Evening capital. [volume] (Annapolis, Md.) 1922-1981, 1922-11-27


Detective Richmond entered as
stood there. bun Miss Carson con-
| tinued her examination without Civ
ing him more than passing nod.
was afraid he would be displeased at
| our presence in the library. but To my
| surprise he took chair near the table
and quietly began 10 so over for the
second time some of Whitmore's
papers.
returned TO my place beside
Marion. who was still following Miss
carson's progress with adniiring eyes.
The screws from the window had been
carefully gathered and were on q
| little tray on the table. She had pick
ed up the tray and was looking at it. 4
puzzled expression on her face Sud
denly she Strengthened, and glanced
around her, at the forced window. at
the now vacant armchair, and down
again at the screws. a slight frown
deepening the lines of her forehead.
Anything the matter. Miss Car
SOM" ! asked anxiously, wondering
what new complications she had dis
covered in this already mysterious
case.
"Only this she replied slowly
You say that the murderer entered
through this window which had been
;orced, probably with chisel?"
The detective raised his head and
Nodded ;she continued:
stEnrx. x+aVi ft,n - -
s,roke insthrough the window he must
| 1ecessartly have 1iGsde some noise.
and it is natural 10 think that if Mr.
Whitmoretwas sitting here at the time
,e must have heard it. We must also
presume that Mr. Whitmore would not
ave allowed is house to be entered or
himself stabbed without having put up
some sort OF fight. Would he?"
She paused while the detective again
lodded atIirmatively.
Truthfully, had not given that
base of the subject much considera-
ion. slpposing an easy answer would
e found y Yes, had thought OF It,
During the few hours preceding the
4 1quest / had had plenty of time to
onsider the various angles of the
ragedy. and it was then that / had
ordered over this same question,
hough had not supposed it of suffi-
lent Importance to mention to the po-
ice. Now, however, it seemed diff
ult to find a plausible answer to it.
Us Miss Carson was looking at me in
uiringly, felt was expected to Of
or some theory, so l said:
do you. not think it possible that
lie window was forced while Mr..
-yhitmore was out of the room? or
curse, we have nothing to prove that
20. did Leave. the room. and, also, we,
yaYes no prof that jhe. didn't Hire,
.;uning lthat he .diqI Thatl happens 4
The intruder quickly forces the lock,
pens the window, enters and hides
|. rimself al glanced around for a suit
bile hiding place to help my theory,
SAY behind this big sofa in the .cor-
Eer, In all prpbability 'SWhitmogEs
yoaldirt Think 10 4fooss at Tho wsy;E
sQv,y andas the room Vas dark s3-
'ept. forEthe fireiisAt hiie would not
4 lotice the Screws npofSthc anet Per-:
aps he len asEeep and 3the murderer
lad no $fifdeulty 3itAcarly ing; sout his
lrcconcciycd plan. The motive was
:ot robbery. fer as I said before We
lad. a considerable sum. Of money in
he safd and it was not touched tdr
\ lfytllfnS .e1se@taken.". ss.A, sxs-< Z
This sounded logical and it seemed
% me that Detective Richmond was
avorably impressed by my reasoning.
AS for Miss Carson, she had appar-
entity already forgotten her question,
ind was busily engaged in inspecting
he contents of an ash-tray, on one
side of the library table. She looked
Up.
"Mr. Lockwood. may / ask what
,rand of cigarettes you smoker" pick
ng up half-smoked cigarette be-
ween her thumb and forefnger.
"Whitmore and l rarely smoked
cigarettes" answered, rather as
onished at her sudden change of the
subject I'VE preferred pipes. but oc-
clsionaly | snloke : Turkish cigar
cite which was sent me by friend
Who travels extensively in foreign
countries"
"Do you ever use these?' she asked,
Adding up the stub OF a wen-known
American brand Z II
NO arose, and opening drawer
IF the. center table took out a large
box of Turkish cigarettes which /
handed TO her. She chose one, COM
pairing it with several stubs on the
tray, and though she seemed satisfied
With the comparison. / could not see
hat we were arriving at anything
definite. Over a half dozen persons
lad entered the room during the day,
md several of them, l knew, had
smoked while examining the scene of
he tragedy. That Miss Carson could
scertain anything pertaining to the
rhine from the stubs seemed absolute
absurd, but / let her work in her
,wn way, answering her questions
With as much seriousness as if she
we're Judge considering case. De-
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