Part 46 (1/2)

Mr. Barnes was sitting in his office, looking listlessly over his morning paper, when his eye suddenly met a headline announcing the death of Madame Medjora. Instantly his interest was aroused, and he read the account with avidity until he reached the statement that the disease of which Madame had died was diphtheria. Then he put his paper down upon his desk, slapped his hand upon it by way of emphasis, and e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed:

”Foul play, or my name is not Barnes!”

He remained still for a few moments, thinking deeply. Then he resumed his reading. When he had reached the end, he started up, gave a few hurried instructions to his a.s.sistant, and went out. He visited the Academy of Medicine and obtained permission to enter the library, where he occupied himself for a full hour, making a few memoranda from various books. Next he proceeded in the direction of Villa Medjora, and arriving there he asked to see Leon Grath.

Leon entered the reception-room in some surprise, and seeing Mr.

Barnes he asked:

”Is your errand of importance? We have death in the house.”

”It is in connection with the death of Madame Medjora that I have called to see you, Mr. Grath. I am a detective!”

The effect of this announcement was electrical. Leon turned deathly pale, and dropped into a seat, staring speechless at his visitor. Mr.

Barnes also chose to remain silent, until at last Leon stammered forth:

”Why do you wish to see me?”

”Because I believe that you can throw some light upon this mysterious subject.”

”Mysterious subject? Where is the mystery? The cause of Madame's death is clearly known!”

”You mean that she died of diphtheria. Yes, that is a fact. But how did she contract that disease? Is that clearly known? Can you throw any light upon that phase of the question?”

Leon controlled his agitation with great difficulty. He had thought, when urged on by that terrible temptation which he had resisted, that a death such as this would arouse no suspicion. Yet here, while the corpse was yet in the house, a detective was asking most horribly suggestive questions. Questions which had haunted him by day and by night, ever since that visit to the laboratory.

”I am not a physician,” at length he murmured. ”I am merely a student.”

”Exactly! You are a student in the laboratory of Dr. Medjora. You can supply the information which I seek. Do you know whether, three days ago, there was a culture of the bacillus of diphtheria in the Doctor's laboratory?”

”Why do you ask? What do you suspect?”

Leon was utterly unnerved, and stammered in his utterance. He made a tremendous effort, in his endeavor to prevent his teeth from chattering, and barely succeeded. Indeed, his manner was so perturbed that for an instant Mr. Barnes suspected that he was guilty of some connection with Madame's death. A second later he guessed the truth, that Leon's suspicion's were identical with his own.

”What I think,” said Mr. Barnes, ”is not to the point. My question is a simple one. Will you reply to it?”

”Well, yes! We did have such a culture tube in the laboratory.”

”Did have,” said the shrewd detective, quickly. ”Then it is not there now. Where is it?”

”I do not know. I think the Doctor took it away. Of course he used it in some harmless experiment, or--or--or--or for making slides for the microscope.”

”You mean that you surmise this. All you know is that Doctor Medjora took the tube out of the laboratory. Am I not right? Now when did that occur? You saw him take it, did you not?”

Leon stared helplessly at his tormentor for a moment, great beads of perspiration standing on his brow. Then starting to his feet he exclaimed:

”I will not answer your questions! I have said too much! You shall not make me talk any more,” and with a mad rush he darted from the room, and disappeared upstairs.

Mr. Barnes made no effort to arrest his flight. Indeed he sympathized with the lad, well comprehending the mental torture from which he suffered. He pondered over the situation awhile, and finally appeared to have decided upon a plan of action. He took a card from his case, and wrote upon it these words:

”Mr. Barnes, detective, would like to see Dr. Medjora, concerning the coincidence of the death of his two wives.