Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-09-05
CHAPTER MI.
Is 1t a Clmes

thought Detective Hantlin, when he
turned away from Mrs. Martin, and
took his way back to the room in which
he had left the captain of police, cit
will be time for me to leave the force
The murderer has walked out under
my eyes; but I'll lay my hand on his
shoulder before this day month, and
say Thou art the man. or my name is
not Will Hantlin. Yes; this day
month. I won't make any desperate
resolve. and that will give me fair time;
but if I have not found the villain with
in that period. it will be a sign that my
days of usefulness are over"
He paused there, for he was almost
face to face with Capt. Monroe, who
came out of the room in which lay the
body of the deceased master of the
house.
A few words passed between the two
men, in which the police captain, told
the detective that the coroner's jury
was called for the following morning,
the two officers being left in possession
of the room for the present.
l The detective and the captain of po-
parted at the first street corner
Instead of turning the corner and
continuing his way, Hantlin looked
back toward the house he had just left,
and slowly retraced his steps.
The street was now almost free of the
crowd which had been a conspicuous
element there both during the early
part of the forenoon, when the wedding
| a,.{v 70
more so after the news of the murder.
There We're still few stragglers, in
tent on gathering fragments of news,
and it occurred to Hantlin, determined
as he was to pick up any stray thread
that might enable him to unravel the
mystery, to put a question here and
i there.
The merest trifles often lead to extra
ordinary results, and he was particular
ly we'll aware that such was the case.
Presently he stood still before little
hunchback, known by the name of
"Humpy," and babe the boy with a
pleasant smile, to black his boots.
The bootblack obeyed with alacrity,
| for he and the detective We're old
friends, and the child liked the man,
because the detective never called him
"Humpy," and when paying with silver
coin, as often happened, never waited
for the change.
"Why, Jack, my lad" said Hantlin,
"these are, new hunting grounds for
you, Ell? I never saw you on this beat
before"
mo, SIR" said the bootblack, brush
ing away until his face was scarlet.
1.-THE news O. this big wedding brought
me here, an had heaps O. luck. New
err brushed so many gents in one day
since ben in the bizness. Crickey
hasn't there ben row about here,
tho'!"
What about?" Hantlin asked.
"Why, the murder, 'coorse. At first
there was stiddy stream up an down,
an down an up. Say, Mister, have
they got the Teller as did it yet?"
| mot yet. You must have seen him
! go in or come out, Jacky, if you've been
1 here all day."
Land O. liberty!" exclaimed Jacky,
stopping with his brush poised in the
air and his eyes ready to pop out of his
head, chow could I see him? Wish I
had! It might be with somethin' to
me-"
That's so. But, of course, you
wouldn't notice anyone in such crowd.
Every one looks alike in a crowd
Hantlin continued, carelessly, placing
his other foot upon the bootblack's box
and glancing toward the house he had
| left.
$50 they do, mister, mostly" Jacky
replied, making vigorous attack on
the other boot. But sometimes there's
diff'rence. seed a man to-day that
I'll never forget. Blest if / wouldn't
know his face eff wur dyin'!"
did he have such an ugly mug?"
asked Hantlin, carelessly, and just to
keep the boy talking, since it seemed to
amuse him.
mo, STREE! He was the handsom-
est Teller I liver see in my life-too
handsome fur man. He'd oughter
ben woman, he had. Such good looks
is throwed away on man."
HantIin laughed, spontaneously.
"Why, Jacky, you're getting critical
he said. "Give me picture of this
beauty mana portrait in words, you
know-what one might call a pen-and-
ink sketch"
"Well." said Jacky, pausing in his
work, and throwing his head back and
gazing up to the sky for inspiration, at
amt easy, but I'll try. To begin, he
had yaller hair-just pure yaller-an' II
glittered like gold specially when tho
sun lit on it. 1t was long, too, an curly
an 1t fell down on his shoulders.
dunno what color his eyes wur, cause
want slose enough but 1 guess they
must a ben blue, though they looked
kinder dark, an they flashed like stars
all the way across to here"
"Where was he when you saw him?'
asked the detective, interested.
Just right over there, a-standin' or
the top STEP" returned Jacky, pointing
toward the imposing brown-stone man
sion.
what! That's Mr. Grayson's house
the scene OF the murder" exclaimed
the detective. sharply: and giving the
boy his whole attention.
"In couse 1t it. That's where I sa"
him, an the good lookin' young woman
that stood alongside him. She was
quite a beauty. too. In her way, though
she was orful pale. an her black eyes
glittered like fire."
"The French maid" thought Hantlin
and u thrill. as II he had suddenly beer