The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-03-22
CHAPTER VII
The MysterIoua Missiles

/
/ portant facts: First. that the IL
brary had not been swept since
Monday night. altho II had been
busted: second, that the maid who
busted Il diHtinctly remembered
seeing tho bronze paper.weight In
It's usual place. and also asserted
that the large inkstand was undis.
turbed. and that II did not need re-
filling.
| went 20 the library. determined
10 discover something. II j had 10
remain there all day.
First. looked AZ the bronze
horse as n stood on the library
table. This table. which was really
flattopped desk. was covered
with books. writing implements
and bric.a brac.
Tho bronze horse was paper
weight. and was a beautiful speei'
men OF It's kind. picked II up
and cared nj II intently. wishing II
could speak and solve the mystery
As ! stared az II suddenly no
tieed that one ear was broken OFT
II was very small BIT that was
missing; but II that missing ear
could be found on the library floor.
I IL would be a pretty fair proof that
/ Mildred had thrown the horse.
Getting down on my hands and
knees In the space batween the
desk and the window. searched.
/ inch By inch, tho thick Persian rug
and was finally rewarded By dis
covering tho tiny piece Of bronze !
was hunting FOR.
Comparing II with the other ear
indeed. fitting IL 20 the very
| place from which u was broken
saw there was no doubt that | had
| succeeded. and tho could not i'm
agine how the horse had been re-
placed on tho table, ! could no
longer doubt the truth OF Mildred's
assertion regarding a.
Carefully wrapping tho broken
ear IN BIZ Of tissue paper. put
IL away and devoted my attention
10 the inhstand
Tho larEs and elaborate affair
stood IN the center OF tho table
The inkScll itself was Of heavy cut
glass. and was mounted on an
ornate silver standard which was
also n pcnrack.
The longer looked NJ II the more
| felt convinced that nobody could
| disturb Oh. ponderous ornament
and restore Il again 10 itr place In
tho way Mildred told OF. For It
held as much ms n small cupfui OF
| Jet black ink. and even tho the
Persian rug was OF an intricate de-
sian in small figures. yet Il was
I liEht enough In iiA general coioring
TO mako ink spots perceptible.
Helpless In the face OF this as.
suranes. my eye wandered aimless.
/ ~ over tho articles on the dest
when toward the righ,hand enc
and not far from tho bronze horse.
spied a second inkstand.
IL WIS heavy. but not 40 iarre as
III. other. and had no silver stand.
ard. I opened ~ and found !, 10 be
nearly half full OF red ink.
! looked again nj tho rug. The
prefominating color was red In
varying shades. Instantly the
thought struck me that n Mildred
had thrown thht inkstnnd and II
there had no, been much ink in II.
the drops on tho carpet would be
unobservshle because OF the aim.
| llarify az color.
without stopping 10 inquire how
/ Il could be restored intact TO fs
| place. dropped again TO my knees.
and again searched for traces. The
/ pattern OF tho rug being 40 com.
plicated and mosaic.iike. Il was nj.
most impossible TO discover red
spots other than those which be
| lnnged there: but NJ last thought
red blotches that were not OF the
Persian dye.
Almost trembling with excite
ment. procured from drawer in
tho desk fresh white blotter.
Moistening this, | placed Il on the
doubtful red spots and gently
pressed r. Then lifting Il. found
that II showed duh red hlurs which
had every appearance OF being red
! ink.
Rcservlng further experiments of
this nature TO be done in the pres.
ence OF witnesses. I went in search
of Mr.. Hunt He had not yet ar.
rived. so telcphoned him to come
as soon IA he could
Hunt soon arrived. and was more
than pleased Rt what had done.
| "But what good does II do7" said
| I. Granting that she did throw
them. how did they get back to the
tablet"
THAT Is another part of the
| problem" Raid Hunt. and one
which we need not consider at this
moment. First. lthink. II you have
any more OF those clean white blot
tiers. we'll find out the route trav.
eled by that inkstand"
found plenty OF blotters in the
drawer. and we proved TO Mr..
Hunts satisfaction. and TO mine.
that the inkstand had reached the
floor about midway between the
desk and the window. that II had
then rolled toward the couch, and
had stopped Just under the long
upholstery fringe.
THAT gives ray OF light" ex.
claimed Hunt. triumphantly.
what do you mean by that7"
Il can't tell you now" said Hunt.
"for some one is coming. | think.
Mr.. King. It will be wiser to keep
these discoveries quiet for the
present.
And so. tho wanted to tell Mrs.
Whiting that l had proved her sis
ter's statements true. | restrained
myself because of Hunts advice.
II was Thursday morning when
one of the servants told me that