Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-10

you will not live foreverr"
In an almost audible whisper came
the words: He did
I'm sorry to pain you, but I must
do my duty. When you heard the shot
you ran straight TO your uncie's room,
about fifty yards. 1 believer"
About that
Whom did you find there bending
over the dead man.
My cousin. i am bound to say he
appeared in the deepest grief"
But you saw no one elsc?"
Your cousin is. I believe. the heir
to Squire Neville's property: the owner
l should say nowc"
81 believe So
That will do; you may sit down"
There was A long, deep drawing in
of breath. The suspense seemed over,
but not the excitement
Mr.. Beck rose as Eric turned from
the table. quite a. matter of course.
TO question him.
You say you believe your cousin was
your uncle's heir-don't you know it7"
II know it, of course"
And IL John Neville is hanged, you
Will be the owner"
Every one was startled at the frank
brutality OF the question 80 blandly
asked. Mr.. Waggles bobbed up and
down excitedly; but Eric answered.
calmly as ever:
That's very coarsely and cruelty put"
But it's true
Yes, it's true
I'VE will pass from that. When you
came into the room after the murder,
did you examine the gum
Il stretched out my hand to take II. but
my cousin stopped me. | must be allowed
20 add that believe he was actuated, as
ne said, by desire to keep everything in
the room untouched. He locked the door
and carried of the key. l was not in the
room afterward''
Did you look closely at the gum"
Not particularly"
Did you notice that both barrels were
at half cock?"
Did you notice that there was no cap
on the nipple of the right barrel that had
just been fired?''
Certainly not"
Did you notice little burnt line traced
a short distance on the wood stock toward
the right nipple"
No"
Mr.. Beck put the gun into his hand.
Look close. Do you notice 1t now
II see 1t now for the first time
You cannot account for 1t. SUPPOSE
NO
All present followed this strange, and
apparently purposeless cross-examination
with breathless interest. cropping vainly
for its meaning.
The answers were given calmly and
clearly, but those that looked closely saw
that Eric's neither lip Quivered. and it
was only by strong effort OF will that
he held his calmness.
We will pass from that said Mr..
Beck again when YOU went into your
uncle's room before the shot why did
you take a book from the shelf and
put it the table,"
II really cannot remember anything
about it
why did you take the water bottle
from the window and stand it on the
book"
II wanted drink"
But there was none of the water
drunk"
Then L suppose 1T was TO take it out
of the strong sun"
But you set it in the strong sun on
Really I cannot remember those
trivjaIities" His seIf-control was
breaking down at last.
Then we viii pass from that" said
Mr. Beck a third time.
He took the little scraps Of paper
with the burnt holes through them
from his waistcoat pocket and handed
them TO the witness
TO you know anything about
these"
There was pause OF a second Eric's
lips frightened as if with a sudden
spasm of pain. But the answer came
clearly enough:
Nothing whatever"
DO you ever amuse yourself with a
burning glass;
Every eye in court was turned on
Eric's face and fixed there.
All color had fed from his cheeks
and lips: his mouth had fallen open.
and he stared at Mr.. Beck with eyes
of abject terror.
Mr.. Beck went on remorselessly. Did
you ever amuse yourself with a burn
inE glass;
No answer.
10 you know that a water bottle
like this makes a capital burning
glass;
still no answer.
DO you know that a burning glass
has been used before now to touch of
cannon or fire q gum"
Then voice broke from Eric at last.
AS il seemed in defiance of his viii:
a voice unlike his oWn-loud. harsh,
hardly articulate; such a voice might
have been heard in the torture cham
Der in the old days when the strain on
the rack grew unbearabls.
You devilish bloodhound" he
shouted. Curse you. curse you. you
have caught me- / confess i'll was
the murderer" He fell on the ground
in a fit.
And you make the sun your accom-
plice!" remarked Mr.. Beck as placid as
ever
Copyright, 1918. by Mcclure syndicate-)