The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-16


 nese ornaments adorn your room. You went to the Waring house that night, Nogi let you in and out, and though the Japanese doubtless com mitted the murder, you stole the money and the ruby, and then, your partner in crime departed for parts unknown"
 Miss Baseom sat back in her chair with look of triumph on her plain, gaunt face.
 Clearly, she was rejoiced at her de- nunciation of the girl before her, and pleased at tho irrefutable theory she had promulgated.
 And how did Mss Austin or the Jap, either. leave the rooom locked on the inside2" propounded Cray, his own opinions already swayed by the arraignment.-
 That" said Miss Bascom, with an air of finaiity, T can't explain defi- nitely, but [ am sure it was an exam pile of Jaupanese jusglery. When you remember the tales of how the Japanese can do seemingly impossl- ble tricks can swallow swords and get out of locked handcuffs. it is quite within the realm of possibility that one could lock door behind him, and give it the appearance or having been locked from the inside
 Now Cray had already concluded that the door had been cleyerly locked by some one, but he hadn't before thought of the cleverness or the Japanese.
 He rose almost abruptly, and said q must look into some of these mat ters, Miss Austin, you need not at- tempt to leave town, for you Will not be able to do so."
 q most certainly shall not ats tempt to leave-as you express it--f I am asked not to. But, l may say that when I am entirely at liberty 10 do so, I propose to go away rom
 Her dignity gave no effect of Derson afraid or alarmed for her own safety, merely courteous recoshi- ton of Cray's attitude and q trahA statement of her own intentions
 Miss Bascom sniffed and said;
 "Don't worry, MT. Cray. I'll sec to if that this young woman does not succeed In eyading justice, II sne tries to do so." nor
 Al which Miss Mystery gave her A smile that was so patronizing' eNen amused, that the spinster was uiolt irate than ever. :, . ct. +orrev said. "Tu take your finger nr;nts please. as they may be usetw pflneo, ln nroyips ph what you did not do.'
 He smiled a little as the girl reau- yy enough gave her consent to the pi1S" @Snd," he went on. more grayeiy, "I will ask you for one of your snoeA -one that you wore on Suna"g; gs;v
 surnrised into a glance of dismay, Ayioe oeA Si NIvsterv rose without word o,lS went upstairs for the shoe. S;ba returned with the dainty nrettv thing, and merely observed. Sf,d ike to have it bach, when ycu are through with 1t. - -,os+
 Putting the shoe In his o'e'o'~'
 "Miss Bascofn," Anita said, turning .o her enemy, may you never want q friend as much as l do now;
 atrha nerve of herr" Liza Bascom nuttered to herself, as Miss Mystery went upstairs to her own room.
 "Theres very deep maseS.S hs rs. turned to the Waring house. put I'm getting light on 1t:
 Cray was far from lacking Tn in- renuity. and he proceeded at ones t9 compare the finger prints as ne hau of Anita Austin with the prints on the small black-framed char snH. had been found drawn up 10 the u7SN 0i Tbey SoNH " were identical and Cray
 
 unused over the fact.
 "That girl was here that nisht' he decided, there's no gainsaylns that" He called the butler to him
 Ito" he began, "did you let HI came home?" 4.
 No. sir.s' the imperturable Jap de- clared, thinking the question rooilsn, as all the inquirers knew the ueia+s of his Sunday movements .,u
 DO you remember seeing tiiS chair, Monday morningr
 "Distinctly. l saw MI. Loch"oou smoothing it's back"
 "Smoothing 1t back! What do you mean?" Az at,,,,s room window to see if MT. LockWooo was coming to breakfast. and per ceived him carefully smoStnins the
 Cray meditated. Here was point of evidence. Lockwood was not the sort to absent mindedly paw over chair back, He was doing 1t on pur- pose. For what reason? What req son could be, to save to erase some evidence? frame of shiny black wood. while seat and back were covered with dark plush of fine soft quality.
 Cray drew his fingers across the back. They left distinct trall or furrows in the fabric,
 Ito, watching, nodded his head'
 Not fingerprints." Cray said to maybe, fingermarks
 you surely saw this, Itot''
 "Yes. so; and Miss Peyton also saw. She was then in the doorway MT. Lockwood to come to breakfast"
 Cray went in search of Helen ana put the question to her suddenly.
 What was e. don Lockwood do- ing, when you went to call him to breakfast, Monday morning%
 He was-I don't remember"
 Speak the truth--or 1t may mean trouble for you and him, too"
 He was-he seemed to be dusting off a chair
 With a duster?"
 NO; just passing over it with hls hand.'
 That isn't dusting it."
 Well. don't know what you call it! Perhaps he was merely pushing the chair into place.
 Tt isn't his custom to push tho study furniture Into place. He was erasing indicative marks on that plush chairback-that's what he was 6oing."
 AbSurd! Helen cIleo' WhSl marks could there be%
 T don't know. Come and let us see,
 Cray took Helen to the study and asked her to sit in the chair.
 Lean back" he directed Now get up"
 The girl obeyed. and there was plainly seen on the plush the faint beaded design that adorned the back nf thA frocly she wore.
 q told you sol" Cray said, in tr iumph. That plush registers every impress, and when Lockwood rubbed it smooth it was to erase damag- ing bit of testimony"
 "Rather far-fetched," Mir. Cray. said Gordon Lockwood himself, who had come in and had heard and seen tle latter part of the detectives in