Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-08
THE STORY THUS FAR
Copyright by Dodd. Mead & Co.


murdered in his library on the eve of
his daughters wedding.
John BARLEY, crime detector and his
best friend, is called in on the case.
Upon questioning the butler he learns
that the crime had been committed
while two detectives, hired to guard
the wedding gifts We're in the house.
Pelt, Bartley's friend. is the narra-
tor of the story.
Murdered in a Locked Room
1t was only for a moment we
stood there. We were in a sense
hardened to death, yet 1 heard a
sudden "Ah!" escape from the lips
of the chief. 1t must have been
trying for BARLEY, as the dead man
was his friend, and they had spent
many hours in that room. But it
was only for a moment that he
stood silent, his face white. and
his eyes sad. Then with a start, as
If awakening from a dream, he
went over to- the body and knelt
beside it.
The room plainly told that
struggle had taken place. The cur
tains had been torn from the
windows, and were lying tangled
mass upon the floor. Over near the
door, upon a tripod, was a great
camera. The drapery that had hung
over the door had been pulled down
over the instrument. Two chairs
were lying on their sides, while
the floor was covered with papers
and pencils, which had been swept
from the surface of the desk.
Evidently there had been a struggle,
one that must have been terrific
while it lasted. The door of the
safe was half open. but nothing
seemed to be disturbed there.
For a second I had taken in the
room. then turned to look at the
figure upon the floor. 1t needed only
a glance to see that the murder
had been one of unusual brutality.
The snowy white hair was stained
with blood, and the skull was crush
ed in. 1t was not a pleasant sight
to look at. Still there was work to
do, and BARLEY made a hasty eA-
animation, the<chief kneeling beside
him. At last they rose to their
feet and Bartley's eyes went slowly
around the room.
"Well?" asked the chief
Bartley's eyes went down to the
figure on the floor. then again
around the room. With a little
exclamation, he went over to the
curtains. which were lying on the
floor by the windows. STOPPING,
he reached for something on the
floor, and when he Strengthened up
there was a cane in his hand. He
looked at it carefully, balancing it
in his hand. Then he came back to
our side.
Il Judge there is no doubt how
Rice met his DEATH" he said. Zone
look at this room tells that there
was struggle, a desperate one.
Those curtains were pulled down as
the men fought back and forth.
That struggle swept all over the
room. You see the draperies at the
at the windows also. The surface
Of the desk was swept clean. 1t
was a desperate struggle. that. last
ed till the murderer reached for his
weapon and in a rage pounded the
life from his victim"
1.-THE weapon?" asked both the
chief and his detective.
This cane" was the reply. ex-
tending 1t for US to see. In silence
we stood glancing at the cane he
held in his hand. 1t was a rather
heavy thing, heavier than most men
carry. In looks it was not unlike
most canes that one sees. There
was great bullying knob and here
was the only difference. for the
head of the cane was stained with
blood. There was no doubt this was
the weapon with which the crime
had been committed.
But" asked the chief, his big
eyes looking wonderingly around
the room, how do you think it hap
pened%
The detective Dunn, who I'D to
this time had been silent. suddenly
spoke in little squeaky voice:
suppose there was-a man, watt
ing for him to come in: say, hid
den behind those curtains. When
Rice enters. he jumps out at him
from behind the curtains, pulling
them down." He looked at BARLEY
who half nodded.
That might be so, yet let's take
1t another way. / think. Dunn.
maybe You are right in thinking
that the person who killed Rice was
IN the room, and was surprised 'by
him. He might have been back Of
the curtains, he might have been
kneeling at the safe. To me that
open safe proves that Rice was not
ready Tor bed. See, it's left lust as
we would leave a safe open. The
murderer did not even open it-far
from 1t, 1t was open. Rice came
IN from the other room, say. saw
tne person in here and the struggle
started. 1t must have been a des-
perate one. They struggled back
ana forth, from one end of the room
70 the other. This cane rnnsf hava