The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-04-13
Outofthe Darkness

GO
that she might have committed the
murder.
When ! returned to the Jail, about
an hour later. l found that, BARLEY
had gone to Doctor Kings office, and
followed him there at once. It was
the usual physicians office, with
cases Of instruments along the walls
and a flat-top desk in the center of
the room. BARLEY and the doctor
were bending over small pad when
entered, and BARLEY told me that
the doctor had been drawing for him
little map of the roads around the
Slyke estate. The doctor looked older
than when had seen him first, far
more tired and nervous. 1t took sew
eral years to get over shell shock,
from which he suffered, he told us, and
he had been very foolish to start to
practice again SO soon after his re-
turn from the front. He recounted a
few Of his war experiences, and they
were enough to have broken any man.
He said that, as soon as his duties in
regard to the Slyke case were over,
he was going to take rest. All the
time he talked to us he played with
pencil or tapped the desk in front
of him.
We spoke Of the inquest, and he
told us that he did not, need to call a
coroner's jury unless he wished. The
facts were so complex or so simple
it was hard to say which--that a jury
would be confused by them. He adj
mitted that there was no doubt that
Slyke had been murdered, but doubt
ed If any jury would bring in a YER
dict of murder on such slight evidence
as we had. He suggested that, if it
were murder, some one from Saratoga
might have committed the crime. 1t
was not bad suggestion, and to my
surprise BARLEY seemed to regard 1t
favorably. The doctor mentioned the
chauffeur's arrest, and said that he
had only known the man by sight. We
talked for an hour or more then re-
turned home.
BARLEY was in his room changing
his suit for luncheon, when tele-
phone call came for him. When he
returned he told me that the call had
been from Mr.. Sykes lawyer. He
had 'phoned him, BARLEY said, that
among the papers in the safe was an
envelope with ten thousand dollars
in bills in it, and that the hank had
informed him that, on the day Of our
arrival Slyke had deposited thirteen
thousand dollars with them.
While this was interesting news, ]
could not see that 1t was of any inn
portance to us, and said as much to
Barley. He half smiled as he re-
minded me that ten thousand dollars
was a lot of money to keep in the
house, and added that it was strange
that Slyke should deposit thirteen and
retain another ten in his house. He
wondered if his keeping the money
had any relation to the visitor that
he was expecting. At any rate. the
man had not gotten the money, if that
had, been what he was after
Luncheon over, Currie. BARLEY and
/ started for the inquest. The news
papers had evidently received tip
that there was more in Sykes death
than had appeared, for when we ar
rived we were forced. to run gaunt-
let Of reporters, WHO recognized Bart
ley at once and crowded around him.
They realized that, if he were inter
ested in the case, 1t was of more i'm
portance than they had suspected,
and wanted to know if he did not
have some Information to give them
With laugh at their insistence, he
replied that he did not; but, when he
had, he would see that they were the
ones to get it.
There were number of cars in
front of the house and small crowd
of men standing about in twos and
threes. Just as we turned to mount
the steps, Lawrence drove up and
greeted us with rather forced smile:
The inquest was to be held in the
large living room in which the. bur-
glars had been found. Though it was
not public hearing open to every
one, there were goodly number of
people present.
Doctor King and the other officials
had not yet arrived; and Black. who
was talking to group of men, left
them and came to greet us. He told
us that the chauffeur. Briffeur, was to
be brought from the jail by Roche
and that he thought his testimony
would make a sensation. :, BARLEY
seemed to understand what he meant,
though l did not. The chauffeur had
refused to talk and had answered all
questions by saying that he would tell
what he knew at the inquest. All at
tempts to find out what that might be
had failed.
BARLEY asked Black IL he still
thought that the chauffeur was guilty
of the murder. Black countered by
stating that he did not believe that
anyone else knew as much about the
affair as he did. 1t was his opinion
that, if khe chauffeur had not killed
him, he at least knew something