Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-05-18
CHAPTER III.

kA6 nA1uDy ASSSA0CA VIC 0SSAAA0. IA
the hall, Matthews admitted one of the
undertakers and his assistants and
showed them into Strong's room.
WILDLY went into the bedroom above,
closed the door, threw himself on a
lounge, and shut his eyes. Ina few min
utes he began to feel less nervous. A
restful sensation stole over him, and he
felt sleepy. Suddenly his mind re-
verted to what seemed vague dream of
the night before. Was it dream, or
could it have been reality? He sprang
up, quivering all over with excitement,
but the more he thought of it the more
the memory eyaded him, till in despera-
ton he sat down on the lounge and
buried his face in his hands. Just then
he heard step in the hall, and some one
raped on his door.
He rose and went to the door. twas
Matthews.
"Col. Warrenton is downstairs, sir, and
wants to see YOU"
Send him up here" said WILDLY. II
don't care to go down."
In a moment Col. Warrenton entered.
lie was short, middle-aged man, with
red face and iron-gray hair. He put
his silk hat on table and gave WILDLY
his hand.
II was dumfounded by the news" he
said. I'VE are such good friends THAT
waived all ceremony and came right
round"
I'm glad you did, old man." returned
WILDLY. "Sit down, and excuse me if
am not entertaining. The truth is,
am badly broken up over this affair.
Something is wrong with me; am not
myself ut ALL"
The visitors glance wandered aim
lessly about the room in the silence that
followed Whidby's remark. Then the
colonel said:
"You need not tell me anything. !
have heard all about it from Capt.
| Welsh. He and have been intimate
friends for years. You have not asked
for my advice, but. love you like a
brother, and don't want to see you run
your head into trouble for tho lack Of 4
lawyers opinion"
"Why do l need legal advice?' asked
WILDLY, nervously. I'm what way?
don't understand"
The lawyer drew his chair nearer to
the young man, who was seated on the
lounge, and laid his hand on his knee.
"Of course it is absurd to think Of
your being concerned in Strong's death
Alfred" he began; "but I am obliged
through the force Of habit, to look al
such affairs from q professional stand
point. l know you are innocent; but
innocent men have been hanged before
this, and have seen men put on trial
for murder with less circumstantia
evidence against them than there il
against you"
WILDLY brushed back his dishevelet
hair with quivering hand, and stared
at his friend.
"You mean that l may yet be &C
| cused?"
ut all depends on Hendricks" thu
colonel interrupted. "He is the bright
est man in his line in the world. If hi
gets on the track Of the real criminal
you are all right, and not soul vii
accuse you; but if his investigations
should be confined to this house it nigh
grow very unpleasant for you. Il
struck me that this view of the cas-,
might not occur to you, and that is tn,
reason / am here. You see, it is wei
that came of my own accord, for i
you had sent for me it might have a,
ugly look"
The young man rose and began t.
walk to and fro across the room. II an
very much Obliged" he sighed. '
never dreamed of being suspected. Mat
thews said that after left the room
during the inquest something wa
brought up about the blood stain on m,
hand and uncle's will; but that did no
trouble me-"
/ Col. Warrcnton's glance followed hi
friends form back and forth for q mo
ment; then he said:
Pardon me, my boy, but do you real
ly know if you got the blood on you
hand from the sheet, or from the POI
there? Is your memory clear on tina
| point?"
NO; did not notice it till starte,
to wash my hands. In fact, the detec
tive called my attention to it. mus
have been very much excited, or woul
have noticed thing like that; but, oil
man, my head is in such whirl tina
l do not know what am saying.
oversight. and feel as if had bee
drugged. Besides" WILDLY stoppe'
at the colonel's side and put his hand o.
his shoulder-"besides, to tell the truth
something has come into my mind sine
/ have been in this room-someth thing
did not remember at the inquest. PEI
haps ought to tell the police about i,
since did not think of it when test
flying. AS was lying down just be
fore you came up, something fashe
into my mind like dream. seemed t
recall walking about my room and be
| ing half walked by stumbling over
chair near my bed. caught the chat
to steady myself. and half remembe
that my shirt, which l had thrown o.
the chair when I went to bed, fell on tn
floor 1t seems to me that picked u
the shirt and replaced it, and then wen
back to bed. I know the shirt was o.
the chair when I walked this morning
but can't imagine what ! was doing u
in the night"