The Strange Case of Cavendish

indow on the third floor of the Waldron apartments, and began slowly to brighten the walls of the room within. There w

carpet a dark green, the walls delicately tinted, bearing a few rare prints rather sombrely framed, and con

. A low bookcase extended along two sides of the room, each shelf filled, and at the end of the cases a heavy imported drapery drawn slightl

arpet, one or two of them torn as though jerked open by an impatient hand. Still others lying near the table disclosed corners charred by fire, and as an eddy of wind whisked through the window and along the floor it tumbled brown ashes along with it, at the same time diluting

on that window. A three-socketed candle-stick filled with partially burned candles which doubtless had been knocked from the table was mute evidence of how the tiny flame had started upon its short march. As to the man's injuries, a blow from behind had evidently crushed his sk

the bookcase opened noiselessly and a man, smooth faced, his hair brushed low across his forehead, stepped quietly in. As his eyes surveyed the g

. This time his companion was John Cavendish but

ody he trembled a moment, then, mastering himself, strode over an

lly dead?" the

unnatural voice. "He must have been struck from behind.

twelve I locked it. Mr. Cavendish came in at twelve and locking t

word for a m

always bring his breakfa

out suddenly leaving th

such a

ken some papers from his pocket. When last I saw

silence, during which

ks, but his hand

ng during the ni

thing until I opened the door an

your story, Valois,"

ere shortly. I'm goin

ained now as he got Central Stati

My cousin, Frederick Cavendish, has been found dead in his room and his safe rifled.

ce came-two bull-necked plain-cloth

der her trim hat. Young, aggressive, keen of mind and tireless, Stella Donovan was one of the few good woman reporters of the city and the only one the Star kept upon its pinched pay-roil. They did so because she could cover a man-size job and get a feminine touch into her story after she did it. And, though her customary assignments were "sob" stories, divorces, society ev

." Willis smiled as he left her

the youthful Chronicle man, came down upon Valois and John Cavendish, while Miss Donovan, silent and watchful, stood

t his employer, John Cavendish, had come home not later than twelve o'clock and immediately retired. Then John Cavendish established the fact that ten minutes before arriving home

ad man is your cousin? The face and chest are pret

him while Cavendish ended any fleet

on his own cousin, you

ea is a

e, when the intruder had stolen up from behind and dealt him a heavy blow probably, from the nature of the wound, using a piece of lead pipe. Perhaps in falling Cavendish's arm had caught in the curtains, pulling them from the supporting rod and dragging them across the table, thus sweeping the candlest

rs, he had safely made his escape through the window, leaving his victim's face to the licking flames. Foot-prints below the window at the base of the fire-escape indicated that the fugitive had returned that way. This was the s

papers, the entire estate came to him, as next of kin. A day or two later the body was interred in the family lot beside the father's grave, and the ni

hout apparent cause, in a sudden burst of temper. So, s