The Argosy, June 1904 — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

BY THE ENEMY’S WILL. wood. With the additional weight of the skylight it would be far too “heavy for any one ordinary man to lift it. Two protruding nails—projecting from freshly splintered wood—drew my at- tention to what had happened. These two nails hadn’t gone home into their own old holes when the frame and light were pressed back.” “* [—see.” Kane’s eyes were wide open—as well as his ears. His admiration of the de- tective’s methods made lim slow of speech. “'That showed me something else. Though I am bound to admit it is a conclusion that might be reached by more than one route.” “What?” “The time when the body was car- ried in here through the skvbeht.” “Time! You don’t surely mean to tell me you hare found that out, too?” “In a measure—yes. It was dark.” “Why, this beats—do you mean to —any way, Mr. Ward, nothing seems dark to you. But how can you possibly know that?” “ Because, whoever did come here with the body was a very careful per- son; one anxious to cover up his move- ments. Could he have seen, he would not have been likely to leave those pro- jecting nails to give his work away. It would have been so easv—had there been light—to have put them back in their proper position.” We looked up at the skylight. Its solidity made Kane, shaking his head, say: Tt must have been a strong man, in- deed!” “ Yes.’ Then suddenly turning round to me, Ward said, in what I took to be a voice full of significant meaning: “To judge from your present phy- sique, vou must at some time have gone in extensively for athletics. Didn’t vou?” Tear got hold of me. Was he going to accuse me of having carried the body on to the roof? Could this man vith the human mask, who was so full of observation and deduction, have found that out, too? I liter rally shook In my shoes, PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG COMICOOO® 549 My blood seemed to run cold, and | was filled with dread. CHAPTER XXXI. THE POCKETS OF THE COAT. Ir was true; I had gone in extensively for athletics as a youngster—and later. Indeed, had always been an advocate of physical culture and an acinirer of feats requiring an exhibition of its results. That may serve as an excuse, if one be needed, for my having been drawn to Zairbent. Whether I betrayed any of the feel- ings Which Watson Ward had excited in me by his question I do not know. It would have been impossible to read on that screen of a face of his any out- ward sign of observance of my fear. Quite cheerily he said: “Well, we have got through your rooms; quite finished with them. Now Jet us go over to your friend’s cham- bers.” There was nothing for it but for me to Jead the way. I did so, full of an in- describable dread. We came out of the one building and entered the other. Ascending the fhghts of stairs, I opened the doors of my suite one aftcr the other. When I had done so, I stood there in the hall-way, waiting for my visitors to enter and pass on. “Watson Ward said to me: “LT am a collector of curiositics—a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles.” oe Yes: ) 92 “'Those two keys, joined by he picce of string, are the ones the dead woman handled, aren’t they? Do you mind my taking possession of them?” How could I object? I said as much, and he put them in his pocket. It never for a moment occurred to me that he would now have the run of my chambers. We all entered; the door was closed. “We were successful with one light,” said the detective genially. “ As Mr. JXane might remark: it Iet in day- light. Now let us see what there is en- lightening about yours.” He desired to sce the bed-room; I at ence Jed the way to it. sky- ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED