The Mystery Girl

the District Prosecuting Attor

ray's regret he had not seen it before the embalm

s moodily listening. "A sign like that, le

Morton spoke eagerly, glad to

y the locked room argument. I admit I don't know how any one could get in or out of this study, but, as I say, that's the only sign of suicide. Now, for murder we have the absence of the we

e like an impression left by a ring of co

the queer part. The doctors declare the mark must have been

s too small a circle to have been made by th

hing to do with a quarrel in which a small glass or cup figured. That's the idea, though, of course, it needn't have been

ver could have dope

ng of the sort, for what other hypothesis fits the case at all? We can't imag

the branding iron-to call it

a murder case, and look for the criminal first, and t

ose locke

rton, when you sneer

ous idea of removing and replacing a whole pane of glass was clever, I grant, but we've seen that n

other such way migh

ely unenterable. But, notwithstanding, I'm going to work on a murder basis. Because inexplicable as that seems, there are e

aven't-

e are you? Well, get him, and put h

e the

side, I suppose has been tr

on a thick rug," the dis

shed floor will often show mar

red back at him. "I have been busy every minut

arm was given. You've put in at leas

atisfaction, that-if it is a murder

uspect

deed, or of gui

his m

man is over head

wh

restaurants. All the debts a

orton. Lockwood

calm of his. He stares haughtily, and appears above and bey

ow did h

sharp silver penholder. And h

id he leav

ng, and it was he who branded his forehead, and who contrived a way to leave the room locked behind him. Why, I read a story the other day, where a key was turned from the other side of a door by means of a slender steel bar through the

implies a door rais

ck. And the Japanese are diabolically clever. And so is Lockwood. And if the two worked together they could accomplish wond

ing-but a

ed or dispr

al investigation. Let's look outside for footprints-I m

t way in this weather; the path isn't even s

ened the window door, "

uch importance. There were two plainly visible lines of footprints in the s

murderer," sai

urderer is going to walk through crusted snow, to and from th

h no intent of crime, and afterward, might have

Morton, pettishly. "I suppose you deduce a ta

educe a small man. They are small footprints, and

enty-four hours old, and they're not

n the panes, the icicles still on the window sashes, the ice coating still on all the trees and branches. In fact it has grown steadily

amination. "And as you say, too close together f

you? You've sure been asl

p. I've had all I could tackle, making the necessary fi

things. Now, there's Crimmins, the lawyer arriving. Let

the hall, and took hi

ly taken up, and Mrs. Bates was aske

etary, Mrs. Bates indicated the drawer

ew papers in i

search disclose

" said Mrs. B

e thronging in, Cray's urgent requests to k

hantly. "Now, I guess you won't be so coc

htily. "I assert that-but I cannot prove it until the wi

to keep it himself. I cannot

this fireplace," said Helen Peyto

it seemed to him as if everyb

be identified," he

egal papers were destroyed. This bit of ash is quite evi

ere. As no fire had been made since the discovery of the tragedy, it stood to reason the pape

ill can be found, then who inherits the prope

cousin, who, I suppose would be the legal inheritor, in the absence of any will. But, I know he made a will i

iliar with all the bequests. But where is the wi

th anxiety. "I should be deeply sorry, if it is so, for the cousin I speak of is a ne'er do well young man, and not at all a f

for the finger print experts and the photographers are coming soon, and ever

s, they filed out and gat

eighbor, Saltonstall

iminary greetings, "because I have some

, what do

onlight and all, and I saw a man-a small man, creeping along sly like. And I watched him, he went along past my house down toward the railroad tracks. H

Lockwood, calmly, lo

t down to the station and the station master told me

n, "what time does th

ast twelve, I should say-though I didn't look, and he must have wait

re it was Nogi?" asked Mr

re's mighty few Japs

ockwood, and Morton snapped him

ive to one of his most disc

and since one of them left on that milk train, and since all the rest are accounted for, and only Nogi is miss

rated beyond all caution by the ironic tone of Lockwood. "And, unless you can ex

od asked, but his already pal

large number of unpaid b

w to it, and he fairly clenched his hands in an effort to pre

d, "and how do you know?

Morton, "I warned

n my ab

ot always ove

d," Cray began, "

to get excited! He, who never allowed himself to be e

now, "but I am annoyed that my private papers shoul

ay went on; "your effects were searched on the autho

y. A man has a right

be able to pay them!" This from Morton, and instead of replying to the detective in any wa

er found to incrimi

be found?" said Cray, catchi

sleuths to say. I

e Jap are known to have been in that part of the house that night. These things were not learned from the search of your rooms; bu

eyes staring coldly at the District Attorney. "I'd far rather be accuse

Mr. Lockwood, to accuse you definit

u haven't any e

n of his head, Cray summoned a

n, and handed

prints on the chair which stood near Doctor Waring's desk. Facing the Doct

e matter of bringing books or taking letters for transcription, and in any

f all present," the Attorney directed,

ms was great

"Like's not, he'd be of more importance than all of u

shiny black wood of the chair under discussion were indubitably those of Gordon Lockwood. Also, there we

upercilious than usual

nts of a man not here?" he as

, gravely. "But we're narrowing these thing

e, Cray. Get him, check up his finger prints and all that, and be

that I should inherit his estate, when I realize what it meant that he drew this will before our marriage, so urgent was his desire that all should be mine,

trage if Mr. Trask inherits the estate already willed to Mrs. Bates

t, can only result from fi

thought. May not the distant cousin, this man Trask be in some way res

arn where he was and how employed on the night of Doctor Waring's death. We still have to face the problem of an outsider's exit from a locked room, and though it seems more explicable in the