Evening star., 1918-08-11

"And what connection have you
succeeded in establishing, between
this abominable crime and the coat
with or without loop worn by the
museums leading director? One as
straight and indisputable. no doubt.
as that you have just attempted to
make between this same gentleman
and the museum bow" he added with
0'SHs Yes. '"lraupr,S' returned the other in calm
disregard of the sarcasm, straighter
and more indisputable, II anything.
We are asking. as you VIII remember;
from the southern to the northern
gallery without attracting any. ones
attention. l will show you how"
brought sweet%ater "p V" "f into aU's the a
he proceeded to pin again into its
old place on the lining of Mr.. Rob-
erts coat the so-called tag. Then.
proceeded to hand him, he slipped 1t
into the loop thus made and showed
how securely it could be held there
by its feather end
"a man of Mr.. Roberts upright car
toned up, walk the length of Broad
way without disclosing the presence
of this stick remarked Mr. Gryce
as, at his look, Sweetwater doffed his
own coat and put ON the one thus dis
creetly weighted.
The chief stared, paling slightly as
he noted the result. Mr.. Gryce, who
never overemphasized his effects.
proceeded to the next question.
Number three" he now observed,
should have come first; as It has al
possible to hit the mark in Section
II of the museums gallery, from be-
hind the pedestal In Section VIII.
From the pedestal nearest the front,
no; but from the one farther back
found the print of gloved finger
yes:
WHO wore gloves that day-kid
gloves, mind you, for the mark of the
this print Of the same made by Stew
ems? All the ladies. except young
copyist who was leaving in a hurry
hut and o the not s5opped to put hers
erts, the careful dresser, who was
never known to enter the street with
out this last touch to his toilet. How
do. know this? Look at the chart.
court and the persons in it at the pre-
else minute of first alarm. You see
how near the exit Mr.. Roberts was,
and and who was closest ast to him had
imaginable-with this lady, who was
the very one of whom I have Just
said that she had omitted to put on
her gloves; and she gave me the fact
noted Mr.. Roberts hands. because
they shamed hers, and she was just
stopping to pull her gloves from her
coat pocket when Correy's voice rang
out and everything else was forgot
ten.
"Corroborative. only corroboratiye,
sir? ] am quite aware OF that But
what I have now to add may give 1t
weight. The stringing of bow Is
no easy task for an amateur; nor Is
the discharge Of an arrow. . under
such dangerous circumstances as
marked the delivery Of the one, we
lightly attempted by a person alto
gether ignorant of archery. How
ever strong the evidence might be
against man who was not an utter
fool, l would never have presumed to
lay 1T out before you IL had not veri
fed the fact that the director, what
ever his life now, was once greatly
addicted to sports, and thoroughly
a bow and arrow. 1t has taken time.
Many cablegrams were necessary, but
j have at last received this copy of
a report made sixteen years ago by
mention is made of prize given to
one Carleton Roberts, an American,
for twelve piercings of the bulls
eye in as many shots, in an archery
alities.
"Nor is that all. In study Of him.
self-his home. his life. his secret in
terests-we come upon things which
call for closer inspection. For in
stance. not a day has passed since
that poor child has been in the
morgue that he has not been one on
the line to see her. He dreams of
her. he says; he cannot get her face
out Of his mind-you notice that he
has been growing gray.
But I will stop here. I do not
wonder that you look upon all this as
the rawlings of man on the verge Of
senility. If I were in your place, l
should undoubtedly do the same. But
ungracious as the task has proved.
owed 1t to myself to rid my mind of
its secret burden. 1t is for you to
say whether, all things considered,
am to drop the matter here or proceed
blindly in search of the motive lying
back of every premeditated crime. I
can imagine none in this case, as I
have frankly stated save the very
weak and improbable one already ad-
vanced by young Sweetwater in con-
nection with another party upon whom
he had fixed his eye-that Of the irre-
sistible desire Of an expert to test his
skill with a bow which comes unex-
pectedly into his hands"
THAT wouldn't apply to Roberts
not in the least" affirmed the chief
with the emphasis of strong convic-
tion. Even IL we should allow our
selves to regard these stray bits Of
circumstantial evidence as in any way
conclusive of the extraordinary the
ory you have advanced, he's much too
any such fool temptation as that But
aN fnr hn