kill mother! You know how I got the hurt. Tell them, and save
me, Archy; save me!"

Stillman worked his way to the front, and said,

"Yes, I'll save you. Don't be afraid." Then he said to the house, "Never
mind how he got the hurt; it hasn't anything to do with this case, and
isn't of any consequence."

"God bless you, Archy, for a true friend!"

"Hurrah for Archy! Go in, boy, and play 'em a knock-down flush to their
two pair 'n' a jack!" shouted the house, pride in their home talent and
a patriotic sentiment of loyalty to it rising suddenly in the public
heart and changing the whole attitude of the situation.

Young Stillman waited for the noise to cease; then he said,

"I will ask Tom Jeffries to stand by that door yonder, and Constable
Harris to stand by the other one here, and not let anybody leave the
room.

"Said and done. Go on, old man!"

"The criminal is present, I believe. I will show him to you before
long, in case I am right in my guess. Now I will tell you all about
the tragedy, from start to finish. The motive wasn't robbery; it was
revenge. The murderer wasn't light-witted. He didn't stand six hundred
and twenty-two feet away. He didn't get hit with a piece of wood. He
didn't place the explosive against the cabin. He didn't bring a shot-bag
with him, and he wasn't left-handed. With the exception of these
errors, the distinguished guest's statement of the case is substantially
correct."

A comfortable laugh rippled over the house; friend nodded to friend, as
much as to say, "That's the word, with the bark on it. Good lad, good
boy. He ain't lowering his flag any!"

The guest's serenity was not disturbed. Stillman resumed:

"I also have some witnesses; and I will presently tell you where you
can find some more." He held up a piece of coarse wire; the crowd craned
their necks to see. "It has a smooth coating of melted tallow on it. And
here is a candle which is burned half-way down. The remaining half of it
has marks cut upon it an inch apart. Soon I will tell you where I found
these things. I will now put aside reasonings, guesses, the impressive
hitchings of odds and ends of clues together, and the other showy
theatricals of the detective trade, and tell you in a plain,
straightforward way just how this dismal thing happened."

He paused a moment, for effect--to allow silence and suspense to
intensify and concentrate the house's interest; then he went on:

"The assassin studied out his pla