Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-05-04
SYNOPSIS


CHAPTER I.-John BARLEY. noted Grim
tnal investigator, recently returned from
Secret Service work during the war, Is
asked by the governor of New York to
investigate a mysterious attempted rob-
berry of the Robert Slyke home at Circle
Lake, near Saratoga. Peculiar circum-
stances of the case interest BARLEY, and
he accepts.
CHAPTER u.-With his friend Pelt,
BARLEY goes to Circle Lake, the pair
becoming the guests of Bob Currie, an
old friend. The three visit the Slyke
home. Slyke apparently resents Bartley's
coming, saying. he is satisfied the two
men in prison for the attempted robbery
were guilty BARLEY is not. Next morn
ing Slyke is found dead In bed, apparent
V having shot himself.
CHAPTER III.-Miss Potter, the dead
chief, Roche, and the family physician.
Doctor King. all agree Slyke killed him
self, but BARLEY insists he was murdered.
Investigating, BARLEY finds evidence that
slyke, after card party he had given,
was shot on the tower Of the house. un-
dressed, and placed in bed. During his
absence from the room someone removes
the revolver from Sykes hand.
CHAPTER IVA boy working In the
garage asserts he heard shot during the
night, apparently in the air" Of course
really On the tower.
CHAPTER V.-Pelt starts out to inter
view the members Of the card party. He
finds to his surprise that Slyke. apparent
ly wealthy broker, had offered to sell his
the men in jail for attempted robbery Of
Slyke were framed"
CHAPTER VI.-Returning from q visit
to Saratoga, BARLEY. Pelt and Corris
come upon large motor truck, without
lights and off the road. They are dis
covered endeavoring to ascertain the
license number. and fred on. The truck
disused burial vault. Apparently II. look
is new, and BARLEY picks 1t. They fnd
the vault stored with whisky. and also
the revolver which had been found In
acquainted with the place, arrives, and
they detan him. It In Sykes missing
chauffeur. detective, working for the
revenue department. arrives and takes
charge Of the vault.
CHAPTER Vu.-Aftsr considering all
the mysterious angles Of the case, Bart
ley apparently reaches no conclusion as
to the murderer. He 10 satisfied that
with It, Miss Potter's Arm belief In the
''oui1a board" and spiritualism also
seems to interest him.
CHAPTER vuI.-Bartlsy continues his
search for evidence, and apparently Ands
some things he considers Of value. The
inquest opens Doctor King, who In the
coroner, war veteran, and who had
been ell-shocked, conducts It. A heavy
thunderstorm La in progress. Doctor
Webster called In consulta tiou, tasttfas
he believes Slyke was murdered.
CHAPTER IX.-The storm increases In
intensity as the inquest progresses. Lit
tie of Importance is ELECTED. Briffeur, the
chauffeur, is called to the stand. Before
he commences his testimony the lights
In the room are extinguished, stroke Of
lightning having broken the circuit
During the ensuing confusion the party Is
Mortified by the utterance of q sudden
horrifying shrek.
CHAPTER X.-With the restoration of
the lights 1t is discovered that Briffeur
has been stabbed. He had been seated
directly in front of Doctor King. No one
in his vicinity had noticed anything un-
usual before the mans shrek. Fatally
wounded, Briffeur manages to convey the
information that Slyke was murdered, re-
fers to the boys" knowledge of the rob-
berry, and tries to point out the person
who had stabbed him, but dies before he
can do so. The inquest is adjourned.
How Briffeur had been stabbed without
any one being aware or the movements
of the murderer seems unexplainable.
CHAPTER XI.-On the handle Of the
knife BARLEY finds a design, apparently
drawn in Observation-Disclosures which Is
Identical with one he had found on
to attach much Importance to 1t. Miss
Potter admits knowledge of Sykes deals
in whisky, saying she had urged him to
discontinue them, and the two had had
slight quarrel over the matter BARLEY
tells Pelt he knows who killed Briffeur.
1t was only a short drive in Bart
ley's fast car to the Slyke house He
offered no explanation of our call, and
hid my curiosity as we'll as l could
AS soon as the butler had gone,
BARLEY came at once to the object
of his visit.
Miss Potter" he said, 1.-The butler
testified this afternoon that he over
heard words between Mr. Slyke and
yourself. Would you mind telling me
what they WereY'
Her face flushed, but she kept her
eyes on BARLEY as she replied coldly
"The butler was mistaken. Mr.. Slyke
and myself never quarreled."
"Oh, | don't mean that you actually
quarreled, but that you had some
words"
Her eyes dropped under his search
ing gaze, and it was not until he had
repeated his question second time
that she answered rather reluctantly:
"There was no-no trouble. What the
butler spoke of had nothing to do
with Mr.. Sykes DEATH"
BARLEY noticed her hesitation, and
asked suddenly, "Was it over his sell
ing whisky?"
She started and her face paled, then
flushed. In low voice she demanded,
How did you know%
THAT Is not of much Importance,
is it? | am right; that was what the
words were about, wasn't it?'
She gave him an appealing look,
then glanced back at the floor. At
last she regained her composure. and,
raising her eyes, answered, "Yes.
that was what the butler heard us
talking about. 1t was not a quarrel.
told him he would get into trouble
over the whisky, and he told me 1t
was none of my business"