Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-02-26

How long a time elapsed after
Parks announced the MAJ before YOU
and Mr.. Nantine came downStairs?"
asked Goldbcrger.
Hall an hour perhaps"
Goldbcrger nodded.
Lets have Parks in" ne said.
l opened the door and called to
Parks, who was sitting on the bottom
step of the stair.
Goldberger looked him over careful
ly as he stepped into the room. but
there could be no two opinions about
Parks. He had been With Vantine for
eight or ten years, and the earmarks
of the competent and faithful servant
were apparent all over him.
do you know this MANI" Gold
berger asked. with Il gesture toward
the body.
mo, sir" said Parks; Il never saw
him till about an hour ago, when
Rogers called me downstairs and said
there was Il man to see Mr.. V%antine."
"Who is Rogers?"
Hes the footman. sir. He answer
ed the door when the man rang"
"Well. and then what happened?'
Il took his card up to Mr.. Vantine,
sir"
Did Mr.. Vantine know him."
mo. sir: he wanted to know what
he wanted"
what did he want?"
II don't know. sir. He couldn't
speak English hardly ut all. He was
French. I think. He was so excited
that he couldn't remember what little
English he did know"
What made you think he was ex-
cited?'
The way he suffered and the way
his eyes glinted. After Mr.. Vantine
said he would see him presently Rog-
ers and me went back to our lunch"
Rogers went away and left this
stranger here by himself?"
The servants dining room is right
at the end Of the hall. sir. We left the
door open. If he'd come out into the
hall we'd have seer him"
~ hC ulul1 L odl ouL lhIo LIZ
hall while you We're there%
mo. sir"
Did anybody come in?"
"Oh, no, sir: the front door has a
snap lock. 1t can't be opened from the
outside without a key"
S you are perfectly sure that no
one either entered or left the house
by the front loo while YOU and Rog-
ers were sitting there?"
Nor by the back door either. sir: to
get out the back way. you have to pass
through the room where we were"
where were the other ~servants?"
The cook was in the kitchen. sir.
This is the housemaid's afternoon out"
The coroner paused. Godfrey and
Simmonds had both listened to this in
t%errogation.
What is the room ynnder used for?"
asked Godfrey. pointing to the connect
ing door.
IT'S a sort of storeroom just now.
sir" said Parks. Mr.. Vantine is just
back from Europe. and we've been I'M
packing in there some of the things
he bought while abroad"
"Send in Mr.. Vantine. please" said
Goldberger.
Parks went out. and Vantine came in
a moment later. He ~corroborated ex-
actly the story told by Parks and my
self, but be added one detail.
Here is the mans card he said.
and held out Il square Of p%asteboard.
1t contained a single engraved line:
M. T%heophile D'Aurelle."
Hes French. as Parks suggested"
said Godfrey. That's evident. too.
from the cut Of his clothes"
Eyes, and from the cut of his hair"
added Goldberger. You say you didn't
know him. Mr.. Vantine?"
81 never before saw him. to my
Knowledge" answered Vantine. 1.-The
name is wholly unknown to me-"
well" said Goldberger. taking pos
session Of the card and slipping it into
his pocket. suppose we lift him on to
that couch by the window and take
a look through his Clothes"
The man was slightly built. so that
Simmonds and Goldberger raised the
body between them without difficulty
and placed it on the couch. saw God
frey's eyes searching the carpet.
What I should like to know" he
said after a moment. lis this: If this
fellow took poison what did he take it
out Of? Where's the paper or bottle
or whatever it was?"
"Maybe it's in his hand" suggested
Simmonds. and lifted the right hand.
which hung trailing over the side Of
the couch.
Then as he raised it into the light a
sharp cry burst from him.
Look here!!" he said. and held the
hand so that we all could see.