Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-10-05
it is the only explanation 1 can think

it is the only explanation I can think
of, which would be even q possible
solution of the mystery. Though Tn
not a detective. nor can 1 deauce
facts from circumst1n1ial evidence OF
clues. yet this Possibility 1 speak OF
Is merely an adaptation OF q STORY I
once read. In TINS srory, a we'll
known work of i6s1inn, 8 goung *rom-
an was found numbered, and nhs
weapon could not toe discovered, al
though it had left e SMALL, mound
hole"
Intense interest WAS a1a1Hest ali
over the room. Net4A were trAn4d up
get a better view OF the tspeRIker. Ths
listeners fairly hung ON his words,
and many felt THAI the mgElsry Mas
about to be solved.
In a wore" went ,un ARCHER ''tEas
weapon used wRs Il HhAr1l, HEnEE.
lclcle. AS Won may rfHadily Mndtr-
stand. it performed itrs fu1al dHtr %
then melted, lssxing nD nraus. AS 7voa
can see, thas is MOT only possible, bu-
both Credible and ~tfflEusihle. Al 1tH2k
season there ere mo iicicles, int 4 aE-
Ter, merely as 4 Suggestion, thur L
Mr.. a WyEks death lis 4 sEiIns@
may it not be- 1tlHt ttle wsappn Wa
an icicle. shaped. let III sssN. by aGa
own hand, from Il Dlisue III .rs LIKE.
IRON that walter pitcher"
by Joyenn" The w.ilispe,eer eal.au-
auon came Lassesei, rlnt fs.-t-
tary. He YVES Staring III A,.als-s lt
muttering beneath shis prsirrh. -Esrs
struck it," as dsclR,eG. Thugs LIZ
only solution, and ii 1lust jig Luz --
one! Clever 1slluw.,,"
ii didn't deluee IT," ] H1are-a
back to the ~sacaeLErT TOR. -p raa -Es
truth, l was Z lrltit zip IL Z
hadn' thought OF ii 3ss4 sp 10
mad read 1hs book IL prss.a- Ee
merely remembered i.sralx RAT q
such a thing
All the ssme. hes - -S
ed lasseters &ad j &as1 - -zSssxa-
Of it,"
The corons- Was gszg aveaE
with this new ideG- ts--a u
Doctor Mason and ssk.S La .n&a
The Did Doctor 2n1ksS -aoggsrsrl
II wouldn't ssy /. 4z4 l1css4as>.
put you must ,eanszo- ze-sasrea.
the hole left by HE ~aya ID taea
case is small and per1<ly roassf.
RWould it not be difficult 10 ssasxe ri
ficlally, a smooth, round Gacse. srronx
enough to pierce clothing asss fless,
and strike the heart with a ssssa
blow?"
1T would be difficult" said the cor
oner. but I must admit it seems to
me the only solution. BY the process
OF elimination, we must conclude that
this is the truth"
Rubbish" exclaimed the detective.
Markham. who had scant patience
with the coroner's pompous manner.
t"Consider the facts. Let US suppose a
pitcher Of ice water had been brought
Einto the room. Was it?" ne looked
round inquiringly.
L. Yes" said Morland; FEATHER rang
for It. and the butler brought it In"
AT what tiH,e?"
About ten o'clock, I should say
Well triumphantly went on the
detective, then I hold that after
twelve o'clock there would not be suf-
ficient ice left in the pitcher from
which to make this deadly icicle!"
Doctor Mason nodded his head, and,
indeed, We all felt that the icicle
theory was rather untenable.
Well" said Archer, 'it is merely
Ia suggestion toward the explanation
lof h mystery. 1t may or may not
[be h correct solution. But what
seems to me more important ia to
tIearn who was.the last person to see
fMr. Van Wyck alive. The absence
of that deed Of gift seems to me a
Every peculiar feature. A burglar
would take pearls or money, but he
f1Would have no reason for taking that
deed" !
The coroner looked thoughtful. "If
EMr. Van Wyck was murdered. he
said. there must have been q motive
Yfor the deed. It is true that a bur-
tglar would desire only money or val
Ikuables. We must conceive, then. the
Edeed being done. that the murderer
Eli It Is q murder-must have been
some one interested in keeping Mr..
Van Wyck's fortune away from the
|library."
Th6 coroner had only put into words
what everybody present had been I'M
easily thinking. The missing deed
seemed to roy that the murderer
was n Of the household. For who.
except the members Of the family.
would care whether Mr.. Van WICK
gave away his money OF NOT.