The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-19
man, whose movements seemed to fas-

man, whose movements seemed to fas-
cinate him.
"Astonishingr Mr.. Fenton heard him
mutter to himself. He's more like an
eel than a man. And, indeed, the way
Sweetwater wound himself out and in
through that room, seeing everything
and examining everything that came
under his eye, was a sight well worth
any professionals attention. Pausing
before the dead man ON the floor, he
held the lantern close, to the white,
worn face. Hal" said he, picking
something from the long beard, Heres
a crumb of that same bread. Did you
see that, Mr.. Knapp"
The question was SO sudden and so
sharp that the detective came near re-
plying to it; but he bethought himself,
and said nothing.
"That settles which of the two
gnaWed the loaf" continued Sweet
water.
The next minute he was lowering
over the still more pathetic figure of
John, sitting in the chair.
sad Sad!" he murmured.
Suddenly he laid his finger on small
rent in the old mans faded vest. You
saw this, of course" said he, with a
quick glance over his shoulder at the
silent detective.
No answer, as before.
Its a new slit" declared the Of
ficious youth, looking closer, land
yes-thereis blood on it's edges. Here,
take the lantern, Mr.. Fenton, I must
see how the skin looks underneath. O.,
gentlemen, no shirt! The poorest dock
hand has a shirt! Brocaded vest and
not now. All, molly bruise over the
heart. Sirs, what did you make out Of
thiS?'
As none of them had even seen it,
Knapp was not the only one to remain
silent.
Shall 1 tell you what I make out of
it." said the lad, rising hurriedly from
the floor, which he had as hurriedly
examined. This old man has tried to
take his life with the dagger already
wet with the blood of Agatha Webb.
only pierced the vest, wiping off a little
blood in its passage, then the weapon
fell from his hand and struck the floor,
as you will see by the fresh dent in the
old board I am Standing on. Have
yau anything to say against that?"
Again the detective opened his lips
and might have spoken but Sweetwater
gave him no chance.
where is the letter he was writing?"
he demanded. tHave any of you seen
any paper lying about here?"
He was not writing" objected
Knapp; che was reading; reading in
that old Bible you see there"
Sweetwater caught up the book,
looked it over and laid it down, with
that same curious twinkle of his eye
they had noted in him, before.
He was writing he insisted. See,
here is his pencil And he showed
them the battered end of a small lead
pencil lying on the edge of his chair.
Writing at some time" admitted
Knapp.
writing just before the deed" in
sisted Sweetwater Look at the fingers
of his right hand. They have not
moved since the pencil fell out of
them
''The letter or whatever it was, shall
be looked for declared the constable.
Sweetwater bowed; his eyes rowing
restlessly into every nook and corner
of the room.
1.-THE brother, James, was the strong
err he remarked; yet there is no evil
dence that he made any attempt at
How do you know that it was sui
eide John attempted" asked someone.
why might not the dagger have fallen
from James hand in an effort to kill
his brother?'
Because the dent in the floor would
have been to the right of the chair in
stead of to the left" he returned. BE
sides, James hand would not have
failed so utterly since he had strength
to pick up the weapon afterward and
ay it where you found it.
True, we found it lying on the ia
0le," observed Abel, scratching his
head in forced admiration of his old
''All easy, very easy" Sweetwater re-
seeing the wonder in every !
EYE. MATTERS like those are for a childs |
reading, but what is difficult anGEwhat |
find it hard to come by, is how the |
80 bill got into the old mans hand. He |
'ound it here, but how"
Found it here? How do you know
.hat?"
Gentlemen, that is a point I will |
make clear to you later, when I have !
aid my hand ON certain clue 1 ann |
lnxiously seeking. You know this is
lew work for me and L have to advance
yarily. Did any of you gentlemen,
When you came into this room, detect |
he faintest odor of any kind of per-
ume?"
''Perfume?" echoed Abel with a
glance about the musty apartment,
Rats, rather"
Sweetwater shook his head with
discouraged air, but suddenly bright
ned, and stepping quickly across the
loor, paused at one of the windows
t was that one in which the shade had
,een drawn down.
Peering at this shade he gave a grunt.
you must excuse me for d minute,
aid he, ~ have not found what [
wanted in this room and now must
ook outside for it. Will some one
ring the lantern?'
81 will" volunteered Knapp, with
rim good humor. Indeed, the situation
vas almost ludicrous to him.
Bring it around the house, then, to
he ground under this window" ordered
weetwater without giving any sign
hat he noticed or even recognized the
theirs air of condescension. And
entlemen, please don't follow. It's
L am after, and the fewer we
lake about the house ourselves the
asier will it be for me to establish the
leu am AFTER
Mr.. F'enton stared. What had got
ito the fellow?
To be continued.