The Doctor's Stratagem.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 170, 18 July 1907, Page 6

The Doctor's Stratagem.

By NICHOLAS CARTER

AuthoK-of-" The Silent Partner," " Under Cover of the Law," "Sealed Qrien? " Caugkt-in a Web," " The Price of a Sonet," etc

CHAPTER Xl.—(Continued.) "A truce to threats, Detective Carter," he said, somewhat scornfully. ' - I shoul<l not fear death in any form, sir, if justice required my; life. I shall, in so far as I am able, attempt to explain, to your entire satisfaction any circumstances that appear to incrimina.te mc. I will, if possible, answer any question you may ask. What have .you to say to mc?" ''You told mc this morning, Doctor I>ecraw," began Nick, ''that you never heard of an Italian named Sanetta Derosa, nor of two others, whoae names I mentioned. Was that the truth?" For the bare fraction of a second Le■craw hesitated, then answered firmly: "Yes." "Yet you know that those men have been shadowing this house?" "That is true." ''Do you know, _vith what object?" "That ia their business, not mine. I cannot explain it." t "Cannot, Doctor Leeraw, or will not 2" inquired Nick sternly. "I can not, sir." "I will go a step farther, which may enlighten you," continued Uick. "The Italians mentioned, Doctor Leeraw, in some way learned when and where Etta Sheldon was to be buried. They followed the corpse to Boston, or thought they did, and on the night after the supposed burial they visited the cemetery with a design to steal the body. Doctor Lecraw, they opened the grave and found it—empty." '"Naturally," said Lecraw, apparently unmoved. "The body did not go to Boston, hence the grave must have been empty." "Do you know what motive actuated these Italians?" "I do not." '■Nor why they wanted Etta Sheldon's corpse ?" "I cannot say," insisted the physician. "As I remarked before, Deteotive Carter, that was their business, not mine. Since you have in some wav learned so much about them, you should have done more. You should have compelled them to state their motive.' , '•I'll compel them to state it, all right, providing I again locate them," Kick forcibly, retorted. "Ah. then you have lost track of them?' 3 "Yes. Can you tell mc where I may 2nd them?" "I am as ignorant of their whereabouts as you." ''And of the men themselves?" "Yes, sir." "Then 1 will drop them for the present, Doctor Lecraw, and come nearer home," Kick announced. "Very well, sir." Still that Same even voice, those same drooping brows, the samp steady, intense gleam of the eyes beneath them, and the same firm line of the thin grey lips. By no other sign could one have told that Doctor Lecraw was inwardly disturbed, thai his brain was in a riot, that he was making a fight as if for life itself, and bent upon maintaining his present attitude, let the cost be what it mi^ht.

These were slight tokens, indeed, of so terrible a strain and stress of feeling, and his aspect and bearing; were eminently worthy of one who had cautioned Maria Marvin as he had done that morcine;.

Yet Kick Carter was not blind to these signs, slight though they were; and with a design previously formed Iho was working up by degrees to the J charges and disclosures which, he felt ■ sure, moid cause the physician to weak"Doctor Lecraw." he resumed, "you arranged for a grave in Bostoa for Etta Sheldon." 'That is very true," bowed the physician. "Who made the arrangements ?" "My butler, Paul Damon." '■'Did he go to Boston?" "Yes." '"I was told that Etta Sheldan was to be buried in the lot of a friend iii that city." '"That was the original intention, Detective Carter, but Damon learned that the friend had gone abroad, so he took it upon himself to make other arrangei ments." "Is that true. Doctor Lecraw?" ; "Yes." "Then why was his order for the grave countermanded?" Nick sternly inquired. "I have learned from the cemetery authorities that a notice was received, stating that the grave would not be required." Again that shadow of a smile stole about the physician's lips. "You are a pnnce of investigators, Detective Carter," he coolly said. "The explanation of this matter, however, is very simple." "State it." nodded Nick. '"Upon learning from Damon that he had arranged for a grave other than the one desired," replied Lecraw, "I changed my mind in regard to a burial, and decided to have the body cremated. I at once telephoned Damon to that effect, and instructed him to arrange at Mount Auburn for the cremation of the body immediately after its arrival in Boston." "Did you so inform Harvey Dane?" "I did not." "Why not r" '"1 feit that he might object to the cremation, and I deferred teiiing him of my intention until we should roach Boston," Doctor Lecraw coolly explained. ''If you wish to verify these statements, Detective Carter, you need only question the authorities at Mount An- ] burn cemetery. They doubtless will inform you that the arrangements were made precisely as I have stated." Nick realised that such an assertion would not have been made unless it would stand investigation, and a deep frown appeared on the face of the de tective.

Kick began to feel that the ground was slipping from under him. so to speak; that he was up against a man who, despite all the circumstantial evidence, had so carefully and cleverly paved the way to the execution of his designs, that suspicions could be avertand his exposure prevented. "You said that I was a prince of investigators, Doctor Lecraw," was kick's reply, with an uglier ring in his voice. "In return, I will say, sir. that you are a prince of evaders." "I have evaded nothins," declared Lecraw, now flushing slightly. "You have not told mc the truth." •\ou are wrong Detective Carter." 'Have you done so?" "I not only have, but will." "Let's see whether you will or not " cried Nick, now with threatening severity. 'Tell mc what use you had for the duck bags yjau recently made in your laboratory! Tell mc why you filled them with sand and substituted them for the body of Etta Sheldon! Tell mc why. at the time of the railway wreck, you hurried from your car, located the broken casket, and then and there slit opeu the bags and scattered their contents over the road-bed! Tell mc why you did these things Doctor Lecraw!" The last vestige of colour had left the physician's face, yet his fixed eyes, now glowing like coals of tire, lent an abnormal and terrible expression to his hueless countenance. "Answer mc!" commanded 2Suck. with augmented vehemence. "Speak, Doctor Lecraw, before you can frame up lies to fit my question*. Answer mc, I say, or I shall at once place you under arrest." "Under arrest!" As he echoed the words, scarce above a whisper.. Doctor Lecraw rose from hie chair. Though his face was ghastly, his every movement was made with the utmost firmness and deliberation. He turned towards the rear parlour, repeating in tones that wore doubly ominous because of their quietude. "Under arrest? Under arrest, Detective. Carter?" With the last, and with a single violent jerk with each hand, he threw the heavy portieres entirely across the rod sustaining them. Kick Curter started involuntarily at the sight that met his gaze. The broad door between the two rooms was open. Just over the threshold, looking grim lind determined in the semi-darkness, stood the three male servants employed at Kangcley—each with a revolver, levelled point blank at the detective's he?.d. "Under arrest, did you say?" cried Doctor Lecraw. 'It is to be done here and ]iow?" Kick never had heard a voice with such a ring in it as that of the physician then had. The sinister light in LecraVs frowning eyes was never more intense than at that fateful moment. (To be continues flaiiy.)