Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1891-01-24
,almly rode into the excitement at Over

From Dimmersville, was the reply.
"Did you see anybody on the way?"
81 started very early. Folks were not
out Of their beds in the houses-as long
as there were any houses--and that is
only for five or six miles, you know.
After that--yes, | did see one man. A
curiously excited chap He looked tired
out. He asked the distance to DINNERS
vile and whether the telegraph Office
would be open by the time he got there.
Then he skurried on before I'd half an
swered him."
All that was known Of the murder was
told to the stranger by half dozen glib
tongues. and 1t was explained to him
that he had encountered the maniacal
fugitive
II knew there was something wrong
about him." said the stranger 1T is
my business to be obseYvant."
He dismounted and hitched his horse
to tree. The dead body was shown to
him. He examined it very thoroughly
All the particulars were related to him
over and over Then he drew Superin-
tendent Brainerd aside
My name is Terence O'Reagan." no
said. and in his voice was family dis
tinguishable the brogue OF the land
whence the O'Reagans came. II am q
government detective. have been sent
to work up evidence in the case of some
Italian counterfeiters- We had a clew
pointing to sub-contractor here, the
very man who lies there dead Our in
formation was that he used some Of the
bogus bills in paying off his gang Now
it isn't going outside my mission to in
vestigate his death. if you don't object"
81 would be glad to have you take
hold Of it," Brainerd replied I'VE
can't bring the authorities here before
noon, at the earliest. and in the mean
time you can perhaps clear it all up"
The eagerly curious men had crowded
close to this brief dialogue. and had
heard the latter part of it OReagan
became instantly an important person
age, upon whose smallest word or move
ment they hung expectantly. and no
body showed q keener interest than
Gerald Heath. The detective first ex-
amined the body. The pockets Of Ra-
vellis clothes contained q wallet, with
its money untouched. besides . gold
watch.
$50 robbery was not the object" said
OReagan to Brainerd. "The motive Is
the first thing to look for in case Of
murder
Next he found blood on the waistcoat.
. great deal Of it, but dried BY the fire
that had burned the shoulders and head
and in the baked cloth were three cuts,
under which he exposed three stab
wounds. Strokes Of a knife had. it
seemed. killed the victim before he was
thrust partially into the furnace.
A storm was coming to Overlook un-
perceived, for the men were too much
engrossed in what lay there on the
ground, ghastly and horrible, to pay any
attention to the clouding sky Gloom
was so fit for the scene. too, that no
body gave a thought whence it came.
To Gerald Heath the going out of sun
light and the settling down Of dusky
shadows seemed mental experience Of
his own. He stood bewildered. trans
fixed, vaguely conscious of peril. and
yet too numb to speak or stir. Detective
OReagan, Strengthening up from over
the body, looked piercingly ut Gerald
and then glanced around at the rest
sis there anybody here who saw Tonic
Ravelli last nightY' he asked
II did," Gerald replied
Where and whenY'
AT the same place where met Eph
and Immediately afrerward.
"Ahi now we are locating Eph and
Ravelli together. That looks like the
lunatic being undoubtedly the stabber."
"And we must catch him." Brainerd
interposed. "rll send riders toward
Dimmersville Immediately"
"No great hurry about that" the de-
tective remarked: ''he is too crazy to
have any clear motive or any idea Of es-
cape 1t will be easy enough to capture
him."
Then he turned to Gerald and ques-
toned with the air of q cross-examiner,
"Oid the two men have any words to-
gether?"
mo" was the ready answer; Il don't
know that they even saw each other at
that time. Eph went away An instant
before Rayelli CAME
Ibid you talk with Ravellir
"Yes"
About whatY
Not about Eph at all"
About what, them"
Now the reply came reluctantly. "A
personal matter-something that had oc-
Cured between us-an incident at the
telegraph station"
The station where Eph awakened the
girl OPERATOR Was its quarrel about herr
THAT is no concern of yours You are
impertinent'
well. sir, the question Is pertinent
as the lawyers say-and the answer con-
Germs you, whether it does me or not.
You and Ravelli quarreled about the
girl?"
THE young lady shall not be dragged
into this. She wasn't responsible for
what happened between Ravelli and me" +"
What did happen between you and
RavelliY
The two men stood close to and facing