THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, JULY 5, I90S.
mu
No. 1 The Mystery of
(he Aurovia Lodge Case
This l the first of a series of highly lnter
oiiiu detective stories by irank Lmell Jiel--n.
They e3l with a wide- variety of
thrilling incidents ujid mysterious aftairs,
the clean 1 1:5 up of which. Is da? to Mr.
f :irlton t:irke and hit extraordinary powers
cf deduction nml telepathic (suggestion. He
co-operates with a newspaper man named
jciton in Mtlvlng the problems that make
i!p the dally work of a "star" riollce re
pa! ter. t course, the latter sets a buib
jrr of tlrM-chis "scoop." Each is a com
plcte story. This one is concerned with a
mystery growing out of an initiation cere
mony in a secret society lodge.
TTVKRY man who lias been a news
paper reporter and survived has
"" one case -which he gives the post
of honor in memory. This is the story
of tlic assignment I like best to re
in 'mbrr, not only because it resulted
in the solution of one of the most mys
terious cases that ever arose in Illinois,
hut rather for the reason that it
marked my first meeting: with Carlton
Clarke, a- meeting- destined to develop
Into our Joint excursions into hither
to untrodden pathways in the Btudy of
crime which have since made Clarke's
name famous in two continents.
It was in the Summer of 1896 that
the word came to the office of the Chi
cago morning paper with which" I was
then connected that the police of the
little city of Aurovia were struggling
with a case which seemed destined to
prove one of the greatest mysteries of
the day. As I had met with consider
able success in criminal cases, the man
aging editor lost no time in hustling
me off by the first train to the scene
of action.
The brief account in the first paper
I picked up, stripped of its glaring
headlines, was as follows:
Karly this morning a very mysterious
tragedy occurred in the hall of the Ancient
Order of Persian Knights, a local secret
society, which resulted in the almost in
stant death of Dr. Arthur W. "Williams, a
prominent physician of this city. The. Initi
ation of Dr. Williams was in progress at the
time. In one portion of the ceremony the
candidate, having been condemned to death
for invading the sacred domain of tho
shah, is ordered to load an old-fashioned
dueling pistol with powder and ball, which
are furnished him. He Is then placed
against the wall and the pistol '.s nred point
blank at him by a member of the lodge
holding the ofTlce of royal executioner. The
powder provided the candidate has always
been a clever counterfeit made of pulverized
anthracite coal, and the only climax to the
thrilling ceremony, heretofore, has been the
fizzle of the percussion cap and the shouts of
laughter of the lodge members. Dr. Wil
liams was an old hand at lodge work. As a
consequence, none of the efforts ox the
l'erslan Knights to trealt down his nerve or
self -possession had been successful. When
he had loaded the pistol he faced Dr. Homer
Smith, whose duty it was to tire the shot,
and gazed into his eycB without a visible
tremor. Suddenly the members of the
lodge, about 2O0 of whom were present,
were startled by a loud explosion. Dr. Wil
liams fell forward with blood gushing from
a wound in his forehead. Among the first
to reach the stricken man was Dr. Smith,
who had fired the fatal shot. He tried to
stanch the blood, but the bullet had pene
trated the brain and Dr. Williams died in
his arms without speaking. chief of Po
lice Darling, who 1b a prominent member of
the order, holding the office of royal astrolo
ger, at once thought to secure the cup from
which the powder had been poured. A few
gialns remained. Ho tasted them. It was
unmistakably black gunpowder. Xo arrests
have been made and no one seems willing
to take the responsibility of saving that the
tragedy was anything more than accident
duo to the carelessness of someone ir. get
ting the counterfeit powder mixed with the
real article.
"Oh, those country correspondents!"
T fairly groaned. There was so much
1 wanted to know. "Who had handled
t lie supposed counterfeit powder? What
was the customary source from which
the lodge procured it? What were the
lelalions of the two physicians toward
each other? I turned to the other
I-apers. One or two gave further de
tails of the character of the lodge, the
name of which was strange to me, and
something of the personality of the
principals.
The two physicians were prominent
in the professional and social life of
the city. Pr. Williams had settled in
Aurovia two years before. 'Dr. Smith
had been born and reared there. Dr.
Williams left a widow, but no children.
Dr. smith was unmarried and made
hi home with a maiden aunt.
