Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-07

suppose YOU didn't hear woman
crying in the woodsr'
That's Just it." PAredes answer
and 1t occurred to me to follow such
curious sound. go went on tip
toe, AZ you call It."
"Why," Robinson exclaimed an
grily. ''you walked Ia the lake to hide
your tracks!"
Paroles smiled.
TT was very dark. That was
chance. Quite silly Of me. My feet
got wet"
II gather" Rawlins said. at was
chance that took you to the deserted
house."
Paroles shook his head
"Don't you think I WAS as much
pushed az the rest by that strange,
disappearing light? 1t was ~ good
. place to walk As any"
Where have you been SINGER"
Graham asked.
when l had got there was
tired" Paroles answefed. "Since It
wasn't far to the station l thought
I'd 90 on into Smithtown and have
a bath and rest. Hut ! assure you
rye trudged back from the station
just now"
Suddenly he repeated the appar-
entity absurd formula he had used
with Howells.
''You know the court seems full Of
unfriendly things-what the ignor-
ant would call ghosts. I'm Spanish
| and know" After moment he
added: '.The woods, too. 1 shouldn't
care to wander thru them too much
| after dark"
Robinson stared. but Rawlins
brushed the question aside.
what hotel did you go to in
Shutdown"
''fts called the New Nothing
could be farther from the fact"
Shall see IL that's straight, sir?"
The district attorney agreed. and
Rawlins left the room. Paroles
laughed.
"How interesting! I'm under sus.
pioion. 1t would be something,
wouldn't It, to commit crimes with
the devilish ingenuity of these? No.
no, Mr.. District Attorney, look to
the ghosts. They alone are sufficient
~ clever. But I might say. since
you take this attitude, that don't
\ care to answer any more questions
until YOU discover something that
might give you the right to ask
Them
He.lay back on the divan, languid-
ly lighting another, cigaret. Graham
beckoned Robinson. Bobby followed
them out, snspecting Graham's pur-
pose, unwilling that action should be
taken too hastily against the Pam
amanian; forever nov guilty knowl-
edge seemed incompatible with Pa
redes' polished reserve. When he
Joined the others, indeed, Graham
with an aggressive air was demand.
inG the district attorneys intentions.
III he could elude you SO easily
last night. it's common sense TO put
him where you can find him in case
of need. He's given you excuse
enough. rsTss 80 soHb 4
"The mans got me guessing, ;. Rob-
inson unused. "but there ares bother
elements" ~ a. %
whats happened since weyisfta"
Graham asked quickly Have you
got any trace OF Howells' evidence ?.'
Robinson smiled eniernatically, but
his failure was apparent.
| I'm like Howells," he said. 'Td
risk nearly anything myself to learn
how the room was entered, how the
crimes We're committed, how those
poor devils were made to alter ttheir
| positions." ,if.i-,.s.,,f3 /
49," Bobby said. ''you had my
rooms in New York searched. You
had me followed today. It's ritilcu-
lOuS" '
Robinson ignored him. He stepped
to the front door, opened 1t, and
looked around the court.
What did the sphinx mean about
ghosts in the court?"
They walked out. gazing helpiessly
at the trampled grass about the
fountain. at the melancholy walls, at
the partly opened window at the
/ room of mystery
"Hs knows soinAthing," Robinson
unused. Maybe you're right, Mr..
Graham. but wonder If l ouehtn't
to 30 farther and take you ALL
Graham smiled uncomfortably, but
Bobby knew why the official failed
to follow that radical course. Like
Howells, he hesitated to remove from
the Cedars the person most likely to
solve It's mystery. As long as q
chance remained that Howells had
been right about Bobby he would
give Silas Blackburn's grandson his
head. merely making sure, as he had
| done this morning, that there should
be no escape. He glanced up.
Il wonder II our foreigners laugh.
ing at me now"
Graham made a movement toward
the door.
1--WE might" he said significantly,
find that out without disturbing
him."
Robinson nodded and led the way
/, silently back to the house. Such q
method was repugnant to Bobby, and
he followed at distance. Then he
saw from the movements of the two
men ahead that the library had again
offered the unexpected, and he en-
tered. Paroles was no longer in the
room. Bobby was about to speak,
but Robinson shook his head angrily,
raising his hand in gesture of
warning. All three strained forward,
listening, and Bobby caught the
sound that had arrested the others
a stealthy scraping that would have
been inaudible except thru such a
brooding silence as pervaded the old
house.
| Bobby's interest quickened at this
confirmation of Graham's theory.