The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-03-24

I this statement
why should not be. Mr.
Hunt7" said Irene. but her voice
/ trembled
Mr. Hunt continued:
Were you near the library win.
dow At any time during tho even
| ing-earlisr. perhaps, than the
time you spent sitting alone on The
east sIde7"
mo" said Irene. Il was not
there AT ALL"
Then" said Mr.. Hunt. suddenly
/ producing the black spanFles-->.
then may ask. Miss Gardiner.
how these CHANGED 10 be found IN
the library, and on the library win
dow-ahutter7"
Irene Gardiner gave a low cry.
and. hiding her face in her hands.
seemed In immediate danger OF cob
lapse.
Miss Gardiner" I said. let me
advise you. az a friend. 20 tell yovr
story frankly and truthfully. I.
am sure II will be better for all
concerned"
Raising her head, Irene Gardiner
flashed a look at me full OF faith
and gratitude.
oh" she exclaimed, Il would
be so glad 10 tell the truth
swore 10 a falsehood from a sense
OF duty TO another"
1T IL always mistaken sense
Of duty that leads 10 false swear
ing" said Mr. Hunt.
4 believe that IL So" said Irebs
earnestly. "but 7 had no one 10 adj
wise me and | thought I was doing
right. The truth IL. then. that
aid 20 around To the west end OF
the balcony. and that did look In
al the library window"
| what did you see IN the H.
brary?" asked Mr.. Hunt.
Il saw Philip lying on the floor,
and Mildred fallen TO the floor aiSo.
But she was partly hidden by the
| desk"
Us that all you saw" asked Mr..
|. Hunt, looking at her intentiy. Was
there no one else In the roomy"
Yea" said Irene. Il saw Mr..
Crane placing pistol In Mildred's
hand"
wait said I. was this occur
ring just as you arrived at the
window"
Yes"
Then" I went on. you cannot
swear that he was placing the pis-
toll in her hand. He might have
been attempting TO take II away
from her"
4 never thought OF that" said
Irene. an expression OF relief light
ing PIP her face.
Even So" said Mr.. Hunt. he
should have told OF the incident in
his own testimony. What did you
do next. Miss Gardiner"
/ Il went to the east side OF the
yeranda. was so Mortified by,
what had seen that ] flung my
self into q chair and cried. was
stili crying when. soon after. Mr..
Judson came. And ! was still cry
ing when Mr. King came later to
tel me what had happened"
she was" l said. "and crying
so violently that was alarmed"
Altho Irene's evidence had placed
Gilbert in n doubtful position,
was for going straight to him. and
asking him for the explanation
which ! felt sure he could give.
But Mr.. Hunt did not agree with
me.
NO." he said. don't let us 20
ahead too rapidly. Let us formu-
late definite proposition. and
L L.
assuming II 10 be a true one. In
the first place. whoever killed
Philip Maxwell must have had
strong personal motive for the
deed.
THE only man we know OF who
might have had an ill-feeling to-
ward Philip Maxwell is Gilbert
Crane. We know that an antag-
onism existed between the two men
on account OF Miss Leslie.
you saw Gilbert Crane in the
billiard room AZ 10 o'clock. Now
according TO Cranes own statement
he looked into Mr.. Maxwell's study
some 20 minutes later,
/ with the exception OF Miss
Gardiner on the balcony. the guests
were all In the music room making
a great deal of noise.
miss Maxwell was in her own
bedroom. and the servants were
busy in the kitchens. OF which the
doors we're closed As nearly as
can find out. Gilbert Crane came
cunning down stairs for DIR. Shell
don a few moments before 80.
II you have followed my reason
ing. you viii see that his where
abouts between 10 O'Clock and. say
1925. are unaccounted for except
by himself.
His coat-the automobile coat
on which we have discovered the
red spots--hung on the hat-stand
In the beck part OF the hall. He.
therefore. had ample opportunity
TO leave the billiard room. put on
his coat and the cap and goggles
which he always carries In that
pocket. go up the back staircase.
and thru the hall window at the
head OF that staircase out on TO the
west balcony.
THE library window Is directly
next TO the hall window. He had.
therefore, l say. both time and OPP
portunity to fire the shots at about
1910, which would accord with
Miss Maxwell's testimony. He had
also time and opportunity 10 return
down stairs the way he came. re-
store his coat to its place on the
hat-stand. aud go back TO the bill
lard room.
This Vet left sufficient time for
him to go up stairs again. and re-
turn to make his startling an
nouncement TO DR.. sheldon"