e
went back for it.'

"_Q._ 'You didn't see Radnor Gaylord after he left the cave?'

"_A._ 'No, I didn't see him after we left the gallery of the broken
column. The guide struck off a calcium light to show us the formation of
the ceiling. We spent about five minutes examining the room, and after
that we all went on in a group. Radnor had not waited to see the room,
but had gone on ahead in the direction of the entrance.'"

So much for Polly's testimony--which added nothing.

Solomon, frightened almost out of his wits, was called on next, and his
testimony brought out the matter of the quarrel between Colonel Gaylord
and Radnor. Solomon told of finding the French clock, and a great many
things besides which I am sure he made up. I wished to have his
testimony ruled out, but the coroner seemed to feel that it was
suggestive--as it undoubtedly was--and he allowed it to remain.

Radnor himself was next called to the stand. As he took his place a
murmur of excitement swept over the room and there was a general
straining forward. He was composed and quiet, and very very sober--every
bit of animation had left his face.

The coroner commenced immediately with the subject of the quarrel with
his father on the night before the murder, and Radnor answered all the
questions frankly and openly. He made no attempt to gloss over any of
the details. What put the matter in a peculiarly bad light, was the fact
that the cause of the quarrel had been over a question of money. Rad had
requested his father to settle a definite amount on him so that he would
be independent in the future, and his father had refused. They had lost
their tempers and had gone further than usual; in telling the story
Radnor openly took the blame upon himself where, in several instances,
I strongly suspected that it should have been laid at the door of the
Colonel. But in spite of the fact that the story revealed a pitiable
state of affairs as between father and son, his frankness in assuming
the responsibility won for him more sympathy than had been shown since
the murder.

"How did the clock get broken?" the coroner asked.

"My father knocked it off the mantelpiece onto the floor."

"He did not throw it at you as Solomon surmised?"

Radnor raised his head with a glint of anger.

"It fell on the floor and broke."

"Have you often had quarrels with your father?"

"Occasionally. He had a quick temper and always wished his own way, and
I was not so pa