The Washington herald., 1920-08-01
By William Nelson Taft


top Of the chest opened what appeared TO
be the sbost Of q man sat up and leered out
into the room! 1t was the body of the
missing man, the upper portion Of the trunk
attached to the lid of the boz in such
manner that, when the top was thrown
back, the body sprsnr into a sitting 70
ture, as il it were alive again!
Even Mrs. Epstein, hardened a, sb. wsI,
cried out at the sppsrition and then tainted
dead away.
Quick !" directed Kane. Find out how
the man was killed! 90
"A thrust Of some long thin instrument
through the heart" reported one OF the de-
tectiyes. "A drop Of blood on his chest is
the only indication of foul plsy-but that's
what did it, all right. Not a stiletto or
dagger. The puncture isn't large enough
for that"
The chief inspector examined the wound
for a moment and then, stepping across u
where the fsinting woman lay, began e
tumble with something in her hair.
Throw some water in her face" be or
dered "and stand back. ! want TO find out
something before she gets a chance TO re
cover her nerve"
aware, first, of the body Of her dead husband
staring at her with sirhtless, accusing eyes
Then she saw the chief inspector, standing
in front of her. examining something under
pocket magnifying glsss-somethine that
FILTERED and shone in the light of the jet di-
r.ctIy above it, An instant later Kane stood
over her. bis fingers indicating the thing he
held in his hand.
sau-hr Ala voY, hill your hushs nd ~ he de-
manded. There's no use denying it. Wa
know that he had q considerable sum Of
money copcealed on the premises snd''-hers
his voice became the voice Of DOOM have
here the weapon with which the murder was
committed-your hstpin, with tiny clot Of
the dead mans blood close to the head where
you couldn't quite wipe it of.
Some months late the woman was sen
fenced. comparatively lightly, on account Of
certain revolving facts which were brought
out during the trial and which tended to
minimize the enormity Of the crime, while
the hstpin was added to that rruesome col
lection which sdorns the archives of Scot
land Yard.
None of these however. had the dramatic
setting. the true love of the thestric, which
surrounded the trapping of Noirbesu,
famous criminal, by Monsieur Mace, chief Of
the Partisan police force.
THE msnsled remains of man NAMED
l. Duelos. discovered in the well OF
house in the Rue Prncesse. pointed clearly
10 a ghsstly murder having been committed
Mace then only Young officer, buruiu.
with desire TO distinguish himself, was al
lowed 10 try his hand at solving the mys .
tery. and his suspicious, after several week
Of patient and ssgacious work, centered
about q man named Voirbesu, a friend If tie
dead man.
Mace asked Voirbeau for informstio and
the latter professed to be delighted 10 assist
him. adding that be desired nothing so much
as TO see the assassin Of his friend sent q
the guilotine. The pair became iusepsrsbls
companions-Voirbesu laughing in his sleeve
at the idea Of leading Mace farther and
farther astrsy. and Mace observing, waiting
feeling his way.
At last the detective secured sufficient evil
dence 10 arrest his companion, but the proof
of Voirbeaus actual participation in the
murder and the dismemberment Of the body
was lacking. At the request Of Mace. NOlr-
beau came to the Duclos house one afternoon
about a month after the discovery Of the
murder and was informed that the detective
merely wished him to be present at "a littls
investigation pertaining 10 the crime"
Certainly" replied the suspected man,
my knowledge Of poor Duclos's habits viii.
feel sure. be Of considerable Ecip 10 you.
Marveling at the nerve Of the man. Mace
continued his preparations. superintendinE Z
the bringing in Of a wax figure which was a
duplicate of Duclos, even to the color Of the
eyes and the peculiar style Of shoes which
the dead man had affected.
My idea" explained Mace is TO ~
enact the crime as far as possible so that
reasoning from the effect, may gain II
sight into the cause. II Ws can deduce any
thing which might have followed the mur
der We may stumble across a valuable clu.
TO the subsequent movements Of th. crini.
nal
1t was at bis direction that th. ssu-
representing Duclos vas taken 70 the bed
room and then, for the FIRST time, Voirbe,J
interrupted the proceedings by asking Ii,
reason for this. since the body had beel
discovered in the well.
Upon reaching the bedroom one Of th
other detectives acted the part Of th, nur
derer. striking "Duclos" down from benin,
and then placing the body upon , large ,hl
which stood in the center Of the room.
Without a word the detective, who vi,
playing the role Of the murderer, secured
knife. That's one point vel h,v, to ru.s
at" interpolsted Mace, for we don t know
where the weapon came from" and CON
menced to dismember the figure upon th
table. AS he did so, Mace stepped forwsr
and started TO pour water from pitche
over the 'body.''
Here is something which wish 70,
would note particularly he said 70 Voir