Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-10-07

he owned up TO his wronsdoing- II
by n OF the servants was = mos:
grave offense in The eyes of David
Van Wyck- And especially, TO take
out the big new touring car was q
daring thing to do,
Seeing that the valet was not max
ing a good story of i, his mother
%cleverly managed the so that
she told the story instead. AS Ran
ney had divulged the secret she ad-
rrLtted that her son had taken OF. the
car the night before. She said tina!
Il was wrong, and that she cid no:
excuse him for it: but that since Da-
vio a Wyck was no longer here %
reprove or punish him, II one else
had the right to 10 so. and thai Ihs
of1ense was a thing of the past. and
should be forgotten. She admitted
that she had heard her son return ii
the car. and hat she was so worried
about his worng deed that she had
against him in the matter of ,he
wheel tracks. But. she concluded,
this had no bearing on the crime Of
h night before. as her son had re-
turned about eleven O'Clock and had
put the a away and had then re-
tired. She o~ver-reached herself here.
because the valet, had previously 1es-
tilted that he came nome about mid
night. and both Miss ForGyce and
Ranney agreed hat the big car had
arrived at about twelve O'Clock.
But when this was put to her, Mrs.
Carstairs became excited again, and
insisted that the hour of her son
return was of no consequence. as he
had not gone to the study at all and
knew nothing OF the occurrences
there.
You have no right to suspect
him. she blazed Out. finally; lit is
wicked for you to do So"
We have not said VIC suspected
him, madam said the coroner
graEely, but if we do suspect him. or
even feel inclined to investigate his
story, it is because he has not been
frank in the whole matter. and neith-
cr have YOU. And now ] wish to ask
you further, did your son know that
in the will Of Mr.. Van Wyck. FIVE
thousand dollars vas b]equeathed to
him. and twenty-five thousand to
yourself"
Mrs. Carstairs hesitated.
1T would be wiser for you to tell
the truth" prompted he coroner,
las you know a lack of frankness has
not served o we'll 81 far. Now an
sWer my questions truly"
YES, we have both known Of these
facts for some years.
That is all, madam" and to my
surprise, Mr.. Mellen dismissed the
housekeeper without a further word.
did not quite understand his at
titude in the matter. but 1 had no
time to think about it, for l was just
then called to the witness stand ns;-
self, and asked to give any inforrna-
ton l could, hat might be of any as
sistance in solving the mystery.
had not had time to consider this
new phase of the situation that in
cIuded the Wallets evidence, but + had
previously made up my mind what I
should say when called upon.
CHAPTER XIII,
AN ADJOURNMENT.
Il can tell you nothing in the way
of facts that you do not already
know" 1 said, but 1 wish to say that
| entirely coincide with Miss Van
Wyck's opinion hat her father ended
his W life. 1t is not incredible mar
his very erratic mind gave way at the
last. Nor is it surprising that he
should destroy the deed and hide the
pearls under stress of sudden in
sanity"
And what is your theory regard
ing the manner Of his death?"
II have no definite theory; but I
wish to call attention to the fact that
| found several shot on the tioor at
Mr.. Van Wyck's feet"
My statement produced quite a
sensation in the audience; for the
suggestion of shot seemed to imply at
least a possible method of the crime
But the detective, Mr.. Markham,
interrupted me and said quietly: Il
Is not worth while, MI. Coroner, to