Year: 1873

quarrel, and lsonly ask you to be as frank
as | am. | am not, as you suppose. a
professional detective. | have, acknowl-
edge, watched you somewhat closely, be-
cause | wished to learn your motive for
the mistake which you made in your testi-
monv"


II may as we'll tell you the truth now
or you will accuse me of worse errors
than have committed. was examined
at the inquest before Mr.. Banks was
called, and knowing that he would be
anxious to prove that he was not con-
cerned in the murder, | feared that he
might mention a little matter, innocent
enough in itself, but quite sure to COM
promise me. So, to avoid the possibility
and at the same time to prove what you
call, believe, an alibi for him, l said we
were IN the parlor together. felt quite
sure he would not contradict me- Nav |
ask now if you have any further quest
ions ?"


Mr.. Pryor was thoroughly disappoint-
ed. lie saw no reason to doubt the ex-
PLANTATION which Mrs. Stein gave him, and
he was compelled to relnquish his
cherished conviction that she had some
guilty knowledge of the murder. He had





murderous conspiracy. Certainly it was
discouraging. In his disappointment he
actually confided to the woman the object
ne had had in view; begged her pardon
Tor his inquisitive watch upon her, and
assured her that the secret was safe with
him. 1t will hardly be credited but thew
parted on apparently friendly terms Mrs.
Stein was too astute to quarrel with man
who could do her an injury. and his
cynical admiration for her cool intrepiditv
made hlm careless OF her utter indiffer-
ence to morality.


There remained one person against
whom his suspicious were now direct ed
Mr. James Anderson had sworn that he
was IN his own room at the time of his
brothers death. and no one had expressed
the least suspicion that he was in any way
connected with it. Mr.. Pryor, however,
noted his exceedingly devoted attentions
to mis- brothers wife, and accepted as a
possibility the theory that he killed the
husband in order to marry the wife The
,act that the will Of the deceased left his
entire fortune to his wife strengthened this
.heory. Then, too. the brother occupied
aroom adjoining that in which the tragedy
occurred. Was there door between these
'ooms? I? This was matter to be settled
first of all


Mrs. Anderson never left her room
without locking the door, and as her
meals were sent up to her, and she rarely
eft the house, Mr.. Pryor wasted some
lime before he had an opportunity to make
MS desired investigation. AT last, how
ever Mrs. Anderson and her brother-in-
aw were out together to church one Sun
lay evening, and Mr.. Pryor provided
with a skeleton key, promptly entered the
'oom, and gave it a thorough examina-
ton


There was adoor leading to the brothers
room, but in front of it stood a huge
clothes-press. This must have been in the
same position at the time Of the murder,
tor there was no other place in the room
ior it. The clothes-press annoved him.
Tor it seemed out of the question that the
been used by q steathy assassin. How
ever, he undertook to move it, and to his
surprise found that it guided easily and
nolselessly on its well oied-rollers The
door behind it was locked. but Welded to
the skeleton key, and moved as noiseless-
ly as the most careful criminal could de
sire. Here was a path which murderer
could have safely used. provided his vic
tim lay, rs the murdered man doubtless
had lain, in II quiet sleep. single dark
spot on the sill of the door caught his at
tention. He stopped down and examined
1t. Some one had evidently tried to scrape
the place with a knife. but the stain was
III too deep TO be removed. Was it blood?
Could the murderer retreating to his own
room have dropped this trace of his
crime. and been unable to obliterate it


MI Pryor felt a conviction that he was
right at last. He cared to make no further
search. Replacing the clothes press, he
left the room, and went to his own room
to ponder the discovery which he had
made. Was this cold, respectable and
pious brother a tratricdc IT not who
oiled the hinges and rollers SO that noise
less access could be had from his room to
that Of the murdered man2 He did not
intend to be led away second time by a
single suspicious circumstance, but this
time he could hardly doubt that he had
discovered the murderer.


Unfortunately he could not see his wav
to his next step in the matter With
Neither the brother nor the still disconsO-
late widow could he hope to establish any
thing like an intimate acquaintance. He
could not listen at their keyhoes without
the certainty OF detection, tact which he
greatly regretted for, like most men with
a hobby, he acted upon the theory that all
means were justifiable that contributed to
the success of his plans He debated as
to his proper course for day or two, and
then decided that he would contide his
suspicious at once to the police and con
tent himself with the honor of having put
the officers on the right track.


The superintendent heard him atten-
lively, and then summoning his best de-
tective asked Mr.. Pryor to repeat his in
formation. The detective, who, unlike
most of his profession, was really man
capable of drawing intelligent differences,
was inclined to take Mr.. Pryor's view of
the matter, and recommended the arrest
Of Mr.. James Anderson The supern-
tendent concurred with him, and the
proper steps to procure warrant were
taken. Mr.. Pryor went home much elated
with the knowledge that the suspected
murderer would be arrested in the course
of the ensuing evening. The man was so
under the dominion OF his one
passion, the solution of intricate criminal
puzzles, that he was needless of the pain
and shame that were to be inflicted through
his agency.


Mr.. James Anderson was duly arrested,
and exhibited q GOODNESS which astonished
Mr.. Pryor. He requested the matter be
kept a secret from his sister-in law if
possible until the next day, and then went
quietly to the police station. Here he
asked to see the superintendent, as he had
= communication of the utmost import
ance to make to him. From an ordinary
prisoner such 4 request would have been
treated with no attention; but the man.
ner OF Mr.. James Anderson so impressed
the captain in charge OF the station, that
he consented to send word to his superior
The latter soon made his appearance and
was closeted for a few moments with the
prisoner. Next, to the astonishment of
everybody, the two drove together to the
house Of the magistrate who granted the
warrant of arrest. Another conference
followed, and at its end, to the unqualified
anger and disappointment of Mr.. Pryor,
the prisoner was released and sent home
in the superintendent's own carriage.


How had he secured his release? By