Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-16
Who. Who in the Story


SIR ROBERT MANNERSLEY, noble
man of ancient title and vast estate
on which valuable mines have been
found. He is mysteriously murdered
in his home.
PHILLIPA, his beautiful daughter, is
Lady Bountiful of the farm and min
ing community. She is in love with.
and believes innocent of charge OF
forgery, her cousin, and plans 10
marry him and settle in the colonies
when he finishes his prison term.
CLINTON MANNERSLEY. heir to the
oats, but declares himself innocent
of the forgery of his uncle'S name,
though he cannot convince the latter
He escapes from prison and is dis
covered in the room with his muir
dered uncle. He is arrested and
charged with the crime.
MRS. BRITTEN, his old nurse. who he
lieves him innocent.
JIM, his foster-brother, who is some
what radical miner.
MR. QUINTON, austere, executive type
of man, manager of the mines and
aspirant for Phillipa's hand.
ILLlNGWORTH, ambitious police Of
INSPECTOR CoRTELYoU. a veteran
Scotland Yard sleuth, who takes up
the case for Clinton.
MARSHALL STEAD, chief cashier
and confidential man for Sir Robert.
How the Murder Was Done
Major Bryson bit his mustache
and looked at Inspector Cortelyou.
But what l want to know is what
you think" he said suddenly" You've
a reputation for these affairs, you
know. What's your opinion?"
My opinion, sir" answered the
! detective slowly-'my opinion is
that Sir Clinton Mannersley did not
| murder his uncle. He had no
He felt resentment" interrupted
| Illingworth.
Whatever resentment or anger he
| felt" answered Inspector Cortelyou
had been swept away the night be-
! fore by the fact that his cousin, Miss
| Phillipa, had promised to marry him.
| She is not the sort of young woman
| to break her word, and it is not
within the bounds of probability
| that q man should murder the father
! OF the girl he is going to marry.
! believe that Sir Clinton's account of
! his visit to this room was the truth.
L also believe that the collier. King,
! spoke the truth. Sir Clinton did not
, 90 this thing"
/ The chief constable and Hing
worth stared at each other and then
! at the little man from Scotland
Yard.
Then, in heavens namc. who
! did, exclaimed Major Bryson.
| inspector Cortelyou produced his
/ snuifboX and toil a pinch. He
| pointed With the closed snuffbox To
! the library door.
! Somebody who entered this room
! from that, SIR he said
3 ~
! nation. But Mr. Stead was in that
room all the timc," he said.
The detective put his snuffbox de-
iiherately in his pocket Just so,
| he said dryly.
litingworth stared at him. "You
+ don't mean to say that you sug
| gest--' he began.
inspector Cortelyou got up from
Ills chair. Il suggest nothinp-at
present" lie said. And | don't care
very much for suggestions at any
Time. | prefer ccrtainties. But
come this way, gentlemen"
He led them into the library and
to the door of the secret staircase.
winch he opened carefully. Mai
bryson and lllingworth gazed with
surprise at the cavity within.
Now, gentlemen" said the detec-
| i've, this is a staircase which COM
municates with the big picture gal
lery above. There are sixteen steps.
each foot high. in it. Come back
with me to the study.
Now here" he continued 1eod;no
them to the corresponding stair in
the adjoining room. "is a companion
| staircase also leading to the gallery
IN exactly forty-five feet: there
lore, from this door in the study.
round by the gallery. to the door in
Ihe library, 1t is roughly speaking.
wen within eighty feet. II could be
traversed by any on who knows tho
secrets of these staircaSeS and door.
! within one minute"
Major Bryson and Illingworth. not
yet compromising anything of what
inspector Cortelyou was after. STAR
ed at him in wonder. He went on
after another consultation with his
snuffboX:
1 say, by any one who knows the
secret or these staircases, gentle-
men ne continued. Now, observe
mat those doors in the paneling do
not open by locks or handles, but by
springs, and therefore whoever Il
was who used them on the night oS
the murder was some person con
Nersant with their peculiarities.'
es, but what is there to show
.,at they were used on the night of
me me MURDER aked 1llingworth, half
h had eaui9us OF all that the detective
l VIII come to that" answered In
spector Cortelyou. Now bawo
ascertained from the butler. Dam
cey, that these staircases were
specially designed by the late Sir
hooert Tor his own use and that for
long time he had never made usa
OF them. No other person in the
mouse would be likely to use them
~ Is only a few days since that
they, in conjunction with thi. 49,