The Argosy, April 1916 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

A MYSTERY OF ROSCOE CONKLING PARK. gold head. “but I was never before so nice ~ a judge as you.” _ Then she laughed and showed her teeth of ivory-pearl. CHAPTER XI. WAS SHE TELLING THE TRUTH? "THE judge leaned forward again, and looked sternly at the prisoner. . “Are you telling me the truth?” he asked. “Well, of course. What else would I tell? I have been arrested two or three times.” “On wh>*. charges?” “Oh, tne same old charge every time— exceeding the speed limit.” “TI shouldn’t wonder,’ whispered the chief to Blake. : “Do you own an automobile?” the judge asked. i “Oh, no. what my aunt gives me. three automobiles.” “What is your aunt’s name?” “Miss Charlotte Wayne.” “An elderly lady?” “Not so very, in years. valid.” Cet se ieee “But you don’t seem to be very solicitous about your aunt’s -welfare. She seems to be very generous to you. You do consider- able traveling around away from her, do you not?” “Yes. That’s the only way I can return her generosity. My aunt is rather odd. She fancies she is going to die every minute. She has doctors and nurses on the verge of neurasthenia all the time. Her attendants go around the house in slippers with cloth soles. They are all fogy-molly.” ‘“‘What’s that?” “Oh, they are pussy-footed kowtowers. They get paid for it, you know.” ‘The judge gazed at her earnestly. “Tell me about that front doorkey,” he said after a silence that was felt. “What time did you leave Mr. Raymond’s house this morning?”’ “About half past five, or a quarter to ? I don’t own anything except She owns two or She’s an in- Six “What did you go out for?” “To take some snap-shots.”’ “But it was not light enough.” “Well, I am not afraid in the dawn. I’d rather wait for the proper light than miss it, and I wanted a long walk, anyway.” Inside. 21 “Did you take any snap-shots?” “To be sure I did. I took the statue of Baron von Steuben. Then I walked along the parkway and went up the hill in Roscoe Conkling Park, and took a picture of the big boulder with the bronze plate. And I took a snap-shot of some deer in their en- closure. Oh, I took several pictures.” “Why did you carry away the front door- key?” — ‘‘What else could I do with it? No one was up in the house. I expected to be back before anybody needed to use the front door. I didn’t know a hullaballoo was going to be raised about a robbery. I couldn’t leave the key in the lock outside the door, nor could I lock the door and leave the key inside. I couldn’t get out, or if out, I couldn’t lock the door on the The only thing I could do was to lock the door and take the key with me.” The judge leaned both elbows on the desk and rested his head. Perhaps it ached. Never, in all the years he had occupied the bench as city magistrate, had such a case, or such a prisoner, come before him. ~ Was she telling the truth? Or was she the most fascinating liar in all the world? As an honest, adventurous girl, she was charming. As a beautiful criminal she was superb. He turned to Blake. . ‘When you examined the premises was there any evidence that the robbers had any other means of exit than the front door?” “Your honor, there was no evidence that the robbers used the front door as a means of exit. A window of the dining-room was open. Outside, under that window, I dis- covered footprints in the grass and on the gravel carriage-path. The same footprints show near the gate. Miss Wayne may have let them in by way of the front door, but they assuredly left through the window.” “Like love, under certain circumstances,” observed Miss Wayne. “I did not admit anybody by way of the front door.” - “Did you see the presents when you ‘went out?” “No. I did not go into that room.” ‘“‘Who discovered the loss?”’ “A down-stairs girl,” answered Mr. Ray- mond. : “You do not suspect her?” “Not at all, your honor. ‘My servants are above suspicion.” “You never had a tableful of silverware before?” : OOOLK C@