The Mystery of the Hasty Arrow by Anna Katharine Green Page B

you say, Coroner Price?"
    "Ask the man to kneel."
    The Inspector gave the word.
    "Ah, that's different! The bulge of the vase hides the upper part of his head, and the pedestal itself the lower. He might shoot from his present position with impunity."
    "Do you all agree?"
    "Yes, yes!" came from different parts of the building.
    "Then, Mr. La Flèche, here's another arrow from the same quiver. Take fresh aim and shoot."
    Another breathless moment—more breathless than the other; then a second arrow flew across the court and hung quivering in the breast of the dummy.
    From both ends of the gallery men came running, and leaning eagerly over the gallery-rail they watched the Coroner as he stepped again into view to make a second examination.
    This time he kept them several minutes in suspense, and when he had drawn out the arrow, he looked long at the hole it had made. Then, instead of shouting his decision across the court, he could be seen leaving the gallery and coming around their way.
    What had he to say? As they waited, a clock struck from some neighboring steeple—three sonorous peals! The two directors glanced at each other. Doubtless they felt the weirdness of the hour as well as of the occasion. It was a new experience for these amateurs in police procedure.
    Arrived on their side, the Coroner advanced quickly. When close upon the reassembled group, he remarked quickly but with great decision:
    "Mr. Travis seems to have been correct in denying that the arrow flew either from before or behind this pedestal. The first arrow sent by Mr. La Flèche entered the dummy almost at a right angle; the last departed but a little from this same line. But the real wound which I probed and located to a hair was a decidedly slanting one. It must have been sent from a place further off."
    "From behind the other pedestal!" spoke up Mr. Gryce, all fire and interest at once. "Either the Englishman deceived us, or each pedestal had its man."
    "We'll see! Another shot, and from behind the further pedestal, Mr. La Flèche!"
    The Indian glided into view and started for the other end of the tapestry, followed by the Inspector, his detectives and the two directors. As they passed one by one across the face of the great hanging, they had the appearance not of living men but of a parade of specters, so silent their step and so somber their air. The dread of some development hitherto unacknowledged made their movements slow instead of hasty. The upper pedestal instead of the lower! Why should this possible fact make any difference in their feelings. Yet it did—perhaps because it meant deception on the part of one they had instinctively believed trustworthy, or—
    But why pursue conjecture when actuality only is of moment? Let us proceed with our relation and await the result.
    Arrived at the upper pedestal, Mr. La Flèche took his place, received the third arrow and presently delivered it. The Coroner, who had already started for the other side, hastily approached the dummy, made his examination and threw up his hand with the loud shout:
    "The shot was made from there; the matter is settled!"
    Question: Had Mr. Travis wilfully misled them, or had the presumption in his favor been strengthened by this proof that it had been shown possible for another hand than his to have shot the arrow from this same section of the gallery, without disturbing his belief that he was the only person in it at the time?

X
"AND HE STOOD HERE ?"
    The Inspector, finding himself very much disturbed by the doubt just mentioned, felt inclined to question whether any perceptible advancement had been made by this freak business of his canny subordinate. He was hardly ready to say yes, and was not a little surprised when on his way toward the head of the staircase he heard the exultant voice of Mr. Gryce whisper in his ear:
    "That's all right. We've gained a point. We know now the exact place from which the arrow was shot."
    "But not who shot it."
    "No—except that it was