Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-20

Ism that sort"
Isn't he? You're deceived, like
every one else, by that icy calm Of his.
He stares haughtily, and appears above
and beyond ordinary mortals, but he's
"weii, how did he d do Il ?"
with his penholder. A smooth,
sharp silver penholdef. And he took
the money and the ruby"
And how did he leave the room!'
"Dop't ask re that! That's his se.
cfet. But. I've a notion he was in
cahoots with that new Jap, the one that
vamooscd. I theorize," Morton wased
important ns he noted the prosecutors
attention, that the Jap had some
erudge agains Waring, and II was he
who branded his forehead, and who con.
trived way to leave the room locked
behind him. Why, read n story the
other day where a key. was turned
from the other side OF a door by
the key handle, and string from the
bar, leading down and under the door.
Once outside the murderer pulled the
string, the bar turned the key In the
lock. the bar fell to the floor and he
dragged It under the door BY means Of
the string"
Ingenious! but y implies door
Il know. And this one isn't. But
1t all goes to prove that there can be
some way--some diabolically clever way
to do the trick. And the japanese arc
dinbolicnlly clever. And 70 is Lock-
wood. And IL the two worked together
they could accomplish wonders. Then
disarm suspicion. The Jap, let us say,
couldn't, 50 Lockwood packed him off"
'Interesting--but all theory"
10 be proved or disproved. then"
Yes, but meantime, you are losing
time on more practical Investigation.
Lets look outside for footprints-l
mean for any one coming or going from
this side entrance"
"The French window? Nobody
comes or goes that way in this weather
the path isn't even shovcled. That's
used mostly in summer time"
! Nevertheless" Clay opened the
door. somebody has been here"
Morton looked out and stared hard.
low had he come to neglect a matter
Of such Importance. There were two
plainly visible lines of footprints in the
snow. one quite obviously coming to-
ward the house and one going away
from 10.
There's your murderer" said Cray,
quietly.
"Oh no." but Morton wriggled un-
easily. at couldn't be. No murderer
is going to walk through crustcd snow.
to and from the scene of his crime,
leaving definite footprints like those ~
That's no argument. He might have
come here with no intent of crime, and
aftcrward. might have been so beside
himself he couldn't plan safely"
ooh. well, get what you can from
them" said Morton. pettishly. II
suppose YOU deduce a tall man. with
blue eyes and two teeth missing
Don't be cheap. Morton. And, on
the contrary, I deduce small man.
They. are smnll footprints, and close
together; The japanese are small men.
Norton"
well, these prints are more than
twenty -four hours old. and they're not
clcar enough to incriminate anybody. ="
They haven't changed an io,a from
the moment they were made. This cold
snap has kept everything frozen solid.
Look at the frost still on the panes, the
lcicles still on the window sashcs, the
ice coating still on all the trees and
branches. In fact it has grown steadily
colder since night before last. and until
it begins to thaw We have these foot
prints as intact evidence. ] will have
them photographed
They are small Morton agreed
after further examination. And as
you say. TOO close together for an ordi-
nary sized man. 1t looks like the Jap"
beginning to wake up. are you?
You've sure been asleep ut the switch,
Morton
Nothing of the sort, Mr.. Cray. But
l ought to have help. I've had all I
could tackle. making the necessary
first inquiries, and getting the facts
Strengthened out"
That business could have waited
better than these other things. Now,
' there's Crimmins the lawyer arriving.
Let's interview him. But not In the
study. Keep that clear"
They met Crimmins IN the hall, aud
took him to the living room.
The matter of the will wss in,me.
diately taken up. and Mrs. Bates was
asked to tell which Jesk drawer 1t
was in.
Accompanied BY the lawyer and the
secretary, Mrs. Bates indicated the
drawer. and Lockwood opened It with
his key.
There were few papers IN It but no
will.
Nor could further search disclose any
such document.
Who took IT." said Mrs. Bates
blankly.
But no one could answer her. The
others came thronging in, Cray's ur-
gent requests to keep out of the study
being entirely ignored.
~ knew it," declared Mrs. Peyton
triumphantly. "Now. I guess you
won't be so cocky, Emily Bates--you
or your authority =
Mrs. Bates looked at her. 1T am the
heir" she said haushtils. ~ assert
tbat--but ! cannot prove 1t until the
will Is found. 1t isn't In your posser.
sion. Mr.. Crimmins?"
mo; DR.. Waring preferred to keep
It himself. ] cannot understand its dis
appearance.
"A lot of paper has been burned In
this fireplace" said Helen Peyton, who
was pokng the ashes around.
Morton hastened to look, for 1t seemed
to him as II everybody was stealing his
thunder.
Nothing that can be identified he
said, cnrelessly.
"No?" demurred Cray. "At any
rate. II looks ss II some legal papers
were destroyed. This bit of ash Ia quite
evidently the remainder Of several sheets
folded together"
But no definite knowledge could be
gained outside the fact that much paper
had been burned there. A no fire hau
been made since the discovery Of the
trnSedy IL stood 10 rep son the m NJ ps