The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1914-07-03

rev minutes later we were sitting
opposite each other in the room where
Vantine and I had sat not many
hours before. | liked Parks, and felt
ne could be trusted. At any rate. /
had to take the risk.
Now. Parks" i began again, N"what
have to say to you is very serious.
and want you to keep 1t to yourself
] know that you were devoted to Mr.
Vantine. may as well tell you that
ne has remembered you In his will.
am sure you are willing to do any
thing in your power to help solve the
mystery OF his death | have sort of
idea how his death came about. The
mystery, whatever it is. is in the ante
room where the bodies were found or
in the room next to it where the furni-
ture is. Now. am going to lock up
those rooms. and | want you to see
that nobody enters them without your
knowledge"
Not very likely that anybody will
want to enter them. SIR" and Parks
laughed grim little laugh.
II am not so sure of that" | dis
sented. speaking very seriously. In
fact, l am of the opinion that there is
somebody who wants to enter those
rooms very badly. am going to make
it your business to keep him out and
to capture him If you catch him trying
to get in"
Trust me for that, sir" said Parks
promptly. what is it you want me
to do?"
II want you to put cot in the hall
way outside the door Of the anteroom
and sleep there tonight. Tomorrow
will decide what further precautions
are necessary"
Every good. sir" said Parks. iii
get the cot up at once"
There is one thing MORE" ! went
on. 81 have given the coroner my per-
sonal assurance that none Of the serv-
ants will leave the house until after
the inquest. suppose can rely on
them?'
"Oh. yes. sir. I'll see they under
stand how important it is"
Rogers, especially" added, looking
at him.
ri understand. sir" said Parks.
Every we'll. And now let us go
down and lock up those rooms"
They were still ablaze with light, but
both of us faltered little, think. on
the threshold of the anteroom, for in
the middle of the floor stood stretcher.
and on it was an object covered with
sheet, it's outlines horribly suggestive.
But l took myself in hand and en-
tered. Parks followed me and closed
the door.
The anteroom had two windows, and
the room beyond. which was corner
one, had three. Ali Of Them were
locked. but a pane Of glass seemed to
me an absurdly fragile barrier against
any one who really wished to enter.
Aren't there some wooden shutters
for these windows?' | asked.
Eyes, sir; they were taken down yes
yterday and put in the basement Shall
get them?"
"I think you'd better" / said. "Will
you need any helpY
mo, sir; they're not heavy. II you'll
wait here, you can snap the bolts into
place when / lift them up from the
outside"
Every WELL" agreed, and Parks hur-
ried away.
entered the inner room and STOP
ped before the Boule cabinet There
was u certain air Of arrogance about
it. as it stood there in that blaze OF
light: something threatening. too;
something sinister and deadly
There was a rattle at the window
and | saw Parks lifting one OF the
shutters into place. threw up the
sash. and pressed the heavy bolts care
fully into their sockets, then closed
the sash and locked it The two Other