"It all depends upon the history of
tho powder.'- I said to myself as I
i-tiiffcil tile papers into my pocket.
"You are right, sir. It all depends
upon the history of the powder."
1 turned around half i anger at this
unlooked-for interruption to my train
of thought. Whatever emotion I may
have felt was instantly lost in interest
in tile face before me. It was a face I
should have singled out amcng a thou
sand. Clean shaven, the firmly
nioldi d chin showed by its slight tinge
of blue that the beard, had it been al
lowed to grow, would have been black.
The nose was aquiline and of perfect
proportions. The intelligent eyes
were dark almost to blackness. The
complexion was swarthy, but suffused
with a glow of health. The hair was
of that distingue combination of col
ors, black, shading almost to white on
the temples and over the forehead.
An American, evidently, but inherit
ing through several generations of
New World ancestors the markings of
Southern Europe. His height I should
have estimated at six feet. Carlton
Clarke really lacks three-quarters of
an inch of the mark.
"Ycu were saying that it all depends
upon the history of the powder and I
nureed that you had estimated the case
correctly." repeated my neighbor.
"I have no recollection of saying
anvthing of the kind, although I admit
I was thinking it," I replied. "May I
ask how you denned my thoughts so
readily?"
"Oh. I noticed that you were studying
the case from the papers. It took no sec
ond sight to see that you were not sat
isfied with the information you gained.
1 am going down on the case myself and
doubtless I followed your chain of ideas
which I am sure came to the only logical
conclusion. I trust there is nothing un
canny e.bout it. But permit me to share
your scat with you. It is hard to con
verse over one of these high backs."
"Whom do you represent at Aurovia?"
1 asked, when the change had been ex
ecuted. "No one. I am unofficial and am going
solely upon my own hook."
"Then you are a sort of Sherlock
Holmes?" I ventured.
"Sherlock Holmes is an impossibility.
With all due respect to his literary pro-f'-itor,
Dr. Doyle. I have very little
respect for his methods, although I ad
mit I employ them at times. Crime Is
ivsycholoeieal and must be approached
psychologically regarding both its pre
vention and its detection. It must be
omihatted by the study of men, not by
the analysis of cigar ashes. It may be
prevented by Improving the breed of
human beings rather than that of blood
hounds. Put I tire you, perhaps?"
"No. no, go ; I beg of you."
"There is scarcely time for further
discussion, for if I am not mistaken wa
are Hearing Aurovia. By the way. you
tiinihllc.ss can procure me an lnterview
with Dr. Homer Smith in the jail, as
you have the backing of a big news
paper." ' iict Dr Smith lias not been arrested,
according to the papers. 1 had tne very
latest :itioiis.''
"He haul not when wo leil Chicaao.
MAM
BeinS the Chronicles of Garlton Glarke,
but unless I am greatly mistaken he is
now behind the bars and with a pretty
black case against him."
"You certainly have information on the
case which the newspapers have not been
able to obtain," I replied, rather nettled.
"No. I know no more about the case
than you. Perhaps I merely jump at the
conclusion as the finality of a theory
which my mild suggested. I may be
mistaken."
Further conversation was interrupted
by our arrival before the little artificial
stone building which serves for a rail
way station at Aurovia. The evident
topic of conversation on all sides was
the tragedy of the night before. I scorned
unofficial information until I had ex
hausted the official. However. I could
not resist turning to one of the groups
on the platform and asking:
"What is the latest in the Williams
case?"
"Doc. Smith gave himself up about two
hours ago," was the answer.
"So my theory was correct," murmured
my companion.
"Yes, and the mystery knocked out of
another godd story. But let's see what
the police have to say."
When we reached police headquarters
we found Chief Darling in his office and
at leisure. As we entered my companion
slipped me his card with an apology for
having omitted the formality on the
train. The name I read was "Mr. Carl
ton Clarke."
Chief Darling was willing to talk but
protested that he had no knowledge
which was not already public property
In the city. He had arrested Dr. Smith
upon his own request and after a con
ference with the state's attorney. The
most damaging evidence against liim
aside from the known details of the
tragedy, was a powerful motive. The
prisoner had every reason in the world
to be the enemy of the dead physician,
although there had never been an open
rupture and they met as friends in so
ciety and lodse work. When Dr. Wil
liams came to Aurovia Dr. Smith had
a flourishing practice. Within the two
years his practice had dwindled to prac
tically nothing, most of his wealthiest
patients having fallen under the spell
of Dr. Williams' engaging personality.
