Evening star., 1923-06-06
The Volume Of Martial.


tary of the late John Waring, Gordon
Lockwood, looked at one another.
Without any words having been
spoken that might indicate a lack of
harmony, there yet was hint of dis
cord in their attitudes.
DIR. Marsh was sure the case was
a suicide.
You'll find the stiletto somewhere"
he shrugged. when held upon that
point. ITO find the weapon is not my
business-but when a man is dead
in a locked room and dead from a
wound that could have been self
administered, ! can't see a murder
situation"
Nor IT, said Lockwood. Has the
thing that killed him?"
Acting quickly on his own sugges-
ton, Gordon Lockwood dived beneath
the great desk.
Like flash Morton was after him.
and. though the detective was not
sure. he thought he saw the secretary
grasp bit of crumpled paper and
stuff ii in his pocket
Now. look here. I'll make that
search" Morton exclaimed. and al
most snatched the wastebacket from
the others grasp.
very well, anu l1bChWOOu put MS
hands in his pockets and stood look
ing on. as Morton fumbled with the
scraps.
He emptied the basket on the floor,
but there were only a few torn en-
NclCpes and memoranda, which We're
soon proved to be of no indicative
value to the SearCherS.
I'll save the stuff, anyway" Nor
ton declared, getting a newspaper and
wrapping in it the few bits of waste
paper
Did you take a paper from this
detectie suddenly demanded.
Lockwood. without moving, gave
Morton cold stare that was more
negative than any words could be-
and was, moreover, exceedingly dis
conCerting.
Look here, Mr.. Morton" he said,
''if YOU suspect me of killing my en-
nloNer. come out and say so. | know.
in story-books. the first one to be
suspected is the confidential secre-
tary. So. accuse me. and get it over
with"
The very impaSsivity of Lockwood's
face seemed to put him far beyond
and above suspicion. and the Nietec-
tive hastily mumbled:
Not at all. Mr.. Lockwood. not at
all. But you don't seem real frank.
now. and you must know how impor,
tant it is that we get all the first
hand information We can"
"Of course and I'm ready to tell all
know. Go on and ask questions"
Well then, what do you surmise
has become of that FIVE hundred dol
lars and that ruby stickpin? Doesn't
their disappearance rather argue
against suicide?"
sarily.. If they have been stolen"
stolen. OF course, they've been
stolen, since they aren't here. I
don't see any safe
NO, Dr.. Waring had no safe.
There has been little or no robbery
In Corinth, and DR.. Waring rarely
kept much money about"
Five hundred dollars is quite a
That was for housekeeping pur-
poses Whenever necessary, | drew
for him from the bank that amount.
and he kept 1T in that drawer until it
was used up. He always gave Mrs.
Peyton cash to pay the servants and
some other matters as well as her
own salary. His tradesmen's bills
were paid by check"
Was the money in bills?"
Il invariably brought it to him i'm
the same denominations-s20O in five
dollar bills. 5000 in ones and 800 in
silver coins"
I'm paper rolls?"
Yes. 1t may have been injudicious
to keep so large sum in his desk
drawer. but he always did. Though.
TO he sure, he often paid out a great
deal of it at once. Sometimes he
would cash checks for some one or
give some to the poor"
Drawer never locked?"
Always locked. But both the doc
tor and carried a key. He was not
so suspicious of me as you are, Mr..
Morton" The speaker gave his cold
smile.
And as to the ruby pin, Mr.. Lock-
wood?" Morton went on. "Afe you
willing wiling we should search your eff
Lockwood started and for a mo-
ment he almost lost his equipoise.
Il am not willing" he said, after
an instant's pause. but if you say it
to submit"
Morton looked at him uneasily He
had no appearance of a criminal: he
looked too proud and naughty to be
a culprit; yet might that not be sheer
bravado?
Disseminating the conversation.
Morton turned his attention to the
table in the window in the hall where
the secretary SO often sat
He examined the appurtenances. for
the table was furnished almost like a
desk, and he picked up a silver pen
holder
1t was round and smooth and with
out chasing or marking of any sort,
save for the initials G. L.
This yours?" he asked, and Lock-
wood nodded assent
Il ask you, DIR. Marsh," Morton
turned to the examiner, whether
that wound which is in DR.. Warnings
neck could have been made with this
penholder."
Startled, Marsh took the implement
and carefully scrutinized it, or usual
length, it was tapering and ended in
a point. The circumference at the
larger end was just about the circum-
ference of the wound in question
Il must say 1t could be possible"
Marsh replied. his eyes alternately
on the penholder and on the dead
man. Yes. it is exactly the size"
And 1t is strong enough and sharp
enough. and 1t is round" summed up
Morton. Now, Mr.. Lockwood, make
no accusation. I'm no novice, and 1
know there's a possibility that this
might have been the weapon used
and yet it might not have been used
much to say to you yet and / advise
you not to try 20 leave town"
I've no intention of leaving town
or of trying to do So" Lockwood as
serted. but" he went on. would you
mind telling me. if / killed the man
I was devoted to, how left the room
locked behind me?"
Those locked rooms bore me-" said
Morton. i've read lots of detective
stories founded on that point. Inva-
riably the locked room proves to be
vulnerable at some point. / haven't
finished examining the doors and win
dows as yet"
Proceed with your examinations,
then" said Lockwood; eff you can find
secret or concealed entrance it's more
than 1 can do
More than you will do, perhaps,
but not necessarily more than you
can do"
Don't forget that vanished Japa-