THE DARK STRANGER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 154, 2 July 1896, Page 6

THE DARK STRANGER.

BY JOSN B. MUSIOK.

Author of ' The Columbian Historical Novela,' ' Mysterious Mr Howard,' obc, otc.

CHAPTER VIII. MB HO WELLS AND HALLIE. Tax inquest was over, the verdict returned, and a warranb waß issued for bbc arrest of Claude Morben before any one th-ugbb of the -only man in .New York who i.id ever shared bhe full confidence of bbc murdered man. That) man waa Mr John W. Howells, the legal adviser of bhe dead merchant. The District Attorney, the inspectors and chief of police wore all so busy investigating bhe crime bhab bhey had nob bad time to give Mr Howells a single though.. Perhaps bhey would nob have thought of him ab all-had he. not, uninvited and unexpectedly, pub in an appearance. Mr Howells waa very ball, his face bad aboub ibßomebbing thabsbruck the beholder. Hia eyes, a deep, clear grey, were piercing and keen, and sunk far in bis bead. The aervanb who opened bhe door for him started a little ab sight of one who bad Always inspired him wibh awe. • Why did you nob notify mo when this happened ?' he asked, entering and ignoring tbe policeman left on duty ab tbe door. •Beg pardon, Mr Howells, but wo were ao upset by ib thab we didn'b knew what bo do,' stammered bbc servant). ' You have made a mesa of ib,' he declared, in his deep voice. The District Attorney and bwo officers from the cenbral sbation were in tbe sbudy engaged in a very earnest consulbation when tbe lawyer, tall and stately, sbalked into the apartmeoo. The Die trie- Attorney arose and said : 'Is bhis Mr Howells?' • Yes, sir. You should have senb for me aooner.' ] • We bad nob bhoughb of you.' ' And I bis legal and confidential adviser ! Who should have been here if not I V

Tbo District Attorney grew very red in the face and said something about its being B case of the people- • The people can beat be served by acting in a straight/forward manner,' tho lawyer returned, and. without awaiting any invitation, he seated himself on the sofa. For several moments an embarrassing silence followed. The District Attorney was dumb in the presence of this man. Mr Howells, firsb to break the eilonco, asked : 'Have you discovered wbo did the deed ?' 'Yes.' •Who?' 'Claude Morton.' ' His nephew V • Yes.' The lawyer shook his bead. 'Don't you think him guilty?' asked the officer. •No.'

' Than who could be the criminal ?'

Shaking his head, the lawyer answered

• It's the wrong way to theorize by bhe rtductio ad absurduvi principle in murder cases.'

• Well, eir, whab is your theory of thia case?'

l- 1 have none tbab I care to abate. at present. Was there any evidence of robbery V •No. Nothing whatever had r been diefeurbod. Ilia purse waa in his pocket. The young rascal did ib out of revenue on account; of a girl. He came in this room, Stabbed the old man, threw bhe knife out of the window and raised the cry of murder.' Again the old man shook his head in an incredulous manner.

• You bave searched tbs bouaa well V bo Mked. •Yea.' ' Then leave me alone for a while in this eparbment. I waa his legal adviser and trusted friend, and his only confidant, so I am entitled .to that privilege.'

' It'a a v«ry odd request.' ' It's a very reasonable one, and yon must grant ib.' The tall lawyer had a way of impressing people, and the District Atborney and inspectors left the study and repaired to another apartmonb for further conference. Loft alone, Mr Hovvollb closed and locked the door, dosed the blinds and leb down the curtains. He waa alone bub a few CQomenta when he came out and asked for the kaya to tho dead man's private secretary.

One of the inspectors, who had the keys, •aid:

* It's no use to examine ib. I have examined it, and there-is nothing amiss.' ' How could you possibly know whether there was anything amiss or not, when you do nob know what was in the secretary V

The fellow gave him the keys, and ha went back to the room and locked himself Id. W'hab he did, no one ever knew. Hour after hoar passed: The detective, with an ear at the keyhole, could sometimes hear him moving about), but kuevr not what) he was doing. He tried to peep through the keyhole, but the shrewd old lawyer had anticipated such an attempt, and nob only lofc the key in the keyhole but had thrown a handkerchief over the door-knob. To see through was übfcorly impossible. No word was uttered by the man within. He never indulged in the dangerous practice of thinking aloud. Mr Howells was more cautious and close-mouthed than any of the detectives. Onca the eavesdropper thought he heard rustling of papers. At the end of two hours he emerged from the study, his face very grave and his brow gathered into a mats of wrinkles. The Districb Attorney tried to stop him in the hallway, but he put out hia hand and the official stepped aside. ' Did you discover- anything new ?' the District Attorney asked. ♦No, sir, nothing.'