, But it was over an aiffalr of the heart
that the most serious clash in their for
tunes had occurred. Dr. Smith for years
had been "keeping company" with pretty
Quelle Burton. Everybody in the city
oetievea litem iu ue mcmy uiKtvgcu. -i nc
society sensation therefore was sprung
when the cards came out about a year
before announcing the marriage of Dr.
Williams and Lucile Burton,
"Has their married life been happy?"
asked Carlton Clarke, the first words
he had spoken during the interview.
"Well, yes, as far as anybody knows.
Dr. Williams was a hard drinker at
times what you might call a period
ical drinker but few people knew It,
as he always went home and locked
himself in the house for three or four
days and it was given out that he was
sick. But my men have taken him
home many a time just before one of
those 'sick spells.' "
"That's Just what puzzles me. He
will make no confession and yet he
wanted to be locked up. X said to him.
'Look here. Doc, you're not guilty of
this thing, are you?' and he said,
Technically I am." and not another
word can I get out of him. But I
shouldn't be surprised if he makes a
full confession at the Inquest tomor
row." "Now, Mr. Darling," continued
Clarke, "you have, of course, investi
gated fully the history of the pow
der?" "That was the first move I made,
and that's one thing that makes it look
bad for Doc. The fake stuff never left
his hands from the time it was ground
until the shot was fired. The lodge
has been getting its Imitation made at
Burpee's drugstore, where a clerk by
the name of Wilbur Paget, who 'is a j
member of the lodge, grinds it up on
the quiet as we need it. On the after, j
noon of the initiation he had made up
a quantity. Doc Smith dropped into
the store about half-past 5, and Paget
gave him the powder wrapped up in a
package. As far as I can find out jio
body but Paget and Doc handled it or
saw It."
"Have you inquired whether Dr.
Smith has purchased any gunpowder
lately?"
"Oh, it wouldn't be necessary for him
to do that. All the doctors here hunt
a good deal, and Doc Smith always has
plenty of ammunition in his house. If
he wanted to make way with Doc
Williams It would be the easiest thing
in the world for him to have changed
the powders and then said it was ac
cident. But if that's the case, I can't
understand what he wants to give him
self up for.
"Don't you suppose the clandestine
meeting he had with Mrs. Williams
this morning had something to do
with it?"
"Now, look here, who has leaked?"
angrily exclaimed Darling. "I was sure
no one knew of that but myself and
one of my men who happened to see
them together."
"You have leaked, my dear Mr.
Darling," answered Clarke. "It was a
chance cast and I'm surprised that an
old hand like you should have taken
the bait. But you may rely upon our
discretion, and I trust you will pardon
my lucky stroke and give us your full
confidence."
Clarke's good humor seemed par
tially to mollify the angry officer, but
I could see that the shot rankled.
"I guess I was pretty easy," said
Darling, "but I'll take It as a favor if
you won't say anything. Of course it
will all come out at the inquest, but I
don't know what passed between them,
and in the meantime I'm saying noth
ing about it."
"We may see Dr. Smith, I suppose?"
I asked.
"I'll see if he will receive you," an
swered the chief. ,
In a few minutes he returned with
the Information that the doctor would
grant us an audience.
When we entered his cell Dr. Smith
was seated upon the board which did
duty as a bed. He was quite my ideal
type of a typical physician.
I waited a few seconds, expecting
Clarke to take the lead in the conver
sation as he had seemed inclined to do
with the chief. He, however, seemed
to prefer the study of Dr. Smith's eyes.
The pause was becoming awkward and
so I broko it.
"I assure you, doctor." I said, "that
our duty is a painful one. but you are
aware that the newspapers tomorrow
will print all the Information which the
ingenuity of their reporters can acquire.
I believe it will be to your advantage to
give me your story and let our paper,
at least, put you before the public in the
very best light. Dogged silence on your
part will, I believe, tend to change the
popular verdict upon your admission of
technically guilty' from involuntary man
slaughter to that of wilful murder."
"I care little for the verdict of the
public. Let them call it 'wilful murder"
if they wish."
"Then that is the Inference which you
wish me to give your silence in my story
of the case?"
"Give it whatever inference you wish.
This is a matter solely between me and
the law. and I cannot see that either the
public or the newspapers have any rights
to my confidence."
) During this conversation I could see
Urn eyas oX lha doctor constantly, re-
4
verting to those of Clarke as if he found
there some irresistible fascination. Then
Clarke suddenly broke in.
"Whom are you shielding?" he cried.
"No one," fairly shouted the doctor.
"Who are you that you should come
here to catechise me?"
Clarke Ignored the question.
"Are you going to carry this farce
to the end, even though it be an igno
minious death?" he asked, quietly.
At first the doctor seemed to lose con
trol of himself and then he gathered him
self together and cried:
"Jeave this room instantly, both of
you! I have answered all the imperti
nent and frivolous questions I am going
to."
"We have all the information we shall
get here," said Clarke as he took my arm
and beckoned to the chief who had
watched the interview through the small
glass-covered aperature In the door.
I did not know whether to be angry
with. Clarke or with myself, but I felt
that one of us had blundered. Clarke,
On his part, was taciturn.
"We had better see the drug clerk who
mixed the fake powder before we inter
view the widow," was all he would
vouchsafe.
The drug clerk, Wilbur Paget, cor
roborated, all the chief had said re
garding the fake powder, but by far the
most important piece of information
which he was able to give us was that
on the afternoon he gave the package
to Dr. Smith he had also handed the
doctor a small purchase which Mrs.
Williams had ordered by telephone, ask
ing him to leave it at Dr. Williams home,
which he must pass on the way to his
own.
When we evidently had all the Infor
mation we wanted from Paget we turned
into the shady residence street in which
was situated the cozy home of the late
Dr. Williams. In. our efforts to gain an
audience with the widow, however, we
met our first serious obstacle. After
sending messages in repeatedly, we at
last got the doubtful assurance that Mrs.
Williams might possibly see us for a few
minutes about 9 o'clock the next morn
ing. It was getting along toward 6 o'clock
and I decided that I must go to the ho
tel, and get my story on the wires.
Just as I was turning off the last pages
of copy with the messenger at my elbow
to rush it to the wire Clarke entered
with a steaming cup of coffee and a gen
erous plate oi toast.
"I knew you'd missed your supper,"
he explained.
While I wa3 munching the toast and
sipping the coffee Clarke sat on the edge
of the bed idly blowing rings of smoke
from his cigarette.
"Well, Mr. Clarke, what do you think
by this time?" I ventured.
"I think that if I had told you what
I think before you wrote your story
you might have written a better, but no
one would have believed it. Which I
consider is enigmatical if not grammat
ical." "Read me the riddle, then," I said. "I
confess my brain is too blank to solve
it. What is your theory?"
"If what I have to tell you was merely
theory, I would offer no apology for it,
but as I claim It is a fact I only ask
you to reserve your Judgment and trust
to the future to corroborate me.
"Here is the "case. Dr. Smith did not
commit that murder. There was no more
surprised person in the lodgeroom when
the pistol went off. He gave himself up
for two reasons. First to shield the wo
man he loves and whom he believes to
be guilty. Second, he feels that he is
teehaiMlla KUiltx. because, bis haaii did.
THE
Criminal ysiencs.
"I WANT TO PUT THIS BOY IN EVIDENCE."
the act, and his mind has exulted over it.
This latter motive would not, however,
have been sufficient to cause him to place
his neck in jeopardy were it not coupled
with the stronger one of love. This is Dr.
Smith's entire connection with the case
morally. Circumstantially, he is more
closely connected, as I will show later.
"Wilbur Paget, the drug clerk, might
have committed the murder. He has for
several years been desperately and hope
lessly in love with Mrs. Williams, and
has cherished a secret hatred for her
husband. Thus the motive was there.
The only reason he is not guilty is that
the idea did not occur to him. This
eliminates the drug clerk."
"And now for the woman," I inter
polated. "And now for the woman. She has two
strong points against her at the start
motive and opportunity."
"MotivS perhaps, but the evidence has
not shown opportunity," I objected.
