The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-03-21
CHAPTER v.
Tho Inquest.

CHAPTER v.
Tho Inquest.
The situation was indeed
changed. My latent detective in
stinct was now fully reused, and
l determined to do all I could to-
ward solving the mystery.
So to the library / went, and
subjected the room and all it's
contents to a minute and system
attic scrutiny. Contrary to all
precedent, literary and reporter
ial, l found nothing.
Again I went over the room,
even more diligently, remember
ing Sherlock Holmes wise advice
to discriminate carefully between
vital and incidental clues.
But, alas, could find neither,
except the very doubtful one Of a
small and shiny black spangle,, a
tiny disc, which might have fallen
from the trimmings of some lady's
gown.
| remembered no one who had
worn such a decoration tho night
before. but I put the spangle care
fully away in my note book, and
turned my attention to the
window by which the intruder
must have entered.
1t was French window, reach
Ing from floor to ceiling. 1t was
In three divisions, each of which
was really door, and opened out
on the balcony, which, as | have
said, ran around both sides and
the front of the house without
barrier.
opened the middle door, step
ped out on the balcony, and en-
deavored to scrutinize in a scien-
tific way.
Signs of a scuffle there GER
tainly were. Just outside the
library window, in the dust of the
balcony, I observed many long,
sweeping marks.
l found nothing else of note,
save two more of those little black
spangles-one in the outside
library blind, and another farther
front on the balcony. These I
put away with my first one, de-
termined to find out who wore
such trimmings the evening be-
fore.
BY this time the coroner had
come, bringing his jury. How
strange 1t seemed to hold an in
quest in Miss Miranda's stately
drawing room! But that was not
more strange than realizing that
Philips dead body lay upstairs.
Mr.. Billings was calm and bust
nesslike. He was already examin-
ing the first witness.
| Mr.. Maxwell's own lawyer was
present, also the district attorney.
The first witness was Gilbert
Crane.
"Will you tell u.s." said the cor
oner, "the circumstances which
led OF your going to the library
last EVENING""
II was alone in the billiard
room," said Gilbert. 81 heard
Mr.. King come downstairs, go
into Mr.. Maxwell's study and talk
to him for a few moments. After
this | heard Mr.. King tell Mr..
Maxwell that Philip Maxwell and
Miss Leslie were in the library.
After this Mr.. King walked
through the room l was in, but
we said nothing to each other, and
he went on to the drawing room.
| stayed exactly where | was for
some time longer, and then l con-
cluded | would go home.
81 thought | would say good
night to Mr.. Maxwell. | lifted
the portiere and looked into his
study, but as he was asleep, |
thought I wouldn't disturb him,
but would just run upstairs for
my banjo, and then slip away un-
noticed.
II went upstairs, and l admit It
was curiosity concerning the two
people inside that led me to look
toward the library door. / heard
no sound of voices, SO took an
other step or two in that direction,
and, looking, saw Philips figure
stretched on the floor.
Then, of course, I went into
the room. 1t has no door, and the
portieres were but partly drawn.
Seeing what was evidently SER
ious accident of some sort, I i'm
mediately ran downstairs and
called DR.. Sheldon to the scene. "
You saw no one else in the
room?" ~.
Mo-" said Gilbert, but he
seemed to hesitate.
You are quite sure?" asked
the coroner.
81 am positive I saw no one
else in the ROOM" said Gilbert.