Charlevoix county herald., 1918-03-01
THE ST. DUNSTAN
MYSTERY
BY PERRY NEweERRY.
Copyright,
The Frank A. Munsey Co.
BY PERRY NEweERRY.

sound muffled by the walls. You car
ried her to the elevator. laid her on
the seat, ran II down. and called the
police. Then you went to superior
lemewhere."
looked at Holme with suspicion
that he must believe what he told so
glibly. but there was no doubt OF me
in his return glance. He was simply
viewing 1t as another might, and ! had
to agree it was one possible, plausible
solution OF the killing. II were the
murderer, not its innocent discoverer.
many things were explained. and my
Dpries of the descending elevator. the
position of the body, that, awake, / had
heard no shot, were merely lies and
valueless.
But Holme had not finished. "You
had suddenly resigned your position
on the day OF the murder" he con-
tinued. grinning cheerfully. latter
eighteen years on the paper. and no
definite reason for it; and you imme'
diately decided on extended travel"
groaned. Il mooched a pass on
the Thurston steamers this after.
noon," / admitted. WAS going 10
South America somewhere"
There you are" he declared.
"Flight planned and getaway arrang.
ed. You'd have made it, too, clean as
a whistle, II the astute detective had
not discovered an empty shell in your
gun. Stick a ball cartridge in there
quick. Gill, and stow those powder
stained rags"
l did. reloading the weapon. and
handed the empty shell to Hoime.
yours for evidence should you ever
change your mind" said.
''It's better in my hands than yours"
he rejoined. Let's see If that lock on
your bedroom door has been tamper-
ed with"
1t showed no sign. No one, to my
knowledge, had key save myself.
The door between it and the front
room where / sat had been open dur
ing the time in question, and should
have heard any sound within, even
the slightest. 1t was just an added
mystery to the greater one, and with
out beginning OF solution. On hands
and knees Holme and went over inch
Sfnpor in that chamber, searching
cru .qand there wasn't one.
.Well?" queried Holme when we
had finished.
EITHER one of two things" replied.
"Somebody shot the girl with my re-
yolver or else it has been made to
look as though shot her with it,"
ANY one know you had quit pack
Ing it?"
mo one. l decided suddenly last
night that I'd give up that bad habit
with the other one of reporting. No
reasonable being carries a gun, and
I'm going to be that henceforth."
did you keep it usually in that
drawer-I mean when it wasn't on
your"
Nights? No: left it on top the
dresser. Took it from my pocket when
went to bed, not before. Nobody had
right to believe that there would be
gun of mine in that drawer last
night"
Nor today?"
"No-wait! When l was leaving
this morning, going out, felt some.
thing was lacking, and felt uncon-
sciously for my gun. Then remem-
bered. l had the same feeling last
night when started out for supper"
who was here this morning?"
my Jap-Kodani."
HE is under suspicion then. II he
saw you reach for your gun, he might
look for It after you were gone. Find
ing II, he might have fired it."
ITO make me appear the murderer?
But who was to find"
A knock at the door interrupted me.
Come In" called; and Marcus en-.
krsg.
Let me see your revolver, Gilmore"
NJ said.
without word pulled 1t from the
holster and passed 1t to him. He emp
tied 1t, glanced at the cartridges. in
serted the tip of his finger in the muz-
zle, glanced at its cleanliness, then
laughed. Read that" he said, tossing
me note, land you'll get me-"
Look at John Gilmore's revolver
for evidence in st. Dunstan murder.
The words were typed on a sheet OF
paper. There was no signature.
1.-THE Jokes on me-" continued Mar
Gus, reloading the weapon. Il guessed
II might be some newspaper fooling.
but I'm taking no chances"
II suppose If you'd found an empty
--So'l&bere, the joke would have been
- ! remarked dryly. How did
IN get to your"
Mailed to detective department.
Here's the envelope. Want it,"
II sure do. l don't like jokes of this
character"
Don't blame me-" laughed Marcus.
sTm the goat, wasting my time on It.
You might offer me a drink"
Excuse me. Holme has his elbow
on IL. Help yourself, sergeant"
tried to make my voice sound natural,
and Holme, who sat petrified. gave
symptoms of life. passing Marcus
glass and a bottle.
Anything new, sergeant? he asked.
"Not a thing, lad or I wouldn't be