Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-01-02
CHAPTER Xiv.
Paroles Establishes His Innocence.

ParedeS Establishes HIS Innocence
Bobby's assurance OF Parede'S in
nocence clouded his own situation
made it, in a sense, more dangerous
than it had ever been. His wander
ings about the Cedars remained I'm.
explained, and they knew now it had
never been necessary for the murder
er 20 enter the room. Katherine, too
evidently realized the menace.
DO you think I" she began
Paroles bowed.
You dislike me, Miss Katherine
but don't be afraid for yourself OF
Bobby. | think | can tell you how
the evidence got in your room.
can answer nearly everything
There's one point
He broke off, glancing at his
watch.
Extraordinary courage!" he
unused enigmatically. Il scarcely
understand it.
Rawlins looked at him suspicious
ly. .
All this explaining may be a trick
Mr.. Robinson. The mans slippery"
I've had be slippery to work
under your noses" Paroles laughed
BY the way, Bobby, did you hear
woman crying about the time |
opened this door,"
Yes" 1t sounded like the voice
We heard at the grave"
Il thought | heard it from the
library Robinson put in. Then
the rumpus up here started, and
forgot about it.
The woman in black is very
brave" Paroles unused. I'VE should
have had visit from her long be-
fore this"
DO you know who she is?' Rob
inson asked. And as Rawlins says
no tricks. We haven't let you 60
yet"
Il thought" Paroles Knocked,
that you had identified the woman
in black as Miss Katherine. She has
mt had anything to do with the mys-
terry directly. Neither has Bobby.
Neither have l."
Then what the devil have you
been doing herr" Robinson snapped.
Seeing your job through" Pare
des answered, "for Bobby's sake.
With a warm gratitude Bobby
knew that Paroles had told the
truth. Then he had told it in the
library yesterday when they had
caught him prowling in the private
staircase. All along he had told it
while they had tried to convict him
Of under handed and unfriendly in
tentions.
Il saw" Paroles was saying, that
lIowells wouldn't succeed. and it
was obvious you and Rawlins would
do worse, while Graham's blunder-
ing from the start left no hope.
Somebody had to rescue Baby"
Then why did you give us the i'm
pression,' Graham asked, that you
were not a friend?"
Paroles held up his hand.
That's going rather far, Mr.. Ora
ham. Never once have | given such
al. impression. | have time after
time stated the fact that | was here
in Bobby's service. That has been
the trouble with all of you. As most
detectives do, you have denied facts,
seaching always for something more
subtle, You have asked for impos-
sibilities while you clustered that
they couldn't exist. Still every one
is prone to do that when he fancies
himself in the presence of the super
natural. The facts of this case have
been within your reach as we'll as
nine. The motive has been All easy
one to understand. Money! And
you have consistently turned your
back"
Robinson spread his hands.
"All right. Prove that I'm fool
and III acknowledge it."
Doctor Groom interrupted sharp
ly
What was that"
They bent forward, listening. Even
with Paroles offering them a physi-
cal explanation they shrank from the
keening that barely survived the
heavy atmosphere of the old house
you see the woman in black
isn't Miss Perrine,' Paroles said.
He ran down the stairs. They fol-
lowed, responding to an. excited
sense of imminence. Even in the pri-
vate staircase the pounding that had
followed the cry reached them with
harsh reverberations. Its echoes
filled the house as they dashed
across the library and the dining
room. In the hall they realized that
il came from the front door. 1t had
attained a feverish, a desperate in.
sistence.
Paroles walked to the fireplace.
Open the door," he directed Raw
Inns.
Rawlins stepped to the door, un-
locked it, and flung it wide.