Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-25
The
Abandoned
Room
By wADsWORTH CAMP
AUTHOR OF
sTHE HOUSE OF FEAR"
WARS DARK FRAME" ETC.
CHAPTER X.

CHAPTER X.
+ ''It's very good Of you, but Iagree
with the district attorney. There's
no point in being q clam now"
'CAn you account for Silas Black.
burns RETURN" the doctor asked
eagerly.
That's right, DOCTOR" Paroles said.
"Stick to tho ghosts. I fancy there
are plenty in this house. I'm afraid
we must look on Silas Blackburn as
dead"
...You don't mean we've been talk
Ing to q dead MANI" Katherine whis-
pered.
.,Before T answer" Paroles said. 81
want to have one or two things
straight. These men. Bobby, really
believe, think me capable OF the
crfmee IN this house. want to know
IL you accept such q theory. Do you
think had any Idea Of killing your
Bobby studied the reserved face
which even now was without emo
tton.
Il can't think anything Of the
kind he said softly.
That's very NICE" Paredes said.
III you had answered differently I'd
have let these clever policemen lay
their own ghosts.
He turned 10 Robinson.
Even you must begin to soc that
TIM not guilty. Your common sense
s VIII tai you %. II had been plan
ming to KIN Bobby. why didn't I
bring the weaponf Why did put
my hand thru tho opening before I
was ready to striker Why did I use
/ my left hAnds-my injured hand? I
was like Howells. couldn't COM
hider the case finished until had
solved the mystery. Of the locked
doors. supposed the room was
empty. When found the secret to-
night, I reached thru to see how far
my hand would b from the pillow"
Bobbyes assurance OF Paroles In
nocencs clouded his own situation;
made II, In a ssuse. more dangerous
than 1t had ever been. His wander
& ings about the Cedars remained I'M
explained, and they knew now 1t had
= never been necessary for the muir.
derer TO enter the room. Katherine,
too. evidently realized the menace.
DO you think II" she began.
Paredes bowed.
i You dislike me-, l6isa Katharine,
but don't be afrald for yourself or
/ bobby. I think can tall you how
4 the evidence got IA your room. I
can answer nearly everything.
i There's one point
81 He broke or s1ancins at his
watch.
.Extracrdinary courass!' he mus
"a automatically. r scarcsly under
stand it,
Rawains looked at him suspi-
ciously. -,
All this explaining may be q trick,
Mr.. Robinson. The man's slippery
I've had to be slippery to work
under your noses. Paroles laughed.
by the way. Bobby, did you hear a
woman cry about the dime ! opened
this door,.
Yes. II sounded like the voice we
heard 1t the sxayer
II thought l heard It from the Ii.
Z braIy."" RobtnsoA put In. .'rhen the
r,impIs UP here started, and I for
got about IT.
THE woman In black ID very
brave, Paredes unused. I'VE should
! have had . visit from her long be-
fore this.s
do you know who shs is?' Rob-
ineop asked. .AA4 - Rawlins says,
no tricks. We havsnt lot you 60
syees Sd ~.
4 Shcughts Parsdes Knocked. shat
I you had identified the woman in
naack - Mis- Katherine. She hasn't
had anything 20 DO with the mystery
4lfoctly. Neither has Bobby. Neither
AANo T.
Then WHIST the devil have you
Aeen doing heref Robinson snapped.
Seeing your job thru" Paroles
answsred 'for Bobbys sake"
With = warm gratitude Bobby
knew that Paroles had told the truth.
Then b had told It in the library
yesessdAy when they had caught
MN growing IN the private stair
oAsos Al along he had told II while
0ey had tried - convict him Of UNI
Of hAnded ana unffisndly intentions
saw" Paroles was saying, shat
WOue WOuldnt OnoCeed, ana It was
OBVIOUS you and Rawiins would do
worse, while dseham's laundering