Evening star., 1923-06-25


ut proves" he said, solemnly. "F.
case."
1t was characteristic of the boy.
that although the solution was his
own, his Difference. to Stone was sin
cere and un-selfconscious.
Please" he said. II don't know
Latin, but you will find the explana-
Martial as we know. and" he point
ed to the epigram on the page in
question, 'as he read that, he found
way OUT
The grave statement was impress
sive. and Stone took the book.
Shall l translate, or read the Latin
aloud?" he asked the others.
in English" Lockwood said. out OF
consideration for Trask's possible ig-
norance of the dead language.
What number Is the epigram! ne
asked, returning.
Stone told him, and Lockwood found
the place, and passed the English ver-
sion to Stone. Aloud, the detective
read this:
TRANSLATION
Book w, Epigram Is
On a youth killed by the fall or
piece of ice.
Just where the gate near the por-
tico of Agrippa is always dripping
with water, and the slippery pave
ment is wet with constant showers, a
mass of water, congealed by winter s
cold, fell upon the neck OF a youth
who was entering the damp temple,
and when 1t had inflicted cruel
death on the unfortunate boy, tho
weapon melted in the warm wound IT
had made. What cruelties does not
Fortune permit? Or where is not
death to be found, If you, the waters,
turn cut-throats.
nlr h n
ensuing silence. 'he decided to stab
himself with an icicle, and he did. He
did" he repeated tr!mphantly, he
went to that window back of the big
globe and got one-and here's the
proof, Look through the glass. F. s"
Stone did so, and without doubt the
fringe of icicles that hung from that
particular window sash showed one
missing! 1t was the very window
that Nogi stated Waring had opened.
and had put his hand out OF for a
Clearly, he had broken Off an icicle.
strong and firm on that freezing
night, had returned to his chair, and,
inspired by the story of the youth
under the portiCo of Agrippa, had
stabbed his own jugular vein with
the sharp, round point, and had fallen
unconscious.
The icicle, melting in tho wound.
had disappeared, and death had fol-
lowed in a moment or two.
They went to the study, and Nogi
he saw DR.. Waring make. 1t left no
doubt Of the exact facts, and the mys-
terry was solved.
do you suppose he meant to make
it seem a murder" asked Stone,
thoughtfully.
"IIe did notw defended lockwood
THAT is. he did not mean to implicate
anybody. He was man amenable
to sudden suggestion, and apt to fol-
low it. 1 am certain the idea came
to him as he read his book. and in
the impulse of the moment he rose,
got the implement and did the deed.
1t was like him to read that book
after his talk with his daughter. He
often resorted to reading for a time
to clear his mind for some important
decision. Had he not read that very
page he would in all probability not
have taken his life at that time"
There can be no doubt OF it ALL"
said Stone. "Fibsy, the credit of the
discovery is yours. You did a great
piece of work"
Stones praise. which he cared for
more than anything else in life, but
he said:
Jaw, I just chanced .on it. But 1
found out another thing! While / was
workin' on that translatin' business.
somebody took 1t on an extension, so
l hung up.
But was waitin' quite a few min
utes. and, what do you think? 1
happened to rest my forehead on the
telephone transmitter. and"
The red ring!" cried Stone. "Of
course"
'Of course" Fibsy repeated "Pokin'
around for a Latin dictionary, 1
passed a lookin' glass, and there on
me noble forehead l saw a red ring.
about two inches across It's gone
now"
Yes" Stone said without a
doubt, DR.. Waring was relephoning-
or perhaps was answering a call and
he rested his head on the instrument"
He often did that" said Lockwood.
but never noticed a ring left"
"In life." Stone said, at would dis
appear quickly. But II 1t happened
just before he died rigor mortis
would preserve the mark. Anyway, 1t
must have been that"
The solution of the mystery, SO in
dubitably the true one was accepted
by the police.
The matter was given as little pub
licity as possible. for Anita and Mrs
Bates, the two most deeply concerned,
both wished it So No stigma of cow
for all who knew him knew that his
act was the deed of a martyr to cir
and was prompted by a
spirit Of loyalty to his college and
to let his own mis-
fortunes in any way rebound to its
He trusted, they felt sure, that the
truth would never be discovered and
that the tragedy of his death would
preclude blame or censure.
Himself, he never thought Of, in his
unselfish life or equally unselfish
death.
Trask, perforce. resigned all claim
to the estate. and Anita and her
mother arranged matters between
themselves.
The assumption was that John
Warnings will, which he burned, had
been made in Mrs. Bates favor, but
on learning Of his nearer heirs he
Anita waring." Lockwood MUIR
softly when at last they were
alone together.
. Il love the name" she said, "and
it is really mine"
But it will be yours SO short a
time It's scarcely worth while to use
it," Gordon returned. ut will be q
short time, won't it. sweetheart"
Yes, indeedi I want to go away
from Corinth forever. love nv
fathers memory, but I can't stand
these scenes. / am tired Of mystery
in name and in deed. I just want to
be Anita Lockwood"
Whereupon Gordon lost his head
entirely.
(The end.)