The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-22
(Coptinuedl

(ContlnueQl
DR.. Cumberly crossed the room and
dropped upon his knees He turned
the white face toward the light, gen.
fly parted the civet fur and pressed
his ear to the silken covering of the
breast. He started slightly and look
ed into the glazing eyes.
Replacing the fur which he had dis
arranged, the physician stood up and
fixed keen gaze upon the face Of
Henry Leroux. The latter swallowed
noisily, moistening his parched lips.
els She he mt tered. "Is she"-
Goods mercy, Leroux!' whispered
Mr.. Excl What does this mean?'
"The woman is dead" said Dr. Css;n-
berly.
In common with all medical men Dr.
Cumberly was a physiognomist. He
was a great physician and proper
tionately great physiOgnomist There
fore, when he looked into Henry Lee
rou-s's eyes he saw there, and recog-
nized, horror and CONSERVATION. With
no further evidence than that furnish
ed by his own powers of perception,
he knew that the mystery Of this wo-
mans death was as inexplicable to
Henry Leroux as it was inexpicable
to himself.
'Brace up, old chapv' he said, 'you
will want all your wits about you"
II left her, began Leroux hest
tatingly, II left
"Leroux,' said Cumberly, placing his
arm paternally about the shaking man.
you are such a nervous subject! Do
make an effort, old fellow. Pull your
self together"
Mr. Excl, tapping his boot with the
head of hts inverted cane, was staring
fiXedly at the doctor
Here you are, Leroux," said Cum
berly. Drink this up and let us ar
range our facts in decent order before
We
''Phone for the policeT' concluded
Excl, his gaze upon the last speaker.
Leroux drank brandy at gulp and
put down the glass upon a little Per
sian coffee table with a hand which he
had somehow contrived to 'steady
'You are keen on the official forms,
Exel?" he said, with a wry smile
Picture this thing happening in your
placer
II cannot" declared Excl bluntly.
"You lack Imagination said Cum
berly. ''Take a whisky and soda and
help me to search the fiat"
Search the fat!'
The physician raised forefinger TO-
rensically.
"Since you, Excl, if not actually in
the building must certainly have been
within sight Of the street entrance at
the moment Of the crime and since Lee
roux and descended the stair and
met you on the landing it is reasonable
to suppose that the assassin can only
be in one place-here."
"Herev' cried Excl and Leroux to-
gether
did you see any one leave the lower
hall as you enteredY'
mo one. Emphatically there was no
one there"
"Then l am right"
Leroux stood up; Cumberly forced
him back.
"Stay where you are, Leroux. 1t Is
elementary strategy to operate from
fixed base. This study shall be the
base Ready, Exel?'
Excl nodded, and the search COM
menced. Leroux sat upon the settee,
his hands resting upon his knees,
watching and listening.
Five or six minutes passed in this
fashion, Leroux expecting each to
bring sudden cutlery. He was dis
appointed. The searchers returned,
Excl noticeably holding himself aloof
and Cumberly very stern.
Excl, q cigar between his teeth.
walked to the writing table, carefully
circling around the dreadful obstacle
which lay in his path, to help himself
to match. AS he stopped to do 80,
he perceived that in the cloced right
hand of the dead woman was a torn
scrap of paper.
,Leroux! Cumberlyw he exclaimed,
scene here!'
He pointed with the match as Cum
berly hurriedE crossed to his side.
Leroux, inert, remained where he sat,
but watched with haggard eyes. Dr.
Cumberly bent down and sought to de-
tach the paper from the grip Of the
poor cold fingers without tearing it,
Finally he contrived to release the
fragment, and, perceiving it to bear
some written words, he spread it out
beneath the lamp on the table and
{. eagerly scanned it, lowering his mas
sive gray head close to the writing
He inhaled sibilantly.
do you see, ExelY' he jerked-fof
Excl was bending over his shoulder.
ri do, but cont understand.
what is it," came ncliowiy from
Leroux.
ut is the bottom part Of an unfin-
ished note" said Cumberly slowly. SIT
is written shakily In a woman's hand.
and it reads, Your wife,
Leroux sprang to his feet and crossed
the room in three strides.
Wife, he mt tered. His voice seem
ed to be choked in his throat. my
wife 1t says something about my
wife?"
ut says" resumed the doctor quiet
", your wife Then there's piece