Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-08-27
In the Old
ClOCkCase
The Discovery of the
Guilty One.
BY cLARISSA MAcdH


The rumor that old Gabriel Morse
had been murdered ran like wildflre
through the little town Of Hampden.
Soon afterward every telephone was
humming busily, and q stream of
morbidly curious men, women and
children passed to and from the fine
old house at the head of tho street.
In the dining room of the house the
chief Of the town police force inter
viewed the dead mans two servants.
The chief was IN eagle eyed man Of
afty, stern tipped. with grizzled hair
and beetling brows.
Now. Amanda" he said TO the house,
keeper, tell mo Just what happened
last night"
Amanda Smith pressed a handker-
chief to her wet eyes and smoothed
down the folds OF her lavender cam
brio dress She was wholesome look
ing woman, and her mother had kept
house for Gabriel and his father many
years ago
1T was this way, MIR. Lane" she
began nervously. "Mr. Morse had his
dinner ut Z as usual and afterward
went into the library.
AT 4 O'Clock the front door bell
rang. and Professor House came In.
He was quite crony Of Mr.. Morse's
and sometimes came every night for
a week and then for spell he would
not come for month.
Il ushered him into the library and
heard Mr.. Morse greet him. Later,
about 10 O'Clock, the library bell rang,
and Mr.. Morse told me l could close
up the house. He would let Professor
House out himself.
80 closed and locked all the doors
and windows excepting the front door,
which left for Mr.. Morse tO do.
II went up to bed and didn't hear a
sound until Peter came up this morn
ing and knocked at my door. sayinR
that Mr.. Morse was dead"
Chief Lane turned to tho man, coach.
man, gardener and house servant
swell, Peter?" he prompted
ats all as Amanda has said. air"
said Peter soberly. III helped her lock
up the house, and then I went ont to
my room over the carriage house and
awoke about 8 this morning.
IL had pass key to the Kitchen
door, SO | went I'm and started tho
fires In the kitchen stove and tho cal
lar furnace. Then I wont into the
Hhrar,. IN re- r.. n
hearth. Mr.. Morse always had his
breakfast in there.
II found the room in great confu.
sion and the body Of Mr.. Morse hud-
died in his armchair. He was quito
dead, could sec that but teIe.
phoned for DIR. Gray, and I guess no
sent for you"
Lane dismissed the two servants and
went into the library. He locked the
door on the inside, and, pulling down
the window shades to shut out tho
curious faces peering in from porch
and made careful survey Of the rich.
ly furnished room.
What a struggle there must have
been there In that quiet roomI Chairs
were overturned. pictures were hang
ing askew hooks vera scattered about
"And he was found choked to death
in his easy chaIrp' unused the officer.
Some one was fumblIng at the door.
knob. and he crossed the room and
opened the door.
"Ob it's vou aravp ha said M bo
admitted the plyvsician az was wish.
inp Won womb coma down Wall
what do Won make of IL alp
DIR. GRAY. who had been Gabriel
Morse's most intimate friend, sadly
shook his head
Its a bad business, Lane. Murder,
Of course. But whyT
Money" suggested the other.
Nothing missing. His gold watch
was untouched. and look here" He
unlocked a drawer in the great mn.
hogany desk and, pulling out a tin
box, displayed It hlled with crisp
banknotes and gold double eagles.
81 found tho drawer unlocked and
possessed myself of the KEY" he said.
"The contents were undisturbed.
Eliminate robbery az a motive. what
nextr
Revenge" promptly answered the
other.
"Did Gabriel have an enemyY