Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-08
cHAPTER XxXI--coNTINuED FROM
LAST SUNDAY,

A H! that told. It was such an un.
IN expected blow, and 1t showed so
much knowledge. But tho man
who thus behold his own youth
Drought up in accusation against him
quickly recovered. and, with an entire
cnange OF demeanor. faced them all and
spoke up ut last quickly and deflantly:
Gentlemen, I have shown patience
up TIL now, because I saw that you
had something on your minds which
1t might be better for you and pos
sibiy for mo to be rid of. This affair
" MISS Willetts death is, as all must
even to the point Of folly any effort
made to explain 1t. had sympathy
with your dificulties. and have still
enough Of that sympathy left, not to
express too much Indignation at what
cions. I will merely halt for the mo-
ment your attempts in my direction.
by asking, what have you or any
pooy else ever seen in me to think I
would practice my old-time skill on a
Ing herself in O place SO dear to my
neart as the museum Of which I have
Deon director now these many years.
IAN ] q mailman. or destroyer Of
youth? ! love the young. This inhu-
has whitened my locks and scared
my very heartstrings. shall never
get over 1t, and whatever evidence
you may have or think you have Of
my having handled bow and arrow in
before the fact Of my natural incapa-
biltty to do the thing with which you
nave charged me. No act possible to
man 10 more In contradiction to my
INSTINCTS than the wanton or even
ce ~ h.i Killing OF young girl"
It was the Inspector who spoke, and
the emphasis which he gave to his
words lifted the directors head again
into its old self-reliant poise.s But the
cd with possibilities Of something yet
TO be said by this portentous holder
OF secrets that II caused the nobly
lifted head slowly to droop again and
IN, n clips lips which had opened impulsively
Were the words coming--the words
which might At. q stroke pull down
the whole fabric Of his life, past,
present and to come?
In his excited state of mind he SEEM
IN their sound. and the world, once
80 bright. was growing dark about
him-dark! -
Yet how could these men know?
And 4 they did why did they not
speak? And they did not; they did not.
words; and life for him was taking
on once more its ancient colors, when
sharp and merry through the heavy
quiet there rang out the five clear
calls Of cuckoo clock from some
1--WE! jolly reminder Of old days! But
to the men who listened the voice Of
doom spoke In its gladstone peal,
whether the. ears which caught II
We're those OF accuser or accused. Old
IN at a moment SO perilous to the one
and so painful to the others.
with the cessation Of tho last shrill
cry, the inspector repeated the phrase:
y believe you. Mr.. Roberts. but
ling you with demands you had no
wish to grant? Miss Willetts, as you
choose to calls4 her, though you
must know that her name Is
sow % thy was rs. not no. the only per.
That day from one gallery to tho
other. Perhaps this weapon Of de-
,struction was meant for one 1t failed
20 reach. Perhaps-..but have gone
so far II it had not been my wish to
avoid any misunderstanding with one
OF such undoubted claims to consider.
alton as yourself. II you have expla-
Aotioub ~ OH0T--M you con IN any
way relieve our minds from the re-
probabilities which are weighing
upon us. pray believe in our honest
desire to have you do SO. There may
be something back OF appearances
which has escaped our penetration;
but 1t will have to be something
startlfngly dear, for we know facts
In your life which are not open to the
world at large. I may even say to
your most intimate friends
. "As, for instance?"
'.rhat Mrs. Taylor is no stranger
to you, even IL Mile. Duclos was
We have evidence you will find it
hard to dispute that You knew and
liked each other, fifteen years or so
= "Evidence?"
'Incontrovertihle, Mr.. Roberts"
''Attested to by her? ! do not be-
lieye It. / never shall believe 1t, and
i deny the charge. The rawlings of a
sick woman--if 1t is such you have
listened to"
II advise you to stop there, Mr.
Roberts," interjected the district at
torney. MRS. Taylor has said moth
What the former may say under oath
/ do not know. We shall both have
an opportunity to hear tomorrow.
when Coroner Price opens his in,
quest; She is in sufficiently good
timony. Pray. say nothing" Mr..
Roberts had started to his feet. '"Do
nothing. You will be one of the witt