Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-07

| the body as that OF the strange caller
How long time elapsed after
Parks announced the man before you
and Mr.. VantIne came downstairs p
/ asked Goldberger.
Half an hour perhaps"
Goldberger nodded.
Lets have Parks in he said.
/ I opened the door and called to
/ Parks. who was sitting on the bottom
step of the stair.
Goldberger looked him over careful
I 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 mann" Gold
berger asked, with gesture toward
the body.
''No. sir" said Parks; 'I never saw
him till about an hour ago, when
Rogers called me downstairs and said
there was man to see Mr.. Vantine"
who is Rogers?"
Hes the footman, sir. He answer
ed the door when the man rang"
''Well. and then what happeued?"
II took his card up to Mr. Vantine
sir"
did Mr.. Vantine know him?"
NO. sir: he wanted TO know what
he wanted"
what did he want?"
~ don't know, sir He couldn't
speak English hardly at ALL He was
French, / think He was so excited
that he couldn't remember what little
English he did know"
What made you think he was e.
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"
do you mean to say that you and
Rogers went away and left this |
stranger here by himself?"
THE servants dining room is right 1
at the end of the hall, sir. We left the |
door open. II he'd come out into the |
hall we'd have seen him"
"And he didn't come out into the /
hall while you were there?"
'No. 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"
$50 you are perfectly sure that no
one either entered or left the house
by the front door 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 housemaids afternoon out"
The coroner paused. Godfrey and
Simmonds had both listened to this in
terrogation.
What is the room yonder used for?"
asked Godfrey, pointing to the connect
ing door.
ITS n sort of storeroom Just now.
SIR" said Parks "Mr. Vantine is just
back from Europe, and we've been IN
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 he added one detail.
Here is the mans card" he said.
and held out square of pasteboard
1t contained single engraved line:
M. TheophiIe D'Aurelle."
Hes French, as Parks suggested
said Godfrey. That's evident, too.
from the cut of his clothes"
"Yes. and from the cut of his hair"
added Goldberger. You say you didn't
know him. Mr.. Vantine?"
Il never before saw him. to my
answered Vantine. THE
name is wholly unknown to me-"
We'll" said Goldberger. taking pos
session of the card and slipping it into
his pocket. suppose we lift him on to
hat couch by the window and take
4 look through his clothes"
The man was slightly built. so that
simmonds and Goldberger raised the
body between them without difficulty
md placed it on the couch. / saw God
'rey's eyes searching the carpet
What ! should like to know" he
aid after n moment. "is this: If this
elbow took poison what did he take it
tut Of? Where's the paper or bottle
n Whatever It was?'' ="
Maybe it's in his hand" suggested g
and lifted the right hand. s.
which hung trailing over the side of s
he couch. b
Then rs he raised it into the light d
harp cry burst fro=n him.
Look hercr' he said and held the 81
and so that we all could see.
CHAPTER ~. p'