Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-23
The
Abandoned
Room
By WADSWORTH CAMP
AUTHOR OF
THE HOUSE OF FEAR"
WARS DARK FRAME" ETC.
CHAPTER III.


sympathy for whoever Howells has
his eagle eye on"
Howells, when the doctor and the
coroner had gone, excused himself
with a humility that Knocked the
others:
With your permission l shall
write in the library until dinner"
He bowed and left.
HE wants TO work on his report"
Graham suggested.
IAN exceptional man" Paroles
murmured.
Has he questioned you?" Graham
asked.
I'D scarcely call it that" Paroles
replied. We've both questioned, and
we've both been CLAIMS. l fancy he
doesn't think much OF me since L be-
lieve in ghosts, yet the doctor seems
to interest him"
where were your" Graham ask
ed, when Miss Perrine's scream
called us?'
Paroles stifled yawn.
Doing here by the fire. | am
very tired after last night"
You don't look particularly tired"
Custom, I'm ashamed to say, con-
structs a certain armour. Tomorrow,
with fresh mind, hope to be able
to disseCt all | have seen and heard,
all that has happened here today"
1.-The thing that counts is what
happened to me last night, Carlos"
Bobby said. It's the only way YOU
can help me"
AS Paroles strolled to the foot OF
the stairs Bobby waited for a de-
fensive reply, for a sign, perhaps,
that the Panamanian was offended
and proposed TO depart Paroles,
however, went upstairs, yawning. He
called back:
Il must make myself a trifle more
presentable for dinner"
Graham faced Bobby with the old
question:
What can he want hanging
around here unless it's money!" And
after a moment: Hes clever-hard
to sound. l have to leave you,
Bobby. l must telephone-the ugly
forrnalities."
IT'S good OF you to take them off
my mind" Bobby answered.
He remained in his chair, gazing
drowsily at the fire, trying, always
trying to remember, vet finding no
memory.
Just before dinner Katherine join
ed him. She wore a somber gown
that made her face seem too white,
that heightened the cropping curiosity
OF her eyes.
Without speaking she sat down
beside him and stared, too, at the
smouldering fire. From her pres
ence, from her tactful silence he
drew comfort-to an extent rest.
You make me ashamed" he whis-
pered once. I've been a beast, leav-
ing you here alone these weeks. You
don't understand quite, why that
was"
She wouldn't let him go on She
lently by the fire until Graham and
Paroles joined them.
When dinner was announced the
detective came from the library, and
unlimited. sat at the table with
them. His report evidently still filled
his mind, for he spoke only when it
was unavoidable ana then in mono
syllables. Paroles alone ate with
show of enjoyment, alone attempted
TO talk. Eventually even he fell 81
lent before the lack of response.
Afterward he arranged a small
card table by the fire in the hall. He
found cards, and, with a package of
cigarets and a box of matches con-
venient to his hand, commenced to
play solitaire. The detective, Bobby
gathered, had brought his report up
to date. for he lounged nearby,
watching the Panamanian's slender
fingers as they handled the cards
deity. Bobby, Graham, and Kath-
crime were glad to withdraw beyond
the range of those narrow, searching
eyes. They entered the library and
closed the door
Graham, eXpectant of a report from
his man in New York as TO the
movements of Maria and the identity
IF we could only get one fact" he
said. "One rea sonable clue that didn't
involve Bobby. I've never felt so at
sea. / wonder If. in spite of How
ellis evidence, we're not all little
afraid since this afternoon of some
thing such as Katherine felt last
nj ght-something we can't define.
Howe!ls alone is satisfied We must
believe in the hand of another man.
Doctor Groom talks about indefin-
able hands
Uncle Silas was so afraid last
night" Katherine whispered.
THAT" Bobby cried, lis the fact
we must have
He paused.
whats that" he asked sharply.
They sat for some time, listening
to the sound of wheels on the gravel,
to the banging of the front door,
and, later, to the pacing of men in
the room of death overhead. They
tried again to thread the mazes of
this problem whose only conceivable
exit led to Bobbys guilt. Tine move
ments upstairs persisted. At last
they became measured and dragging,
like footsteps of men who carried
some heavy burden.
They looked at each other then.
Katherine hid her eyes.