Adventure, June 1911 — page 182: what you’re looking at

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

368 “You have heard my theory of the mur- der, Mr. Morgan,” said the Inspector coldly. “The note is plain enough.. She will confess before she will allow you to bear the penalty of her crime.’ “Her crime!”’? Major Temple was on his feet in an instant, his eyes blazing. “ Your words are ill chosen, sir!’? Poor man, he did not know of the damning circumstances the Inspector had so cleverly woven into his accusing theory. “Not at all, Major Temple,” replied the imperturbable Inspector. Quade is at present ordering the arrest of your daughter. She will be apprehended as soon as she arrives in London, and we will hear her story at the Magistrate’s hear- ing to-morrow.” “But,” I cried, in consternation, “this is ridiculous! Don’t you see that——”’ “Mr. Morgan, the time has come for the truth. It is my painful duty to place you under arrest!”’ “On what charge?” I demanded hotly. ‘For complicity in Robert Ashton’s mur- der!” he replied, and placed his hand upon my shoulder. mew I SPENT a dreary enough night in ( the library, sometimes talking with - McQuade, who dozed upon a couch, but for the most part engaged on the mad- dening problem of Robert Ashton’s death. I fell into a doze toward morning, and awoke trembling, and listened. Far off I heard the mournful howling of a dog, a series of low, unearthly howls that would die slowly away only to be once more re- peated. It seemed like the moaning of an © animal in great pain. Presently, as I lis- tened, there came a great yelp, and there- after silence. The matter had passed from my mind by the time our coffee was brought to us, and a little later we set out for the town. On arrival, I made my first acquaintance with the interior of a cell. McQuade in- formed me I would be taken before the Magistrate for a hearing at ten o’clock. I asked whether he had received any word regarding Miss Temple, and he told me she would arrive during the forenoon. Major Temple and the servants were to come in to the hearing, at which they would be wanted as witnesses. I secured a morning paper and resigned myself to a tedious wait of somewhat over two hours. I was “Sergeant Mc- Adventure- strangely calm and self-possessed. The ordeal through which I was about to pass seemed to give me slight concern. But for Miss Temple I feared greatly. CHAPTER XIII THE TRIAL We Iwas ledforth and placed in the dock I gazed at the crowded benches before me with a dull sense of annoyance. T looked up at the Magistrate and found him to be a little red-faced man, with a stern, but not unkind expression. .The finding of the coroner’s inquest was first read, and then Major ‘Temple was placed upon the witness stand. The old gentleman looked more shrunken and old than ever—his face was yellow, his eyes hollow and heavy from want of sleep, his hands trembling with excite- ment. I could well understand his agita- tion, with his daughter under. arrest and hurrying to Exeter to undergo that. most terrible of all ordeals, a hearing on a charge: of murder. The Magistrate began his ex- amination with characteristic incisiveness, ' ‘Major Temple,” he said, “you are here as a witness in the case of Mr. Owen Morgan charged with complicity in the murder of Robert Ashton.” The Major bowed, but. remained silent. Then followed some preliminary questions establishing the facts that I had been a stranger to all of them, that I had seen and knew the value of the Emerald ‘Buddha, and that the Major had insisted, against his daughter’s will, upon carrying out the-mar- riage agreement with Ashton. “The securing of the jewel, then, from Mr. Ashton, would have released her from the arrangement?” “Tf Mr. Ashton had not had it he could not have carried out his agreement, of _ course.’ “At what time did you retire on the night “of the murder?” Shortly before midnight. Ss Further questioning brought out the events of that night as the reader already knows them, up to our finding Ashton on the floor dead. “Could Mr. Morgan have fastened the window without your knowing it?” “T suppose he could—I paid little atten- tion to him.” _ “What happened then?” CoOmicloool (©