06

That Is the point, SIR" he said
THAT is why am not responsible To-
THE masters death. set the guI
at level of eight inches from the
ground, which reckoned would take
the fox about the shoulder. Some
one altered the elevation of the muz
zle after had gone"
"The second forked stick that sup
ported the gun was in the mud. Nigh
It not have sunk under the weight
and thus raised the muzzle?"
"No, SIR. I had pushed 1t through
the mud down to the gravel It was q
good foot deeper when I went to lool
at It. A man must have used great
force to get It SO far through the
gravel" 81
what became of the gum"
AFTER they carried Sir Andrew
away. I must have gone on my head
for awhils. What would they say &c
me for setting such . trap for my mas
teri That was the only thing J
could think about. ran back and
pulled UP the sticks, and carried away
the gun to the cottage here"
I"But you saw the policeman arrest
the man, whom we may presume to
be the murderer" 4>
Eyes, sir; but I was too wild to
reason It out made up my mind
this morning to tell them all about 1t
at the inquest That is the truth"
did you use the punt last night?"
mo. sir, 1t must have been the
man that was caught. ! missed her
this morning. and after search
found her in the reeds near the island
where she had drifted. Though I
don't see how you could have known
anything about the punt, SIR"
"The iron-shod pole had Clipped the
landing-stage. The other man had
ferried himself across rather than use
the causeway. And now please fetch
me the plans and the gun"
When Warner returned Peace
slipped the envelope into his pocket,
and examined the weapon with great
care. swapping the lock twice.
"You had eased the trigger, eh?"
Eyes, sir; thought a light pull
would be best, so oiled and loosened
the screws"
The little man handed It back to
him and turned away, staring over
the lake towards the distant wood
lands, with his hands clasped behind
his back.
"That fellow, sir-he must have
done it, don't you Think" asked the
under-keeper.
$50 1t would seem, Warner" said
Addington Peace over his shoulder.
1t was eleven o'clock on the follow
ing day when Peace was announced.
l was sitting In the garden Of my
friends cottage smoking my pipe and
reading the paper. From within the
villa came the sound of whistling that
told of my host working at his Acad-
envy picture.
"Why, Peace" i said. what brings
you here?"
He seated himself on corner OF
the garden bench and lit a cigarette.
'T went to London last night" he
told me. And as l had to pass your
friends house on the way from the
station to Airiie Hall, I thought l
would call in and see you"
ANY further news?"
az have had an interesting visit.
The botanist with the beard has
stepped into leading part in our lit
tie tragedy. Mr.. Phillips"
do you mean"
Eyes. I believe him to be the muir
derer of Sir Andrew Cheyne."
"Then the man under arrest is IN
nocent."
THAT scarcely describes him-but
he had no hand in this crime"
"Confound you and your riddles" l
said. where is the murderer? Have
you caught him."
There Is carriage at the door. II
you care to come along perhaps I
may be able to show him to you"
It was a swift horse from the sta
bles OF Airlie Hall, and we covered the
ground quickly. There was little talk
between us. Twelve had struck when
we stepped out at the overhanging
porch of the old gray mansion and
walked through into the library that
overlooked the terrace and the lake.
BY the window, twisting his cap in his
nervous fingers. stood Jake Warner.
Peace nodded him good morning,
and then slipped away with word
Of apology.
1.-THE detective gentleman wired
that he wanted to see me-" said
Warner, anxiously. do You know
why. sir?"
I told him no, and he dropped into
an uneasy silence. ] amused myself
by walking from picture to picture.
for the walls were hung with splen-
did Observation-Disclosures, Lely and
Romney-it was veritable exhibition
of those great masters. At last the
door opened and the little man ap-
peared, glancing from one to the
other OF us with his shrewd, observ-
ant eyes.
"will you follow me, IL you please?"