"Do not interrupt, my dear Sexton. I
will show you the opportunity later. Her
motive was a double one. She suffered in
silence the constant abuse of a drunken
husband. She loved another. Thus she
had the strongest motive which can
actuate a woman to murder, the desire
to rid herself of -a man who was ruining
her life and to be free to marry a man
she loved.
"Now for the opportunity which you
doubt. When Dr. Smith stopped at the
Williams' home to deliver the package
from the drugstore Dr. Williams was out.
Common courtesy demanded that the
wife ask Dr. Smith into the house, even
had her heart not prompted her to snatch
every moment with him that she could.
When he entered the house he handed
the one package to Mrs. Williams. It was
his excuse for calling. The other, the
powder, he laid down with his hat on
the hall tree.
"I cannot conjecture the nature of
their conversation. That is a point on
which I will be able to tell you more to
morrow. But here is one of the vital
points of the chain. Mrs. Williams knew
the nature of the ordeal which her hus
band was to go through that night. I
would stake my reputation that Dr. Smith
told her, for he is Just the type of man
who is unable to keep anything from a
woman. So we will set it down as
reasonable that Mrs. Williams knew.
".Now for the opportunity. When Dr.
Smith left the house he did not take the
powder with him. Whether it was con
nivance, intent, or merely absent-mindedness
I cannot say, but I incline toward
the latter. At any rate, the Imitation
powder was in the possession of Mrs.
Williams for some little time. She knew
its purpose. What is there to prevent
her from making the substitution? It Is
her great temptation. A moment and It
Is done. Now the man who has merited
her concentrated hatred and scorn for a
year of wedded life will pass out and
she will be free. Who will be the wiser?
Who will attribute it to anything but
accident?"
"Or to her lover?" I objected.
"That, my dear Sexton, would be. a
fatal objection were woman a reasoning
creature. It is doubtful if she thought
of that possibility."
"No, no, you are all wrong," -I ex
claimed. "I would have to lose all my
faith in womankind before I could credit
it. I would rather believe it of the
doctor."
"But I know he Is innocent. I may
be mistaken about the woman," answered
Clarke.
"But how do you know?"
"I would hesitate to tell you,"- said
Clarke, turning hia eyes lull, tuon mc.
MASTER
TcIcbaiho-DcduciiVe Solver of
BY
"were it not for the fact that I foresee
that we are destined to work together
In the future. It is only fair that you
should know something of my methods.
To insure against your skepticism of
what I am going to tell you I wish first
to give you a little demonstration of
what those who know me are pleased to
term my powers.
"In the first place you are consider
ing giving up active newspaper work
and devoting your entire time to work
that is more congenial. Since coming
to Aurovia you have fully decided to
take the step, give up your position,
withdraw from the club on Huron
street where you are living, and where
quiet work is out of the question, and
take a little flat which you have in
mind, with possibly one congenial com
panion. This will be your best plan,
my dear Sexton, and I am sure you
will make a success of the great work
which you have outlined."
I was literally stumped. Here was a
man relating to me ideas which had
formed in my brain within the time I
had been talking to him and of which
there could be no possible external
evidence.
"I am ready to believe anything," I
said. "Now, what is the. system?"
"Of course you are familiar with tel
epathy," replied Clarke, "and are suf
ficiently liberal-minded to admit the
possibility of a thing which even cold
blooded modern sicence credits."
"Then you are a mind-reader and
have aeen the workings of my brain
pictured in your own, just as you have
seen the thoughts of the chief. Dr.
Smith, and the drug clerk."
"Not exactly. I see, my dear Sexton,
that you know very little about tel
epathy. Mind reading is too strong a
term. I have met telepathists who
claimed to be developed psychically to
the extent that they could see a pic
ture of the thoughts of others. I have
seen .them perform some wonderful
feats. But telepathy, as given to me.
Is not an exact science by any means.
It merely amounts to this: When I
am listening to you, my mind is fol
lowing your words. Suddenly there
may flash across my brain an entirely
different sequence of ideas. Many per
sons experience this sensation, but fall
to recognize the thoughts which spring
into being as emanating from the ex
terior." "But you don't mean to say thac you
can secure evidence In a erise of this
kind which will be valid in a court of
law?" I asked, recurring to the mere
practical side of the question.
"Certainly not, but telepathy will in
dicate the lines on which to search for
more tangible evidence. When my sys
tem is developed -in its entirety crime
will become an impossibility, because
detection will become an actual science.
