Evening star., 1918-08-04

money. for the sums he risks are
small, but for the love of 1.-THE fun
the transient excitement. 1t might
be"-here Sweetwater's words came
that the shooting of that arrow--I
believe / said something like this be-
fore-was the result of a dare"
A halt took place In the quick tattoo
which Mr.. Gryce's fingers were drum
finltesimal in length. but 1t gave
Sweetwater courage to add:
"Then. hear that he wishes to
marry rich girl and shrinks from
proposing to. her on account Of his
small salary"
What has that got to do with tt?"
Nothing SO far as can see. l am
only celebrating the meager report
lying there under your hand. But I
recognize my folly. You ordered me to
get my unworthy vaporings and enter
upon the consideration Of what may
prove more profitable?"
Here he glanced down at the slip Of
paper he himself held-the slip which
gle word written on 1t. and that word
q name.
I'm a moment" was Mr.. Gryce's
answer. First explain to me how.
with the facts all in mind, and your
correys % postion on yss the a SIDE stairease
two minutes after the shooting with
your theory of quick escape to the
court by means of the door back Of
the tapestry7 Haven't you hurried
mart space .S esf 81 am 80 Tar In Su'a
Mr.. Gryce. l have heard you say
yourself that this question Of time has
been, from the first, our greatcst diff
1culty. Even with those three means
to see how it was possible for any one
to ga from the gallery to the court In
the minute or SO elapsing between. tho
cry of the dying girl and the appear
ance at her side Of the man studyin.
coins in the adjoining section"
you are right. There was a delay
somewhere, as we shall flnd lates on.
But granting this delay. q man would
have to move fast to go the full length
Of the court from the ourator's room
even in the time which this small de-
lay might afford him. But perhaps you
cut this inextr'cable knot by locating
Corey somewhere else than where he
placed himself at the making Of the
mo. cut 1t in another way. You
remember my starting to tell you just
now how. in my dissatisfaction wish u
certain portion Of my dream. refused
to believe. in the escape Of my Mr.. X
by Sntat. the way OF h The eurator's office. rho
hind. but the man stepped back instead
Of forward. An open flight along the
gallery commended itself more to HIM
than the doubtful one previously nr-
Ranged foI e =. Tor; ss, II you will accept that
It is easy to see how Corey might
have been somewhere on that staircase
when the inspiration came to tura the
appearance Of fight into show Of his
into the further gallery and a conse-
quent loud-mouthed alarm. But see
that am but getting deepsr and
deeper In the Quagmire Of a bad theory
badly started. am forgetting---"
MANY things. sweetwater. Will
only mention very simple one. The
man who shot the arrow wore gloves.
You wouldn't attribute any such extra
ordinary precaution as that to n fell
low shooting an arrow across the court
You wouldn't expect 1t. sir But
In going about the museum that
afternoon l came upon Correy's coat
hanging on Its peg. In one of its
poeKets K was q pair Of kid gloves"
rich girl" suggested MIR. Gryce.
Under those circumstances some
show OF vanity is excusable. Ger.
tainly he would not carry his folly
shooting match with which you credit
MIN, unless there was criminal intent
back of his folly-which, of course,
would be as hard for you as for me
to believe"
Sweetwater WINGED, but noting the
kindly twinkle with which Mr.. Gryce
ssoftened the bitterness of this lesson.
he frightened again and listened with
becoming patience as the old man
went on to say:
ITO discuss probabilities in connec-
ton with this other name seems
futile this morning. The ease with
which one can twist the appearance
OF things to fit a preconceived theory
as eXemplihed by the effort you have
just made warns US to be chary Of
pushing ones idea too far without
tne nrmest OF bases to support It. II
you hnd a mans coat showing some-
where on Its lining evidences that
!nere mad once been sewed to 1t a
loop OF the exact dimensions Of the
one l passed over to you last night.
should consider 1t a much more
telling clue to the personality Of x
than pair of gloves in the pocket
OF a man who in all probability in
TENDS to finish up the day with a call
on the girl he admires."
o,ita understand." hi1ersts sweetwater was
know that this is no easy task You
are giving me. .'Mr. Gryce. Where a
man has but two coats. or threa AZ
pest, 1t might not be SO hard, per-
haps, to get at them. But some man
nave dozen. and II don't mis-
Sweetwater. I meant to give Won
q task Of no little difficulty. 1t will
keep you out of mischief"
CHAPTER XIV,