Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-11-02
From Clue to Climax.
.<opyricht 1896, by J. B. Lippincott. Col
CHAPTER ~.
BY WILL N. HARDEN.

NSCpyTgnt 1890, py ). D. LipPhlCott Ao.J
CHAPTER ~.
Wren Warrenton left WILDLY he
went downstairs. He knew the room
where WILDLY had slept the previous
night. but he found the door closed and
locked
Hearing the voices Of the undertaken
and his men in Strong's room, he en-
tered it. The men looked up from the
coffin at him, and Hodson, the under
take<r bowed and said good morning as
Wasrenton approached and looked at
the dead mans face.
I've never seen anything like that
smile. colonel said Hodson, land I've
been in this business over 20 years. It
vas all could do to get my men to go
to work when they first saw him. We
tried to close his eyes; but the lids are
as stiff as whalebonc.'' :
T3se colonel shuddered at the coarse
ness of the mans words.
*"How do you explain the smile 2" he
asked.
II can't explain it at ALL" answered
the undertaken. Il don't think such
thing ever happened before"
Warrenton bent over the coffin for
.mement. ''It seems to me to be a
genuine smile, unmixed with any SEN
satlon Of pain, or even SURPRISE
HE was laughing, colonel, if ever a
man laughed in his life. I amt par
tieu,arly superstitious. I. once I'M
screwed box and let man out that
had passed for dead Sc hours. [ was
aEone with it at midnight. You can bet
that gave me a shock; but, frankly, I'd
hate TO spend a night with this one
WILDLY slept in that ROOM didn't
he?s' asked the lawyer, glancing indif-
fcrenily towards the portiere.
Eyes, sir, but the indications are that
the deed was done very quietly. Per-
haps Mr.. WILDLY was drugged."
Hodson turned to give some orders
to his men. The colonel went into
Whidby's room and let the curtain fall
behind him. The room had not been
put 20 rights. A chair stood between
The portiere and the bed. It's back was
towards him. w arrenton listened.
1Iodson was still talking to his men, and
the colonel could hear them using their
sacK-hamn,crs. Quickly and stealthily
nc stepped to the chair and turned its
back to the light from the window. He
found what he feared was there-a faint
smear of blood just where WILDLY had
caught the chair with his right hand,
Enough to draw the halter around
his neck" thought the lawyer. II hope
!tescaped that detectives eye" He had
Just replaced the chair, when the por-
there was. drawn back and Hodson
looked in 2 - ~: s~s
~ beg pardon. colonel, but Capt.
Welsh akcd me to allow no one to come
In here. thought you went into the
K,all''
Il was just wondering how. WILDLY
could have slept so soundly unless he
was drugged," said the colonel u 81
would not have come in if had thought
1T was forbidden. WILDLY and*I are Sc
fntin,ate. you know, I feel as if were
at home here"
''Oh, no har1h done," said the under
fsher- as he held the curtain aside for
"1rTcntOn TO pass out. ..
Tho colonel went into the hall and
turned into the parlor. Here lie looked
about aimlessly for moment. and then
seeing an open door which led to- the
servants rooms in the rear, he passed
out
ln a little room adjoining hekitchen
ne found Matthews. -r.r
II want to see you. Matthew'S" said
IKE colonel IT want to ask YOU some
<ynestions. Mr., WILDLY is so excited
=snd upset that don't wish to disturb
HIM, and yet I must get some light on
this subject ....'. ,.,-..,
~ don't know much about it. SIR
replied the gar1ener:s~' told all ]
know to the jury
The colonel sat down onla window-sill
and lighted a cigar. ! s.. ,. re
Il - You, can trust me, you know, Mat,
ehcws. am an old friend of the fam.
Iy-~ 7ss%S* aea5ss1zaqs IL esfsys s1a@. /. =.
Oh, L know that sir, we'll enough !
6 You have been in Mr. Strong serr.
ice q long time, Matthews,and yon may
row remember some things that you
did not think of when you were testi-
Tying. For instance, have You any rec
election Of ever having. seen any thing
which might tend to show that Mr.,
Strong had an enemy ~ '3S I: 35 5z 8.
IA e e tthe,vsss, stared at the lawyer fol-
( 8 moment ms silence and then sat down
& m: \ chair and olded his hands n6ryous.
& II sver his knees.