Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-24
wxo.x WHO m TEE STORY

was a heavy cane belonging TO
James Kent, q man with an ungov-
ernable temper and an unsuccessful RI
a valuable book worth $4,000. This
book is missing, as well as one of the
wedding presents box containing
$4,000 in gold pieces.
jealousy of her cousin.
Donald MaxSon, who is reported
drowned but who is found hiding on an
island near by with one of the stolen
gold pieces in his possession, and is
John BARLEY, crime detector and
best friend Of the murdered man. He
is assisted by Dunn. town detective
and
Dunn's chief, who has received an
unsigned letter confessing to the MUIR
der Of Rice.
PeIt. friend Of BARLEY. narrates the
story.
A Flash in the Dark
Silence fell again. broken only by
the faint sound of the music from
the band and the sound OF an auto
mobile horn from the street. l could
see the lawyer was troubled. He
may have thought BARLEY would
tell him that he had an idea of who
{ the murderer might be.
1 knew from what BARLEY had
| who had killed Rice. This was
what seemed to trouble the lawyer,
! for he said:
Il thought. Mr.. BARLEY, you
| might have some clue that the
local police had overlooked"
He shook his head slowly, mo, so
| far they know as much as do. Any
! one can draw his own conclusions
| from the evidence we have. Dunn
may be right. the chief may be
right. The only thing l can say is,
that whoever wrote the letter saying
| he had killed Rice did not tell the
| truth"
! We stayed a while longer. talking
! of many things but reaching no
/ further solution. The District At
| torney advised us he had seen Kent
when Dunn brought him in, He
| laughed bit as he told us how
angry the man had been and how
he had demanded a lawyer at once.
| Kent had threatened them with all
kinds of lawsuits, but he never
| said he did not kill Rice. He had
told the District Attorney that he
must have forgotten his cane and
had been wrong when he said it
was at his house. But aside from
that, he had said nothing new.
! 1t was long after 10 when we
left the court house and went out to
the car. The concert was over and
only a few young couples were on
the street. The night, which had
been so fine when we left the Hill.
had changed. The moon was behind
dark clouds, the wind was rising
and it seemed that we were In for
! another storm. Just as we were
! about to get into the car who
should come to our side but Dunn.
He told us they had found out
| when the letter came into the post
Office and who had brought it. 1t
had been picked up by carrier
! who had the eastern section of the
| town for his route. He brought the
letter in about d o'clock. There was
no doubt about that, for the letter
was stamped five minutes past 4.
Dunn then Informed us there were
but three mail boxes on the carrier
route and that 1t should not be
difficult to pick up the person who
mailed it; that was, If he wrote an
! other one.
An automobile went by us at that
moment and l saw BartleFs eyes
follow it. At the head of the street
it turned in the direction of the Hill.
He even gave low whistle, but |
could not tell why. In a moment he
turned back to Dunn and we talked
together for fifteen or more minutes.
1t was not till we had gotten out
of the town and were running down
the long hill by the cemetery that
BARLEY turned to say:
Did you see who was in the car
that passed while Dunn was talk
ing?"
l had to confess that I had not
and with a little laugh he simply
said:
"Maxson and Mr.. Rice's secretary.
Miss Long"
He said nothing else and for my
part, / asked no questions. Why the
young woman, whom / had taken a
liking to, should have been with
Maxson, I would have given a good
deal to know. She must have heard
that he was suspected of taking the
money. She did know that he was
presumed to have been drowned.
What they had in common bothered
me for / could not but think of
Dunn's remark, The girl was in
the room all day alone. She had a
chance to take the book"
BY the time we reached the hill.
I had decided to stop thinking about
It. BARLEY had informed me he
would drive down around Rice's
place, 1t being just as short q dis
lance to the garage that way as any
| other. / knew no one was at the
| house. The funeral had been held
in New York that afternoon and the
whole household. including all the
| servants, had gone to attend it.
Faith and her husband were to re-
turn in the morning and close the
house for the summer.
We swept down n little hill. then
up a sleeper one. For some reason
the electric lights at this part of
the resort were all out, though from
the top of the hill we were on 1
could see they were all lighted in
other sections. / judged there must
be some wire trouble that had
plunged the point into darkness.
Not only were the lights all out. but
the moon was hidden and the clouds
were heavy. Far off, / could hear
the surf starting to pound on the
shore under the rising wind.
Rice's estate was the last one on
the point of land. One side had the
bay before 1t and back of the house
the river formed the boundary of his
land. There were no houses within
several hundred yards of his and. in
fact, the nearest one was around a
little bend in the road.
BARLEY slowed the car down as
we swept around the bend. Before
us, though some little distance from
the road, doomed the dark form of
the house, silent and massive. AS
we swept slowly past it. both Of us
turned to look.
| Suddenly BARLEY gave a start and
grabbed my Srm.
"Pelt." he cried. his voice eager,
did you see that?"
| What" I sasped.
That light! That house is pre-