The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-02-26

and then coming an Mr.. Nauune ~0Tt
OF upset ue didn't know just what
/ was saying
''lOu say you never saw the woman
before?'
Never. air"
Had she ever nean here hefnre?''
Il don't think SO sir The tirSI thing
she asked was il this was where AIr
NaDtIne lived"
Would y0u know this woman II you
saw heT agaiu?'
Rogers he~Itated
II wouldn ike to say sure. sir" ne
answered at lasg 81 might and [
might not"
You say you didn't search these
rooms?''
''NO. sir: didn't come inside the
door. was afraid d"
Did Parks come NJ"
mo. sir; | guess be felt the same
way did"
Then how did you know vantiue
was dead? Why didn't you try to
help him.
Zone took was enough to tell ne that
wasn't no Use" said Rogers and glanc-
ed with visible horror at the crumpled
form on the floor.
There's one thing I don't under
stand. said Grady. land that is why
Nantine should want all these lights.
What was he doing in here?"
81 couldn't be- sure, sir. but I sup
pose be was looking at the. furniture
be brought over from Europe. He
was a collector. You know. sir There
are five or six pieces IN the next
room
Without a word Grady arose and
passed into the room adjoining, we
after him. only Rogers remained seat
ed where he was. / remember glanc.
ing back over nv shoulder and n0ring
how he huddIed forward IN his chair.
as though crushed by a great weight,
the instant our backs were turned
The inner room was ablaze with
light. and the furniture stood haphaz-
ard about it. Just as had seen it ear
lier in the day Only one thing had
been moved That was the RoulP cab
met Ii had been carried to the center
of the room and placed in the full
glare of the light from the chandelier.
1t stood there blazing with arrogant
beauty. a thing apart
Who had helped Vantfne plare IL
there? wondered Neither Rogers
nor Parks had mentioned doing so.
turned back to the outer room
could feel Rogers Jerk with nervons-
ness as touched him IN the shoulder
81 just wanted to ask you did Won
help move any OF the furniture In the
room yonder?" | said
''No. sir; / haven't touch>1 any OF it.
sir"
THAT'S all right. then" said. and
turned hack into the inner room.
VRntiRe had said that he intended
examining the abinpt I'm detail at the
first opportunity. He and the woman
had entered the 8ntero0m together
He had closed the door, and then
Like lightning fash. thought leap
ed into my brain-a reasOn-an ex-
pt5 nationwide. improba BILE. absurd.
but still an explanation. Fascinated
as by deadly serpent, / stood staring
at the cabinet. There. felt certain,
lay the ciew to the mystery.
y.
amined the room infinitely. | heard
Grady comment upon the fact that
there was no door except the one open
ing into the anterOom. and saw them
examine the window catches
Nobody could raise these windows
without alarming the house." Grady
said. and pointed to tiny wire run
ming along the woodwork. There's a
burglar alarm"
SimmOnds asSentPd. and finally the
trio returned TO the anteToOm.
Wed ike to look over the rest OF
the house" Grady said 70 Rogers. who
was sitting erect again. looking more
ike himself. and the four men went
put into the hall together. remain
I'd behind with Hughes and FreyIing-
huisen They had lifted the body TO
the couch and were making Il careful
examination Of it, Heavy at heart, |
sat down near by and watched them.
That Philip Vantine should have
been killed by enthusiasm for the hob
by which had given him so much
pleasure seemed the very irony OF fate. /
yet such | believe TO ne the ease Frey
voice brought me out OF
my reverie.
1.-THE two cases are precisely alike" /
be was saying The symptoms are
denticnl And I'm certain we shall /
ind paralysis OF the r ,srt and sIlnai /
,Ord I'm this case. jus as did in the /
,ther. Both men were killed by the +
same pOisou-some vaTiu I OF hydro .
,yanic acid. fancy The odor indi- I
,ateS that. but It must be about ifty .
lines "a deadly as hydrocyanic acid Is"
They wandered away into discus !
zion OF possible variants so technical |
md besprinkled with abStruse words .
md formulas that ] could not follow /
hem. The TWO detectives and the |
coroner came back while the discus
zion was still I'm progress and listened /
49,.