Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-11-29

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He looked at his watch-5 minutes
to 2. Dobson would be there in ten
minutes In eight minutes Darrent
walked down stairs. Tell Dobson to
wait. " he said and then stepped out
and stood in the shadow of tree until
the chief had arrived and entered the
Palace hotel, and then he strobe rapid
" down to the police station. He push
ed open the door. The room was empty
A pair Of Chief Dobson's boots stood in
o corner by the fireplace. In an instant
he had them in his hands. No nails
were missing, but they were exactly the
size and shape of the drawing on the
paper. So far so good. But Darrent was
not yet satisfied He took out the note
that he had received by mail that even
ing and held it to the light of the lamp
A five star diamond, he muttered,
and then, searching about, he discov-
cred Chief Dobson's limited stock of
stationery and submitted it to the
same scrutiny, but without result
The police station boosted only about
half quire Of the commonest paper,
too common even to show the faintest
watermark. Every drawer, cupboard
and box Darrent examined infinitely,
but discovered nothing to reward his
painstaking search. Then the floor, a
loose board-ahl He gasped with ex-
element as he inserted the blade of his
knife, and up it came. Nothing there2
Yes; small parcell In an instant it
was in his hands and untied-only o
booki All, but what book-a bank
book of Chicago bank, and glance.
at the figures showed that Edward Dob
sou had accumulated the respectable
little balance of 49, which was
standing to his credit Darrent slipped
the book into his pocket, replaced the
board and strolled back to the Palace
hotel.
"He must be wonderfully clever
policeman who saves over 1000 with
out getting into some dishonesty" he
murmured to himself as he mounted the
stairs and opened the door of his room.
swell, we shall see.
Chief DObson, very plain and
washed out specimen compared with
the highly colored one Darrent encoun-
tsssd on his first visit 4 Norcombe, was
sitting in a detected Altitude, with his
elbows on his knees and his chin rest
ing on his hands, and slowly raised his
head as Darrent entered
Good evening" he said in sub
dued voice, so subdued that Darrent
almost pitied him.
Good evening No; don'trise. Hold
up your foot, the left-thanks.' In an
instant he had caught the foot. glanced
ct the sole of the boot and let it go
again, while Dobson went pale to the
very lips.
THAT will do. Consider yourself un-
der arrest for the murder of Josiah
Marsden, and warn you"-
my God, sir, Mr.. Darrent, you
don't mean It'll I'm innocentl I'm in
nocentl''
That you'll have an opportunity Of
proving to a jury"
II swear am. would not murder
man. l haven't the courage
You were the one who walked up to
The Grange and left by the back way
to the river. Don't liel'
II won't. sir; won't did that,
but did not murder him. On my soul
didn't, Mr.. Darrent -
Then who did2"
"Astray Marsdenl''
"Bahi That's all over. Don't try to
shield yourself that way"
But the paper
You wrote it, you liarl'
No, mol swear didn't I'll tell
the truth-the whole truth, sir. I'm
everything that's crooked. but amt a
murdererl'
Darrent made the widest random
shot he ever ventured upon in his life
Josiah Marsden never wrote that pa
per, - he said.
"Then HB did, and he murdered
himi"
"Whoi" almost shouted Darrent.
"Silas Gosnell. "
What do you meant"
"I'n tell you all, sir; I'll tell the
truth. Iswear will; swear I will. -
You'd better go ahead, then"
Well, about year and half ago
old Marsden came to my house one
night to see me. He used to look in now
and again. sir. just to talk. He liked
me to tell him stories about the police. F"
''Well. go on. !"
We'll, he told me that he'd muir
dered man"
tOhl"
"Said he'd been over to Paris, lured
him to quiet place and stabbed him
to the heart"
~ see. WellP"
81 didn't know what to do. so l
asked Mr.. Gosnell
"WhyT"
"Well. let it slip in talking to him
one day"
"What an awful fool you are, Dob
sonl'
Eyes. SIR" he replied, moistening
his parched lips; 81 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
'sNow, then, go on.
"Gosnell said we'd struck it rich,
and he fawncied it would pan out a
bonanza. -
Right. That sounds like Gosnell. -
"He told me to leave it to him, and
he'd make money, and we'd divide it,
and we've been dividing it ever since.
he used to go 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, 900 as my share. -
"Six Thousand one hundred and fifty
dollars, Dobsonl"
"No. sir. saved the $3.50 myself, u
Dobson mournfully answered, and Oar.
rent almost burst into laughter at the
sudden transition from the sublime tc
the ridiculous.
"Well. go on Get to the night OF
the murder"
On the night Of the murder was
on my round, and as passed The
Grange about saw some one stand.
ing at the window. could tell it was