You remember Blackstone's rule that
not the severity but the certainty of
the punishment is a deterrent of
crime."
"Then it is your belief that our in
terview with Mrs. Williams tomorrow
will disclose her guilt?"
"If she is guilty I have no doubt I
shall be able to find It out"
"But how will you substantiate her
guilt in a manner acceptable to a
Jury?"
"Esther by causing her to break
through her self-possession and make
a full confession, or, failing in this, by
gaining some indication of where to
look for material evidence. Now, for
fear that you may still entertain some
liflgerilis; skejpticism. of my. poor pow
FRANK LOVELL NELSON.
ers, I want to tell you what you have
been thinking within the last few min- I
utes. You have been thinking: "I be
lieve this man would make a good
working companion for me. I wonder
if he is so situated that he can share
that little flat on Oak street. I wish
I dared ask him.' I will spare you the
embarrassment of acknowledging that
I am right, my dear Sexton, and will
say that I am alone in the world, with
out ties of any. kind, and doubtless
when we return to Chicago we can ar
range to Join interests."
In the midst of my astonishment
and the "good nights" Clarke slipped
away to his room.
After breakfasting the next morning
Clarke and I set out to fulfill our ten
tative appointment with Mrs. Williams.
The streets were already crowded, and
I marked several rivals from other
papers. They gave me pitying glances
when they saw me leaving the square.
The Coroner was expected momentarily,
and they thought I was going to miss
the inquest.
When we reached the Williams cot
tage we were ushered into the parlor
and the maid assured us that Mrs.
Williams would be down in a few min
utes. "You lead In the conversation. Sexton.
I want a chance to study her," said
Clarke. "Question her Just as if every
thing I told you last night was fact
and as if you knew all about the doctor's
stop here and the meeting yesterday
morning"
"You must come to my rescue if you
see me getting into deep water."
He nodded, and further talk was inter
rupted by the entrance of the widow.
She was a petite little body, with a face
pretty, yet full of character, framed in
a mass of dark hair, defiant of pins and
fastenings. Caste was written in the
finely arched eyebrows, the well-formed
nose and the firmly modeled chin. She
was of the type which loves much, but
suffers in silence. Women of her class
do not turn to murder to. escape trouble.
"Mrs. Williams," I began, rather lame
ly, after her acceptance of our apologies,
"I will spare you, as far as possible, all
reference to the terrible tragedy, but I
would like to ask you a few questions
relating to the events of the afternoon
previous to it. In the first place, I un
derstand that Dr. Smith stopped here on
his way home to eupper."
"Dr. Smith stopped to leave a package
which I had ordered by phone from the
drugstore."
"And I understand that he came Into
the house and sat a few minutes, leaving
his hat and another package which he
carried, in the hall."
Mrs. Willliams started, grew a shade
paler, but quickly recovered her com
posure and nodded in acquiescence.
"And when Dr. Smith left," I con
tinued, "I understand that he neglected
to take his package with him."
Again she started, bit her Hps, but
nodded an affirmative.
"How long did the package remai
here after Dr. Smith left?"
"About half an hour."
"Did he call for it in person?"
"No, he sent a boy who works around
his stable."
"Are you aware of the contents of that
package ?"
"I am," and there was a little choking
catch in her voice as she said it.
"Now, Mrs Williams, I want to remind
you that neither Mr. Clarke nor myself
Is an officer of the law and thus we have
no right to ask you to make any state
ment which will tend to Incriminate any
one; but I wish to ask one more ques
tion, which I leave to your discretion
whether or not to answer. Were you
aware of the contents of that package
during the time it was in your posses
sion?" "I was. Dr. Smith had told me of the
work of the lodge, and when he laid
down his hat and the package he re
marked: 'There is the fake powder for
your husband tonight.' "
I could not but admire her courage as
she made this statement, certainly a
damaging one if brought before a jury.
I cast a furtive glance of appeal at
Clarke.
"Mrs. Williams," he began in his
whirlwind fashion, "I will ask you what
passed between yourself and Dr. Smith
at the early morning meeting you had
with him yesterday. Walt a minute. Is
it not a fact that Dr. Smith called you
to the back door before the neighbors
were up and while the watchers were all
in the front part of the house with the
body, and cohfessed to you that he had
executed the fatal change in the pow
ders?" "Did Dr. Smith tell you that?" she
asked in a tense voice, while she con
vulsively clasped and unclasped hei
hands.
