Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-25

!. WHO'S WHO IN TKI STORY
J. Frank Rice. millionaire. who. was
Found murdered on the eve Of his
Eas a heavy cane Belonging TO
- James Kent. n man with an ungov-
ENABLE temper and an unsuccessfui RI
val for Rice's most recent purchase-
4 valuable book worth $4,000. This
book is missing, as well as One Of the
wedding presents-a box containing
$4,000 in gold pieces.
z Faith, Rice's daughter, admits the
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
questioned by
John BARLEY. crime detector and
hest friend of the murdered man. He
~ assisted by Dunn, town detective
= Dunn's chief, who has received an
Unsigned letter confessins to the MUIR
der Of Rice.
. Pelt Bartley's friend. is the nara.
cor OF the story. He and BARLEY in
xestigate a mysterious light seen nit,
house where the murder was commit
ted. Entering the house. they hear
faint rumble.
=. Gold and Ashes
- The sound had started again. This
lime 1t seemed more like faint
tumble than anything else. 1t was
true that 1t was faint. Yet in the
silence 1t could be heard plainly.
This time l had no difficulty in
knowing that 1t must be the ele-
sator. And all at once. realized
chat we were not alone in the house.
Come one else was there and using
ghe elevator.
9 But IL 1t was the elevator. the
Of
Only who might be running 1t, but
60 what floor he was going. And
we had heard 1t twice. I judged that
perhaps some one had gone to the
upper floors and then returned.
However. II that were so. he had
spent no time on any floor but must
have descended at once.
-, ~, knew that the wedding gifts had
sill been removed and were no
longer in the library. But there
must have been many thousands of
dollars worth OF old and rare manu-
scripts there. Could the person in
the house be some one that was try
ng to steal the manuscripts and
books. some one who knew the
iamily was away? Or was 1t simply
q thief that had happened to come?
4 threw that thought away at once.
10 thief, unless he knew the house
uell. would know about the elevator.
j remembered how as we stood be-
fore II, when the butler took us first
10 the main floor. that l had been
unable even to see a sign OF a door
in the wall. Whoever was run
Jiing the elevator must be some one
that knew his way about the house.
The noise had died away again
end | whispered these theories to
Eartley. His only reply was to tell
me that he was going to the third
Toor. asking me to keep watch on
the floor beneath us. In a second
he left my side, saying he would be
back in a short time, and l was
'Nlone.
:, For a while I peered down at the
living room. as II the very eagerness
Of my look could pierce the dark
hess. But all was silent. As walt
nd. waiting l knew not for what, the
stiffness and darkness began to
infect me. could almost feel the
blackness press In on me, heavy
Sultry darkness that seemed to
6tifie me. l strained my ears for any
2ound and at times almost held my
breath as l thought for a second
heard something. And then all at
once 1t dawned upon me that
4
any one. I was without q gun and
1here was no doubt that whoever
Mas In the house would be armed.
. The seconds seemed endless and
Eegan to wonder what had hap
pened to BARLEY. No sound came
from the floor above, SO I judged
xhat he had found nothing. And
then all at once when I expected 1t
least, a sound fioated UP from the
dark floor beneath me.
& For q moment felt my hand
fremble on the railing where II rest
ed. For the sound had come from
Utmost directly under me. The
sound OF q person moving across the
Door, some one that had half
xtumbled but had not fallen. Some
Nne was on the main floor. there
was no doubt OF that.
= My first thought was to go and
bet BARLEY know, but saw in o
second that would be absurd. did
not know where he was. only the
Tact he had intended to 20 to the
xhird floor. l did not even know
3ust where the stairs were and. II
3 left my place to md him. the
ncrson below could get away.
= Then decided to 60 slowly and
softly down the stairs till reached
The landing halfway down. That
Mould bring me nearer to the floor
and also enable me to hear better.
SO without stopping to think IL 1t
mas . wise thing to do, started
eaowly down the stairs.
= picked my way very carefully,
Saking some time TO bring each foot
down on the next step. My hand !
rushed ahead OF mo on the railing
fSr support Al felt my way along.
at each step I paused. listening to
hear If the person below had moved.
Strange to say. after the first sound
= had heard nothing. Yet knew
pome one was there, I could feel, u
k3emed. the presence Of the person
1Alow. Some psychological soms-
ming told me that though no
NnGer could hear o sound, there
yas some one below me.
~ had reached the landing. That
80 say. had one foot on Il, when
the most unexpected thing In the