The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-03-23

| Whui II iutdut. SHuhih- 't NV ""'
he slowly rose and walked. with an
effort. 10 where BARLEY stood.
mir. Barley" he said. his voice
trembling. "wiIl you shake hands win
meY ! bear you no i'll will. It's
long Journey before me"
Into Bartley's eyes came a look OF
colnprehending pity. and even adj
miratlon. He grasped his hand ana
silently the two men. one murderer.
the other the detective that had APP
pretended him. looked into each 9th
er's eyes Then slowly their han'ls
fell apart and Roche led Doctor King
from the room.
None of us spoke until Bartley
broke the silence by saying. almost In
Il whisper. "poor chap, God alone
knows what he has gone through"
Suddenly Currle demanded. John.
what about those states and that aw-
full ghost? ! never was so scared In
my life"
For the first time a smile crossed
BariIey's face.
1.-THE slates7 Why wrote the
messages"
you! But we washed Them" Cur
RE exclaimed.
"Surely, you washed them. That
was the whole trick. wrote those
messages with camel's hair brush
in hydrochlOric ncid with bit OF zinc
in it. When that mixture is washed
with water. the writing Is blotted out
until the slate dries again. You re-
member | always washed one side
first; that was the side with the writ
ing on 1t. Then | let you wash the
other; and. of course, that made you
sure that there was nothing on the
slate. Had you not seen II washed
with your own eyesf When the slate
dried. the writing simply reap
peared."
Miss Potter had been sitting. over
come by what had taken place. But
as Dartley's explanation ceased she
cried. Then | did not receive = mes
sage from Mr.. Slyke?"
mo. Miss Potter" BARLEY said
apologetlcally. "you did not. You
must forgive me. | knew that King
was guilty. and had to make him
confess by frightening or startling
him. lie half believed In spiritual |
ism. and thought that If | could |
stuge seance might make him con-
fess. There was a medium in New |
York | bad once saved from Jail and
| brought him here with two assist
ants"
But the raps?" she questioned.
"Oh. produced the raps. Almost
all Of that sort Of thing is u fake. you
know. You remember that had you
place your hand ON the table. Then
rose and turned out the lights.
When | came back | slipped you the
thumb and little finger OF my right
hand. You thought. OF course. that
both my hands were being held. They
were not. You only held one, while
the other was free to give the raps.
The medium was tied and gagged,
hut you cent tie one of those chaps
so surely that they cannot speak and
move when they want to-"
Currie gave long sigh of disap-
utu never SiW u
ghost at all?"
mo. Bob" came the answer. you
did not. Everything was stnged to
lead up to the words you heard that
figure say. What you saw was one of
the mediums assistants painted with
so that he would glow in
the dark. He WIS covered with
black v.lvet bag. made in sections:
and another man, wearing black
gloves and mask to make him in
visible. removed the sections of the
bag one by one. This gave him the
appearance of Undertaking. suddenly
nut of the dir. The head was mask
from a photograph Of Syke.
When the figure vanished the second
man had simply covered him from
head to foot with black cloth. thus
blotting him from your sight. The
whole trick has been used again and
lga'n by so-cnlled mediums" I
Black rose TO his feet saying, MIR.
Barley. you have solved three prob
ems by one solution-the two muir
lers and the robbery"
AS BARLEY was about to answer
he telephone rang ana he LETT the
Dom as II he had anticipated the
MESSAGE. We could hear his cool,
ow voice say. "Yes. this is Mr.. Bart
ey. Yes, Roche. No. | AIN not sur
,rised. It's the best thing. after ali.
hat could lave happened"
When he returned to us his face
vas very grave and sad, yet with
omething Oh relief IN H.
Roche tells me-" he said slowly.
that when he reached the station
ling was dead Suicide"
The news did not sturtle me. |.
10. felt relieved. Barley was silent
moment. playing with the bag be-
ore him on the table. Suddenly he
nised his head.
you know he wished 10 say good
y to me. knew then what he was
DING To do. could have had him
earched and have prevented II. but
Is better so. He has not been him
Elf for months: we will never know