Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-05-25

d ner and met Mr.. BARLEY It was Slyke
who called me up on the phone"
His voice was shrill now, and
thought he would break down at any
moment.
"He said he wished to see me, and
l started over here. / ran into Brif-
feur, who told me that Slyke had sold
the rest Of the whisky for $4,000.
| Well-where was IT,. He stopped,
confused, and passed his hand over
bis face.
"Oh, yes-the whisky. l went up
to the tower, and he suggested we go.
out on the balcony-why, don't know.
I asked him what he got for the whis-
ky, and he said $4,000. l knew he
! lied, and l told him so. We quar-
relied, quarreled- All at once, he
/ flashed revolver on me and said he
had good mind to kill me-he had
been drinking"
Again his voice trailed away into
! silence and his eyes closed. Then he
recovered himself with an effort and
continued. Just what happened then,
/ don't know-don't know My nerves
/ have been in pieces since l was she'll
shocked. We struggled, and / know
| shot him. l did as you say Took
him downstairs, undressed him, and
put the revolver in his hand. | knew
-knew-that most people would
think he had killed himself. | was
desperately sorry-but l am hardly to
blame for his death. Ny big mistake
was calling in Mr. BARLEY the next
morning. l knew, if l could fool him,
| could fool everyone"
He paused; his head sank again
into his hands l saw that BARLEY
pitied him deeply and his voice was
soft and his face grave as he asked,
"And Briffeur?'
With an effort the doctor raised his
head.
Il was always afraid of that man.
He was cruel and treacherous. When
| saw him at the inquest | knew that
all was over; that he would give me
away. And when the lights went out,
in wild rage l threw that knife.
don't know why" Then he almost
yelled, Il wanted peace
"But how Gid you happen to have
the knife with you?" BARLEY asked.
He thought for a moment. 1t
seemed hard for him to gather him
self together enough to answer, II
don't knOW-oh, yes, / had used it to
cut strap on my car. When | ar
rived here the day Of the inquest, |
found / had left it on the floor and
put it in my bag. There was a bag
on the table all the time, you remem-
.ber"
1t was easy to see that the doctor
was In such a nervous collapse that
he could say no more; he slumped
down in his chair and closed his eyes
There was some whispered conversa-
tion between Roche and BARLEY; and
then, as if not liking the task, Roche
went over and placed his hand on the
doctors shoulder. At his touch the
doctor stiffened He knew too well
what it meant. Shaking off the hand,
effort, to where BARLEY stood.
'Mr. Bartley," he said, his voice
trembling, will you shake hands with
me? l bear you no i'll will. It's a
long journey before me-"
Into Bartley's eyes came look Of
comprehending pity, and even ad-
miration. He grasped his hand and
silently the two men, one murderer,
the other the detective that had ap-
pretended him, looked into each 9th
fell apart and Roche led Doctor King
from the room.
None of us spoke until BARLEY
broke the silence by saying, almost in
a whisper, Poor chap! God alone
knows what he has gone through"
Suddenly Currie demanded, John,
what about those states and that aw-
full ghost? l never was so scared in
my life"
For the first time smile crossed
Bartley's face.
"The states? Why 1 wrote the
messages"
you! But we washed them," Cur
rie exclaimed.
Surely, you washed them. That
was the whole trick. l wrote those
messages with a camePS hair brush
in hydrochloric acid 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 l always washed one side
first; that was the side with the writ
other; and, of course, that made you
sure that there was nothing on the
slate. Had you not seen it washed