Evening star., 1915-12-05
SUNDAY MAGAZINE for December s. 1915
Behind the Bolted Door?
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could do it save by getting away at once,
and leaving no possible trace? 1t was easy
to do, too. Everything we had written was
in the secretary case. | had only to pick
| it up as | ran through. And moment
later was back in my own room, with the
door between fast closed. found that |
was still carrying one of her handkerchiefs,
mere sop of blood AS I'll tell you, | re-
turned it later. In the meantime, | had
begun to play the coward.
al knew | ought to telephone ply
sician, yet | did not dare telephone from
my own rooms. But, as soon as | could
get back any kind of command over my
self, | hurried out and around the corner
to Stryker's. | told myself that, when |
had done that, had done all that could
be asked of me. Well, once back in my
rooms again, soon found what was really
to be asked of me! For those two-two
devils who did the rest were waiting for
me there!"
"Pve got one of them downstairs, said
McGloyne; "an' he's talkin a-plenty
noml But let's hear your part first
"THERE'S part of it that | can only
guess at. I'll never know how those
two knew about the door. suppose they
learned of the wall safe and the pearls
through Maddalina. One of them was an
Italian, you know. And he was the beast
that seemed to be the Professional mean
| the professional safe-breaker. But, the
minute stepped inside my door, both of
them jumped at me. They kept their guns
at my head, and showed me through to
my writing-room; and then they de-
manded the key to the door between.
I've wished often enough since that I'd
let them kill me then; but even that
mightn't have helped much. The mischief
had been done. They knew the way.
And, while the American stayed and COW
cred me, the other went on through.
"And here, again, | can tell only
part of it. The devil that went in must
have gone straight to the wall safe And
then something must have disturbed him."
"You, Willings, most likely" said the
Judge.
mo; you and the Doctor probably"
| Willings answered. "You remember |
was leaving just when Mr.. Glasbury's
knocking came-or his first knocking.
You did knock a second time?"
"Oh, yes, yes! | say, something must
have disturbed the beast; for he came
back to my rooms for a minute, listened
there, and then, when he thought the
coast was clear, he went in again. But
then he went right through to the swim
ming pool, and found the body. could
see the effect it had on him when he came
out again. But, even so he told the other
one that he had taken time to lock all the
doors to the corridor. You must have
been trying to get in at that minute
"We heard him turning the bolts, said
the Judge. ale was just ahead of me at
every door! AS | touched each knob the
lock turned inside. But you say it
was you who, Immediately afterward.
knocked again. Why did you do that?'
Doctor" asked Glasbury "do you
think you could get me little brandy?'
And only after he had taken some did
he answer:
II doubt if could really tell you intel
ligibly. | scarcely understand that part
of it myself l only know that when
that italian hound came back, | could
see in moment that he believed had
done the murder. And | know they felt
In - .A.1--