Adventure, June 1911 — page 181: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Emerald Buddha Har that nothing could ever change it, but only two real bits, of evidence connected her with Ashton’s death—one, the presence of. her handkerchief in the room and the curious use to which it had been put; the other, her early morning expedition from the house and her sudden return. If she would but explain the latter, I felt sure Inspector Burns’ theory would fall to the ground like a house of cards. Why she refused to do so, I could not imagine— that she-had some strong compelling reason, I felt sure. What? Was she shielding her father? I could not believe that even for her father’s sake she. would allow an inno- cent person to be accused. On arriving at The Oaks, Inspector Burns asked to see the scene of the murder and to interview Miss Temple ‘“ My daughter has retired, I fancy,” the Major said. “I have not seen her since dinner, but I will send her word.” He led the way, his mastiff, Boris, bringing up the rear. We first en- tered the room I had occupied. The drawer was soon unlocked and there lay the wretched poker wrapped in my handker- chief, just as I had left it. Inspector Burns took it up. “Hardly heavy enough to fracture a man’s skull,” he muttered. “What do you know about this thing?” he inquired of Major Temple. The Major looked puzzled. He had not seen the weapon before. I wondered how Miss Temple came to know of it, in order to.notify me. * “Tt is half of an old poker,” he replied, “that I gave to the gardener for a stake in laying out his flower-beds. It had been roughly ground to a point, as you see, so that it might be readily thrust into the earth. The last time I saw it he was using it upon the pathways about the house.”’ “Then it was not in the green room?” asked the Inspector. “Never, to my knowledge,” said Major Temple. ‘‘There is no fireplace in that room!” The Inspector closed the drawer with a slam, “Then if this was the weapon the murderer used,” he said, rather lamely, “he must have: taken it along with him.”’ WE ALL adjourned to the green room which the Inspector went over without discovering anything new. The dog seemed strangely oppressed by the surroundings, but after sniffing about 367 nervously with a low whine, crawled under the bed and lay quiet. We were on the point of leaving when the maid rushed in and, calling Major Temple aside, handed him a sealed envelope. The Major passed his hand nervously over his forehead, and turned to us. ‘‘Gentlemen,”’ he said, in a frightened voice, ‘“‘Miss Temple can not be found!” We all turned toward him in intense sur- prise. ‘What does this mean?” asked the Inspector. ‘‘Where is she?” “This note, addressed to me, was lying upon her writing-desk,” replied the Major in a daze. ““Read it,’ commanded the Inspector, as we all hastily adjourned to the library. Major Temple opened the letter with trembling fingers; then read aloud: My Dear FatHeEr: [I am going to London to see Mr. Morgan. They suspect him of the murder. I overheard the police talking about it this morning. I do not know what to do. I can not let an inno- It may be better for me to If I must speak I can only cent person suffer. remain away altogether. ask for forgiveness. MURIEL. If the earth had opened up and engulfed me I could not have been more astounded. I glanced at her father—he seemed shrunken and old, his head bowed upon his breast. Could he—I refused to think—yet he feared either for himself, or, God help me, for her. No consideration for any one else could have so terribly affected him. I looked at the cold, accusing faces of the two Scotland Yard men and groaned inwardly. In a moment the Inspector spoke. ‘‘Have you a telephone in the house, Major Tem- ple?” he asked. “Yes,”’ answered the Major, rousing him- self from his lethargy. “In the hall, near the foot of the staircase.” The Inspector nodded to McQuade, who arose without a word and left the room. The net was fast closing about some one, but about whom I could not yet see. “Mr. Morgan, have you anything to say in explanation of this letter?” I heard Major Temple asking me. ‘Miss Temple writes as though she be- lieved you would understand what she means,” I replied. “JZ certainly do not.” “TI?” cried the Major. ‘It’s absolute nonsense to me!’”’ He threw up his hands in absolute -dismay. If this were acting, I thought, it could not be better done. COnmiclboooks (©