The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-07-08
CHAPTER IL

No one could deny my old chief 4
sense of humOr, hut his possession of
1t did not always prevent him from
taking literally remark intended to
be jocular. He waited in perfect ST.
lence until Ashton laid down his fish
fork and took his first sip of coffee
Then lie pounced upon him like sat
$50 you want my help. do you?
Well, I'm glad of that I'm glad that
at last there's a district attorneys Of
flee in this country advanced enough
to use applied psychology in the de-
lection of crime. Pm at your service
absolutely. Phelps, here, and I will do
all we can for you. But you must tell
us all about the case first"
Ashton laughed. I'm sorry to dis
appoint you. but the fact is that when
spoke of wanting your help. l was
not thinking of you as a psychologist.
but as New Zealander."
Doctor McAlister frowned.
"What has my being a New Zealand
er to do with it?"
"Why," said Ashton. 1--WE found
some bundles Of old newspapers and
various other odds-and-ends which
seemed to point to Morgan having
lived at one time in Wellington, and
knowing that you had spent all the
early years of your life in those parts,
1t occurred to me that you might have
some connection there which would
assist us in tracing him."
"Of course" growled the doctor, "Tll
do anything can for you"
p Partly to appease him and partly
I because the subject was running
strongly in his own mind. Ashton
talked about little else than the Oak
fridge mystery during all the while we
\sat at dinner.
''The papers will make a great
sensation tomorrow morning." he said,
"of the testimony at the inquest of a
young man named Harvey. l wish we
might have got hold of him before that
feol of coroner did. His testimony
sounded like a choice selection Of
pages from the old Sleuth,' and | am
inclined to think that it has just about
as much relation to fact. | left NAL
lory-he's one of the detectives in our
office-out in Oak Ridge to keep an
eye on him. He's to bring him down
to the Office in the morning Until
have questioned HIM pretty thoroughly.
I sha'n't know whether to believe Il
word of his tale, or not. Mallory
seems half inclined to think that the
boy has some active connection with
the crime, but that / disbelieve ut
terly."
'Tell Us about him." said the doc
tor.
"Why, he's young fellow well
known there in town. His parents are
eminently pious and respectable, but
Willie enjoys the reputation of being
little fast. He's one of these imita-
ton college boys, very well pleased
with himself and quite a lady-killer,
judge, from the smokers that went
round the room when he testified that
he had gone out to call on young
lady and had not found her at home.
81 am telling you all that because
it throws something of light on his
testimony. He swore that as he passed
the house about nine O'Clock, he no.
ticed a light in the upper windows.
The shades were down. he said, and
in silhouette on one of them he could
see old Morgan leaning back in a
chair In an unnatural attitude. and
with something Queer-looking around
his throat. That would be interesting
enough, and may be true, but hear
what he piles onto it. He says he saw
the shadow of another figure on the
shade, the figure of woman, who was
leaning over Morgan and making
strange gestures in the air."
SWELL" said the doctor, "may not
that be true, too?"
HE might have made us think so If
he had stopped there" said Ashton,
'but his subsequent testimony made
It perfectly clear that he was lying.
He told the coroner that after watch.
Ing that lighted window shade for a
few moments, he had walked away
and gone straight home, and that was
all he knew about it. Then the coroner
questioned him more closely as to the
appearance of the woman. He de-
scrld her very fully. He said she
ung, pretty. dark, and that she
green cloak with a high turned.
and yet, mind you, he had
lied that he had only seen