Ib was late in the evening and the great chandelier in the hall had already been lighted when he left) the study where the merchant had been found dead. Mr Howelis was walking toward the door when there came n quick, violent ring at the bell. The policeman who had been placed on duty opened ib, and the next moment Mr Ambrose Fletcher, with a badly bruised eye, sDrang into cbe hall. ' 1 have seen him !' he cried. • Whom ?' asked the police officer. •Claude Morton.'

• Where is he ?'

•He ia ob the house of the Widow TVeafcbergate, bbc aunt of Hallie Tyler, to whom he was engaged. I was there talkin? with Miss Tyler, who had juafi shown me a letter from Claude Morton, in which be bad threatened to kill his uncle if she did not grant him an interview. The letter would hare hung him,'

'Where h the letter?' asked the attorney. • Juafa as I {rob bold of ib, some one leaped into fcbe room and struck me a blow that sent; rue senaeleea to the floor.' ' Did you see the person who struck yon ?' ' No, bud I am certain it was Claude Mortoo.' • Bub the letter—the letter? • When I regained tny senses the letter was pone and the man who Btruck me was gone also.' • How long since this happened ? 'AH within the lasb half hour.' • Then perhaps he is at the widow's house yet? 1

'No. no; it's no uao to search for him there. Ho ia gone.' The attorney turned to bhe police officer and said:

• Reporb this bo the central station ab once, and set enough men on his trail to capture him. He ia in New York City. Let us catch him like a rat in a trap.'

Mr Howells, withoub a word, lefb the house, and, going bo bis carriage, gave tho driver bho number of bhe Widow Weathergate's house and told him bo drive there at once. Leaping into the carriage, the door waa closed wibh a bang, and away the carriage rattled over the atony street afc a rate of speed bhat caused some of tho nighb patrolmen bo ebare after it iv amazement. Arriving ab bhe widow's house, Mr Howells alighfced and rang tha boll. The whpla house was in a state of confusion. Hallie bad jusb recovered, and he found her the moab sensible person of the lob. •You are M'«i. Tyler, are you nob? he asked, appreuoaing bhe young lady, who was standing in the parlour door. 'I am John W. Howells. abfcorney-ab-law,' he added. • I would like to speak a word wibh Miss Tylor iv private.' 'JSlo, you won'b,' interposed Mrs Weabhergate. ' Hallie has had one privabe interview, and bhab is quite enough. You can , jusb burn aboub and leave bhe house.' The ball gaunt lawyer fixed his eyes on ■ the woman in a stare which caused her bo shrink from him, exclaiming : | ' He haa tho look of a devil!' • You were Mr lloberb Morton's counsel, were you nob '!' asked Hallie. • Yes.' •Then I want ba talk wibh you. Aunb, please leave us alone tor a few momenbß.' 'Oh course, if you say so," snapped Mrs Weathergate. ' Bub ib seems bo me tbab we bave had scenes enough in this bauso for one nighb.' When bhey were alone in bhe parlour, and bbc door closed, Mr Howellß said : •I saw Fletcher, and he had a bad looking eye. He said some one knocked him down, and be is of bhe opinion bhab ib was Claude Morton. They will probably come here scon to hunb for him, and while it is oob necessary for Claude to leavo the counbry, for prudential reaßons, ho ought to avoid arrest, if he can, for the present, especially as he has sbarted in to do so. If you are in communication wibh him you may convey my advice to him.' ' I do nob know where ho is,' sho brubhfully answered. The lawyer looked very grave. His H-oical features were unmoved by any emobion, and the closest obserror could nob have told whab was passing within. His manner was always bhe same. After a moment'B silence, be added : • If he ia gone, perhaps ib is well, for tho present ab leasb. As he is the only heir of my client, ib is my duty to look after hia personal interests. If he wishes to communicate wibh mo, I suppose he will do so.' Then bhe lawyer rose to depart ' One word before you go,' said Hallie, laying her hand on his arm. ' You, as legal counsellor of Mr Morton, ought to know something of this case. Do you think Claude guilty of tba terrible offence ?' 1 No,' was the unbesibabing response. ■ «Whab will bhey de with him if he should be captured at present) ?' 'Probably hang him,' and Mr Howells lefb the house and entered bis carriage and was driven home. {To!he Continued,)