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

The parlor, where the inquest was
10 be held, was already crowded when
entered, and as l took my place in
the front row | was distinctly aware
OF the scratching of pencils as the re-
porters, who had early been appraised
OF the murder. took down their first
Impressions of Alan Lockwood. the
dead mans partner. For the first
part OF the inquest l sat in a sort of
daze, looking neither to the, right nor
left, my mind only dimly conscious of
what was going on about me- |. could
, not forget what Barry had told me iii.
y MY little office, and what such ii story
= would mean In the hands of the police.
As far. as anyone knew. Jack Marion.
was the very last person to have seen
Z, Leonard Whitmore alive. and that but
thirty minutes before the doctor said
he was killed.. Of course, II was only
conjecture that death occurred mt one
o'clock. so II was just as probable that
1T happened half hour earlier. But
what possible motive could Jack have
had 10 kill his sisters iiancc? II
seemed preposterous and yet, why
not he as we'll as anyone else? On
the other hand. Barry had no stronger
motive for stabbing his master. Who
would the police find to he guilty?
My brain was in whirl. so many
ideas presented themselves, that had
reached no definite conclusion when /
was called to give my evidence.
AS | took the witness chair, | al
lowed my eyes to rove over the as
semblage, hoping. yet dreading. to
see the sorrow-stricken face of Agnes
Marion amongst the crowd. She was
not present. In her stead, however.
was her brother, and in view of his
nossiblc connection with the crime. or
what might turn out to be Il connec-,
ton. he appeared amazingly calm and
self-possessed. | was not long re-
tanned as witness. | told concisely
of my discovery of the body, and am
swered as best | could the question
relating to the murdered mans per-
sonal and business affairs. During
my examination Jack Marion's eyes
never left my face, but were riveted
on me with an intensity which sought
to fathom my very thoughts.
Then, besides the valet, YOU were
the last person who saw Mr.. Whit
more alive?" Coroner Richards inter-
rupted me once to ask.
Il believe so" replied. In spite of
my efforts 10 the contrary. | looked
direct at Marion. Perhaps he read
something in my eyes, for under my
gaze he flushed dull red and as sud
denly grew pale. Fortunately for him,
attention was at the time centered
solely upon me. and 1 was careful to
avoid glencing toward him during the
rest of my testimony.
The next to be summoned. as wit
ness of importance. was Barry. who,
according 10 my directions. repeated
only what he had previously told the
two detectives, no more, no less.
Though HIS. story was straightfor-
ward enough. and told calmly without
any of the nervousness he had cyipced
when called 10 the library, could see
the general opinion was from the be-
ginning against him. He was the dead
mans valet; he was reformed con-
vict; he was the last person known TO
have been with him: three points
which weighed heavily in the scales
of the public mind. Who. in their
opinion. had greater opportunities TO
kill a master than a servant? We're
not there many cases on record
where nan had raised his arm
against his employer So they reas-
oned: each word the poor fellow ut
tered being at once set down as evil
dence of guilt. would also come in
for my share of suspicion. as Leonard
WhitmoTe's partner, which was quite