The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-03

IL ne ndu IOuHQ a LTedSuE6-Ofs EdlneFs
more agitated than excited. for his
hand shook as he pointed, and thought
he had turned extremely pale"
History OF the Peruvian Aborigines',
in ten big volumes?"" calculated Tired
ways. And excited about thdtp
Surely no one had ever wished to pur-
chase ft?"
well, 1t so happened that had got
a postcard only the day before, asking
me to reserve the volumes for a few
days until the sender called and pur-
chased them"
"Indeed?" queried Tredways. "a
mere coincidence"
mo doubt, sir. The card wasn't
signed, nor did 1t bear any address.
One Of the public had seen the book
and had scrawled off the request some
time after. meaning to purchase it.
mentioned this to Mr.. Pendrill. He
said, in a husky kind OF tone: That's
all right. But perhaps you won't mind
my staying here for half an hour while
make some extracts from the boolss?'
OF course. I had no objection. and
left him there. That was the last I
saw OF him alive"
The bookseller stopped. Beads of
sweat gathered upon his pale forehead.
He seemed unable to continues
"Take courage" urged Tredways.
"Do not vince at the question I must
ask. I have made a careful study of
this singular case in a file copy Of the
Times. When you returned to the
room where you had left your GUS
i toner, he was gone-leaving on the
table his umbrella and overcoat. That
was what you asked the jury to be-
lieve. Keep calm: do not say that I
| T. av{1x dar
quilted the premises without you seeing
him. The mystery was his leaving his
| top coat with a matter of fifty pounds
| in notes and gold in the pockets"
THAT'S it." said the other in a hollow
tone.
eff you had taken the garment and
money to the police all might have
been well with you. Unfortunately,
you were in considerable financial
straits at the tine and you very fool
ishly yielded to temptation by helping
yourself to some Of the money when
three days had passed without the
owner re-appearing. At the end OF that
time your wife made an appalling dis
coVery. On voyage to cellar which
was little used the body of the missing
man was found. In the centre Of his
forehead was a large bruise where he
lying on the green, damp stones Of the
vault, and a bullet from it had been
discharged into the brain. The case
against you, Spells, was that you had
first stunned Mr.. Pendrill, then carried
him into the vault and killed him out
right. It was supported by the fact
of your admitted purloining Of part Of
the money. On the other hand, the
pistol could not be traced to your
former possession, and the position of
the fatal wound-just under the right
temple-was not incompatible with a
theory of suicide. This saved your
life. Are my facts in order7"
Spells made motion OF assent. Tired
ways went on. choosing each word
with care:
"The sensation created brought upon
the scene a young lady, Miss Lucy
Pendrill the adopted daughter Of the
dead man, and who identified the body,
I will not enter into the details of your
trial, which was illuminated by nothing
startling. No shred of evidence was
Forthcoming against any other person
save yourself"
sand you are not going to find II
now, after all these years." was the
bitter comment.
, "a sane observation" remarked
Tredways blandly. 'T want to know II
. your business has been shut down since
your imprisonment"
'No, sir. My wife has been keeping
. It together"
Excellent. Is she q methodical per-
. SOM"
The bookseller looked bewildered..
st trust she is. for in that case she
may have retained the correspondence
of the business, making It possible that
! you may find the card you mentioned
: that postcard from an unknown GUS
toner asking You to reserve the His
tory OF the Peruvian Aborigines.' in
: ten volumes. I want that card. Spells
, Do you think you can lay hands
! upon it?"
ct might" replied the bookseller in
, n gloomy tone, utterly devoid Of inter
est. MY wifes last words were thai
she would keep everything intact She
, never doubted my innocence, gentle
men," he added in a burst Of feeling.
( "Of course not" echoed Tredways
8 warmly as he showed our visitor tc
i, the door. ''Tell her that you have beer
4 to me. and tell her what want"
/ He closed the door. returned to hi:
! seat by the fire and lapsed into q long
silence which he was the first to break
9 'If Spells die not kill Pendril1, some
i one else did. Now that someone had
: to enter the shop, make his way to tbs
e upper back room. attack the victim
9 convey the body to the disuses. cellar
g That would want doing. should say
!. it was mpossibIe-rtdiculous on tbs
face of it.''
n .=Ihe theory OF suicide was never en-.
tirely shattered,~I yentured.
p ssrtaat does not explain the blow OF
e the forehead which stunned Pendrn
v into Inconsistencies before he wa.
o murdered"
I "Then you think that Spells did xii
e him."
> How can I think that? Would h,
e have come here to have his conscienc,
. clearad IL he was indeed r1ifltv7 H