"Dr. Smith has told me nothing. It
is a fact, is it not?"
"Yes."
"But despite his confession to you ant
the fact that he gave himself up to the
police, you believe him to be innocent?"
"O, sir, I more than believe. I know
he is innocent."
"How do you know it?" snapped Clarke,
with his eyes riveted upon the frail bit
of femininity before hitn. 1 -
"I know it because because I changed
the powders."
I couM scarcely believe my senses. I
glanced at Clarke expecting a furtive look
of triumph. Instead he seemed com
pletely nonplussed and sat looking into
Mrs. Williams' terrified eyes as if his'
whole soul was seeking to drag forth
her secret. When he finally broke the
spell his voice took on a tone of deepest
earnestness.
"Mrs. Williams, why do you, who are
not of a caste given to falsehood,, de
liberately tell me what I know to be un
true? Dr. Smith would not ask this sac
rifice at your hands. He is innocent,
and his innocence alone will save him."
She arose and grasped the back of her
chair for support. She seemed about to
fall, but she gathered all the energy of
a mighty spirit in a frail body, and cried
appealingly :
"O, I will save him! You shall not
prevent me! Even though he be guilty I
will save him. Mine was the first guilt.
Prove that he is innocent, and I will
thank you with my whole lire. If you
cannot, do not stand in my way, for I
am the guilty one and on my head alone
should the punishment fall. You have
dragged out my secret and made me lay
my heart open before you who are
strangers. Do not betray me but let me
work this problem out in my own way,
I beg of you, gentlemen."
"You may rely on our discretion, Mrs.
Williams." said Clarke, as he took the
cold hand of the woman to help her to
her chair. "But I hope that there will
be some other way out of it, and that no
sacrifice will be necessary."
Just then the telephone bell rang vio
lently. . "Answer it, If you please, Mr. Sex
ton." said the woman, who seemed too
weak to rise.
I went to the telephone.
. "Coroner has arrived. Inquest Is be
ginning. Mrs. Williams wanted at once
at the Courthouse."
I turned and gave the message ver
- batim.
With a i hurried promise to keep our
counsel, let Mrs. Williams take her own
course, but to do all in our power to
aid her, Clarke and I left the house.
"What do you think of it, Clarke?" I
1 asked. ,
AMND
"I don't know what to think. They're
both innocent. She told the truth. You
noticed how I led her -Into it. She has
a remarkable psychic mind, and I knew
the storm was coming before it broke."
"She is innocent, but I have my doubts
about the doctor. He confessed his guilt
to her. He wouldn't have done that if
he were innocent."
"He would be more likely to If he
were innocent than if he were guilty.
He thought he was saving her from
confessing to him. Each believes the
other guilty. I'll be hanged if I be
lieve either of them Is. See here, you
go back to town and keep an eye on
the inquest. Do all in your power to
keep Mrs. Williams from making a
confession. I have an intuition which
leads me in the direction of Dr. Smith's
barn."
When I reached the courthouse the
.proceedings already had commenced.
I was in plenty of time, however, as
much time was being wasted with the
history of the lodge, and the evidence
of about 20 of those who were present
at the time of the tragedy, each of
whom told exactly the same story. I
slipped Into a vacant seat inside the
bar and directly behind Mrs. Williams,
who was flanked by two "Job's com
forters" in the persons of elderly fe
male friends. When I had the chance
I whispered to her: "Do not make
any confession "until Mr. Clarke comes.
He is on the trail of new evidence."
The first evidence of real importance
was that of the drug clerk, who swore
to the facts he had told . Clarke and
myself. Chief Darling's policeman
swore to the early morning meeting
and the effect seemed to be to turn the
tide of sentiment dcidedly against Dr.
Smith, who was preserving his com
posure admirably during the trying or
deal. Finally Mrs. Williams was called to
the stand. There was a buzz of ex
citement and then a hush as-the little
woman took the oath. The Coroner, in
questioning her. showed an absolute
lack of sympathy, although In no point
did he exceed his legal rights.
