Evening star., 1922-04-15

in spite of this very interesting cir-
cumstantial evidence about blood spots.
Next to my own theory, the combustion
theory seems most in harmony with
the facts"
,'If you will go over In your mind all
the points proved to have been dis
covered-not the added points in the
Record story-1 think you will agree
with me that mine is q more logical
Interpretation than spontaneous COM
out and you will see that the facts are
more in harmony with my less fanciful
explanation. No. some one struck
Lewis Langley down, either in passion
or in cold blood. and then. seeing what
he had done. made a. desperate effort
Consider my next discovery"
Kennedy placed the five glasses
which l had carefully sealed and
labeled on the table before us.
The next STEP" he said, was to
find out whether any article of cloth
ing in the house showed marks that
might be suspected of being blood
spots. And here l must beg the par
don of all in the room. for intruding
in their private wardrobes. But in
this crisis it was absolutely neces-
sary. and under such circumstances
never let ceremony stand before
justice. 4.
'In these five glasses on the table
have the washings of spots from
the clothing worn by Tom, Mr.. James
Langley, jr.; Harrington Brown and
DR.. Putnam. ! am not going to tell
you which is which-indeed. mere
ly have them marked, and l do not
know myself. But Mr.. jameson has
the marks with the names opposite
on a piece of paper in his pocket. l
am simply going to proceed with the
tests to see if any of the stains on
the coats were of blood"
Just then DR.. Putnam interposed.
"One question. Prof Kennedy. 1t is
comparatively easy thing to recog-
nize a bloodstain, but it is difficult.
usually impossible, to tell whether
the blood is that of a man or of an
animal I recall that we were all in
our hunting jackets that day, had
been all day. Now, in the morning
there had been an operation on one
of the horses at the stable, and /
assisted the veterinary from town. !
may have got a spot or two OF blood
on my coat from that operation. Do
I understand that this test would
show that?"
mo" replied Craig. "this test
would not show that. Other tests
would. but not this. But IL the spot
of human blood were less than the
size of pinhead. 1T would show-it
would show if the spot contained
sandth of a gram of albumin. Blood
from a horse, a deer, a sheep, pig.
a dog. could be obtained, but when
the test was applied the liquid in
which they were diluted would re-
main clear. No white precipitin. as
it is called. would form. But let
human blood. ever so diluted. be add
ed to the serum of the inoculated
rabbit and the test is absolute
A death-like silence seemed to per-
wade the room. Kennedy slowly and
deliberately began to test the con-
each, as he broke the seal, some OF
the serum of the rabbit, he waited
moment to see if any change oc-
Cured.
1t was thrilling. ] think no one
could have gone through that fifteen
impressed on his memory. l recall
thinking as Kennedy took each
glass, (which is it to be. guilt or in
nocence, life or death?" Could 1t
be possible that mans life might
hang on such a slender thread? !
serious to deceive us. 1t was not
only possible. it was actually fact.
The first glass showed no reaction.
Some one had been vindicated.
The second was neutral likewise
another person in the room had been
proved innocent.
The third-no change. Science had
released a third.
The fourth
Almost it seemed as II the record In
my pocket burned-spontaneou
intense was my feeling. There in
the glass was that fatal, teiltale
white precipftate.
my God, it's the milk ring" whis-
pered Tom close to my ear.
Hastily Kennedy dropped the Sc
rum into the fifth. 1t remained as
clear as crystal.
My hand trembled as 1t touched the
envelope containing my record Of the
names.
'aThe person who wore the coat
with that bloodstain on 1t, declared
Kennedy solemnly. was the person
who struck Lewis Langley down.
who choked him and then dragged his
scarcely dead body across the floor
and obiiterated the marks of violence
in the blazing log fire. Jameson,
whose name is opposite the sign on
this glass?''
look at the paper in the envelope. AT
last I unfolded it. and my eye fell on
the name opposite the fatal sign. But
my mouth was dry, and my tongue
refused to move. 1t was too much
like reading a death sentence. With
my finger on the name l faitered an
instant.
Tom leaned over my shoulder and
read it to himself For heavens sake.
Jameson" he cried. '1et the ladies
retire before you read the name" !.
TITS not necessary" said thick
voice. 1--WE quarreled over the estate.
Ny shares mortgaged up to the limit.
and Lewis refused to lend me more
even until I could get Isabelle hap
PLY married. Now Lewis's goes to
an outsider-Harringto boy, take
care of Isabelle, fortune or no for
tune. Good
Some one seized James Langley's
arm as he pressed an automatic re-
volver to his temple. He reeled like
a drunken man and dropped the gun
on the floor with an oath.
Beaten again." he muttered. For
got to move the ratchet from safety
to fire"
Like a madman he wrenched him
self loose from us. sprang through
the door and darted upstairs. TIL
show you some combustion" he
shouted back iercely.