Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1899-11-24

"What an awful fool you are, Dob
sonl''
Eyes. SIR" he replied. moistening
his parched lips; IL believe am
Drink this. calculated Darrent.
scarcely able to conceal his disgust at
the pitiful state of the man. as he hand
ed him glass Of brandy and water.
"Now, then. go on.
''Gosnell said we'd struck 1t rich.
and he fawncied it would pan out q
bonanza.
Right That sounds like Gosnell. I"
''He told me to leave it to him. and
he'd make money. and we'd divide it.
and we've been dividing il ever since.
He used to 80 up to The Grange and
threaten to give the old man up to JUS
tice and talk about hanging until Mars
den nearly died Of fright, and then he'd
say how much he wanted to keep quiet.
I've had So, 600 as my share
''Six thousand one hundred and fifty
dollars. +Dobsonl'
"No, sir. saved the $3.50 myself, :"
Dobson mournfully answered. and Dar-
rent almost burst into laughter at the
sudden transition from the sublime to
the ridiculous.
'Well. go on Get to the night Of
the murder. "
''On the night Of the murder l was
on my round. and as l passed The
Grange about l saw some one stand
ing at the window could tell it was
not Marsden, and l walked up to the
door, and as | reached there Gosnell
opened it. F"
What did he say?"
''He said. Keep off. or I'll brain
you"
"Wel9"
~ said. It's Dobson,' and he said
oh was just coming for you There's
been murder done here Then he took
me in and showed me the old man lying
dead on the floor. He said that he came
there to get some more money out Of
Marsden, and as he came up to the
front door a man rushed out nearly
knocking him over. and took to his
heels said; Then it's young Mars
den He's back Well. he answered.
we don't want to be in this. and Wen
clear out. but not the front way, in
case we run against any one and get
suspected Come on. l know how to
escape. And then he took me through
the conservatory at the back of The
Grange out down fight Of steps and
along tunnel to the river"
"Well7"
Next morning l had fearful feel
ing that Gosnell had done the murder
himself, and went over to his cottage
about and told him So"
what did he sayf'
He laughed and said was mad and
then took a paper from his pocket. the
paper | gave you, Mr.. Darrent, and
said. 4 found this in old Marsden 8
hand when | went into the library
THAT was the paper that accused
Astrays''
Yes, E1s.-
well, go on"
well he gave me the paper and ad.
vised nle to say nothing about IL TO the
authorities, but to keep it quiet, as il
would be worth thousands to bleed
Astray with. So later on. when the
woman Gadsden fetched me. pre-
tended to take the paper out Of old
Marsden's hand. "
You re nice blnckguard, Dobson. =
YES, Mr.. Darrent, but l did not
commit the murder.
Now. then. come on" cried Oar
rent. Let's see ii We can find Mr.
Silas Gosnell
He began to realize that he had beer
too welded 70 one set Of incidents alone,
had ignored all other clev's, and while
he had been forging tire chains around
an innocent man the guilty wretch had
had time to put thousands Of miles be-
tween himself and justice.
Where does Gosnel! livef"
AT little house opposite The
Grange, on the other side of the river. y
Come on. Look sharp"
Together they started off and. after
lcoking in at the police station for q
chisel. made straight for the alb de o!
Silas Goenell There was no answer Il
their repeated knocsings
Gone. curse him. Dsrrent mut-
tered Now. then. Dobson. put youf
shoulder TO it. Go on Now. together
sh -
With splitting. splintering crash
the frail door gave way beneath their
united efforts. and they stumbled int
the cottage.
Darrent, much 10 the amazement of
Dobson turned on his electric lamp and
made for an old writing desk in the
corner. There was no need for force.
Every drawer had been left open. and a
pile of burned paper in the CRATE showed
that Mr.. Silas Gosnell had had good
clear ont and had destroyed everything
he did not reouire before he shook the