."Now, Mrs. Williams," continued the
Coroner, after a few formal questions,
"I want you to tell the jury what
'passed between you and . Dr. Smith
when you met early yesterday morn
ing." "Dr. Smith simply came to ask me
if there was any assistance he could
render in my trouble. I expected no
less of one I have known since child
hood." Doubtless she told the truth, but I
trust the recording angel overlooked
the fact that it was not the whole
truth.
"Why did he come to the back door?"
asked the Coroner.
"After' his close connection with my
husband's death I suppose he wished
to avoid publicity."
"Did Dr. Smith offier you any ex
planation as to the cause of the trag
edy?" Mrs. Williams hesitated and looked
anDealinelv at me.
I endeavored to instill strength into
her wavering courage with all the
power of my eyes, but the poor, har
assed little woman was unequal to the
strain of the ordeal. And perhaps to
her mind it seemed that she was be
ing led on to give incriminating evi
dence against the man site loved.
With a pathetic out-throwing of her
hands toward her inquisitor she rose
to her feet. "No! No!" she cried in
a pitifully shrill voice. "He had no
explanation to offer. I alone know
who killed Dr. Williams. It was I
who "
"Stop!" commanded a voice in the
back of the hall.
The sudden interruption broke the
tension under which everyone was la
boring, and all eyes were directed to
discover its source. I turned with the
crowd and saw Clarke forcing his way
up the aisle half dragging a frowsled,
freckled, tow-headed lad of about 13,
whose violent sobbing became the only
sound in the room as he was led to
the Coroner's desk.
"Mr. Coroner," said Clarke, reach
ing the railing with his prisoner, "I
wish to put this boy in evidence be
fore Mrs. Williams finishes her testi
mony. Here is the instrument of Dr.
Williams' death."
Everybody in the hall was on his
feet, and there was a great craning of
necks to see Clarke's captive.
"Mrs. Williams is excused for the
present. You will be sworn, Mr. "
"Carlton Clarke," answered my com
panion, taking the oath.
"Now," said Clarke, "this boy Is In
no condition of mind to be examined.
but when he sees that he has not com
mitted a crime and that no harm will
come to him, he will corroborate what
I have to say. I found him in the far
thest corner of Dr. Smith's hayloft,'
praying for dear life. He is the boy that
Dr. Smith sent after the package of ImP
tation powder which he had left at Mrs.
Williams' house when he called there
the afternoon previous to the tragedy
to deliver another package at the re
quest of the drug clerk, Paget. This boy
intended going rabbit hunting the next
day and on his way to Mrs. Williams' he
stopped at Toby's gun store and bought
a nickel's worth of gunpowder. This he
slipped into his left pocket. When Mrs.
Williams gave him the package Dr.
Smith had left, he put it in his right
pocket. Being an absent-minded youth,,
he had forgotten all about his errand
when he returned to pr. Smith's house.
The doctor asked him suddenly for the
package and being left-handed, as may
be proved, he reached for his left pocket.
The next morning when he heard of Dr.
Williams' death and found what he had
done, he hid the other package in the
hay, where I found it. He has been in
a condition of absolute terror and in
hiding in the hay ever since. Isn't that
so, Timothy Dolan?"
"Y-ty-yes, thir," sobbed the boy.
Then the court room broke into cheers,
and whatever formalities the court took
to free Dr. Smith were lost in the excite
ment. As Clarke and I watched the spires of
Aurovia fading In the distance that even
ing. I could not help wondering If Dr.
Smith greatly regretted the mistake of
his freckled .stable boy.
More than a year after the events re
corded In the foregoing narrative
Clarke and I were idling in our rooms
one morning when the mall brought a
square envelope addressed to Clarke.
"Here," he said, as he tossed the card
over to me. "This will recall to your
mind the mystery of the famous Aurovia
Lodge case."
It was an announcement of the mar
riage of Mrs. Lucile Williams to Dr.
Homer Smith.
(The second of the series of adventures
of Carlton Clarke, entitled "The Mystery
of the Trust Builder," a complete story,
will appear next week.)
(Copyright, 1908. by W. G. Chapman. Copy
right In Great Britain.)
A Phantasy.
Phyllis stood like a sweet Naiad
Down by the stream, on verdant sod,
Holding a slender bamboo rod.
Her shriek then rent the ambient air-
A catfish big had left its lafr
Xa ohase the rat tucked in her hair.
Harper's Weeklx.