The Washington times., 1916-12-09

where the grocer entered. The un-
fortunate baronet had been shot in
weapon was to be seen; and Miss
PIantagenet, the only other occupant
of the house. had disappeared.
Late In the evening she was found
She was arrested on suspicion OF MUIR |
dering her eccentric uncle. A doctor |
had, however, been called in, and an |
nounced that Miss Plsntagenet would
be taken back by train as far az
Marine.
this time sa the inquest sn has probably D,. be-
been policemen in charge OF the poor
child-the brutesi We must 20 to the
inquest ourselves"
Ths psssp'h had Sessss arf II: T passc
knew all about the murder Gas they
prematurely termed ~, and were en-
chanted to point out the way to the
at that moment being held.
| According to public opinion. Miss
Piantagenet had had motive enough
to kill her uncle. He was a man OF
art OF irritating and torturing those
dependent upon him
Christopher Race and Paul Western
listened to these scraps OF informs,
/
thing about the case before going TO
l the coroner's inquest But I'VE min
utes of such gossip sufficed. and then
they were OF In Scarlet Runner for
A crowd STOOD before. the door: the
bar was throhged, and men packed
I shoulder TO shoulder, talking In low,
eager tones. blocked the dim hall; but
to squeeze through as far as door
| kept by n big policemtn. They knew
that behind that closed door the cor
oner,s inquest was n full swing:
Western said imperativeiy.
This would not have been Races
way; but Western had taken the In
.ent mPSs', Of The law 'p Rooms cram.
med. There Isn't space for one more
but we're important witnesses"
urge rev. Snr m,nptss later the ooroner's
officer was usherins the two young
men into the crowded conee.room.
They were led 70 2 position lon near saron ,ne
saw the siri, found again, and more
beautiful than on the night when
they had lost her. .
She had asked TO make a statement.
and. though advised by the coroner
TO keep silence. had persisted. plead.
inr that abe had nothing to conceal:
She was speaking as Christopher and
Western took their places. and. see
her white face that the young men
i knew they had been recognised.
The girl did not faiter for an IN
slant. however. but went on nervousy.
| ercitedly, denying that she know any.
,bins Of the oid.fashioned pistol kept
| in her uncle's study-beyond hearing
from Honey that Il had disappeared
" SHs called me into his study" she
vent on. "and said cruel things TINT
4 was careless OF his interests. that
/ was altogether a failure. and that L
didn't deserve a penny OF nis money =.
threatened TO Kill me; lie said he
would shoot me. rushed out OF The
room didn't know where TO moe
him. for The ,s 1oss On Of ny ,s sOT roof
a fiat roof. with battiemen,. and !
ran though many passages I'll ! came
TO the iadder-like stairway that leads
but do you mean the jury 10 under.
stand that you remained on the roof
ali night without being aware that your
uncle was deadr' asked the coroner.
not 20 down. Once. though. hoped to
"whiie / wa. on the roof" she went
on family. In her uneasiness siying an
| air OF artincality to her statement.
soon after dark Il must have been, a
balloon came close TO the house. Two
young men were In t-genuemsnE
and I begged them to save me. Their
balloon was caught somehow In q tree.
that / hoped they could take me with
them They must .n savs , sssR i SSy
meant 20 help. but a wind came and
sight. so they had no time"
A litter OF ineredulous laughter
among the onlookers had not diei
before Western. ignoring the formal.
tiles OF q coroner's inquest, stepped
forward They are .. here as y Wit ,ws
bslioonists. my friend and i. and we
can corroborate every word Miss
| PlantAgenet has said. We can prove
her innocence: for ~ she had muir
dared her uncle she would have known
that his dead body was lying half
out OF his window, that We had prob,
have hidden herself instead OF rush
ing toward us and begging that we
would take her away"
Twice the coroner strove TO stop
Western, but the tide OF his indigna'
ned. Margaret Piantaganet. flushed
and grateful. moved aside, and the
! American was sworn as a witness.
"You and your friend never saw
Miss PlantaEenet until the night In
question: the coroner asked.
"Then"-very slowly and distinct.
Iy-"how comes Il that you should
have declared, on your Visiting-card
which you sent In to me, that you
were engaged TO marry that young
Il didn't say was engaged to mar.