Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-07-11
CHAPTER I.

o'clock in the evening. A thick curtain
Of mist lay on the common, and a full
moon was lifting, very large and red,
over the edge of the distant trees Ev-
erything was so quiet just there that
the clatter of a suburban car two hun
dred yards away was clearly audible.
III you looked to the south you might
fancy yourself right in the heart of the
country. If you looked north, you saw
long, respectable suburban street, in
habited by householders, but just then
as quiet as the grave. except for the
strumming of solitary piano. East and
west the prospect, so far as il could be
discerned through the evening darkness
and mist, was tumble of finished and
diminished buildings. In some The house
holo nights burned comfortably, and 9th
ers were as yet unroofed and unglazed,
and open to all the airs of heaven.
The young man who awaited his
sweetheart had been at the place ap-
pointed for a matter of some ten min
utes, when he heard the sound Of a
faint, hoarse cough, followed by some
thing like groan. He was momentar-
lily startled, but, hearing nothing further
after minutes intent listening he fell
back into the train of thought from
which he had been aroused, and absently
set an ungloved hand upon the top of the
letter box. He found it all wet and
sticky, and his first idea was that the
post had been newly painted, but NOV
ing toward a lamp which was close by,
he discovered, with a shock OK horror
and surprise that his fingers were stain
ed with blood
He saau,oJ 10 fool
rather than to hear that something stir
red within yard or two of him in the
shallow, turflined ditch which at that
point separated the common from the
road. His blood crisped, and a curious
sensation stirred at the roots of his hair.
He was not at all a coward, bat he was
accustomed to q quiet humdrum in his
life, and the sudden conviction that some
horrible thing had happened set his heart
huttering and started a strong pulsation
IN his temples. Then he heard a meas
ured footstep slowly tramping the con-
crete pavement of the suburban road,
and there within thirty yards of him was
the lantern of a Waterman. He made
dash for the man with a cry of "Offi-
cer! and an instant later he was be-
fore the policeman, holding his stained
hand in the rays of the lantern.
Look here" he said, that's blood.
There's lot of it on the top of the
letter box just there. l touched it by
chance, and just as l found out what it
was l heard somebody groan. There's
been an accident, or an assault, or some
thing. Come and look"
The officer raised his bun's-eye to the
young mans face, took a good look at
him, and without a word moved in the
direction indicated. He turned his light
upon the letter box. There was a CON
siderable quantity of half-congealed
blood upon it, and some had trickled to
the gravel at its foot.
"Hush!' said the young man. That's
the sound l heard before"
The officer. still without a word, walk
ed STOPPING by the side of the shallow
ditch, waving his lantern and peering
here and there. A dozen PAGES beyond
the lamp post he paused.
This" he said, ''Iooks like a bad job.
Lend hand here. will your"
He hitched the bulls-eye to his belt.
and stopped to a PROSTATE figure in the
hollow. 1t lay in a helpless posture, the
head higher than the feet. one heel lust
resting on the lower rail of a dilapidated
fragment of an old fence The young
man lent mis- aid, and between them they
lifted the figure by the shoulders and
placed it in a natural position. The coat
was wet and sticky, and the hands which
had touched it showed too clearly what
made it So
This mans been set upon" said the
officer. And" he added, kneeling to in
spect the victims head and face more
closely, 'he's got a pretty doing" He
sounded a long and piercing call upon
his whistle. There's a doctor fifty yards
that way" he said, pointing.
The young man went off at run. and
the policeman awaited his return. sound
ing his call from time to time. Nobody
seemed to notice for a while, but in the
space of a few minutes the messenger
was back again, a stout and middle-aged
medico putting in his train. He and
the policeman knew each other.
I'm afraid this is a bad job, Mr..
Lawrence" said the officer.
I'm afraid it's as bad as 1t can be 4"
the doctor answered, after a long exam
ination, aided by the bulrs-eye lantern.
Yes, there's not a doubt about it; the
poor fellows done for. You'd better get
a stretcher and have the body conveyed
to the morgue"
Two policemen FASTENED up from diff
ferent points. One was dispatched et
once. The four men fingered talking in
low tones The young man showed the
doctor how he had discovered the first
sign of the crime. The policemen search
ed the gravel pathway for signs of foot
steps, but found nothing A Quarter NJ
nv
came. The body was set upon it. decent
ly covered, and wheeled away. the doctor
and the young man accompanying. In
the suburban main street the cortegn
picked up a small following, but this wos
shut out at the doors of the morppe
where an inspector was already in wait.
ing with n subordinate.
This was the gentleman as summon
ed me to the spot, SIR
"Ah," said the inspector. you'd bet
ter tell me what you know about it.
What is your name and address,
please?"
my name" the young man answered.
sis Harvey Martin Jethroe, and l live
at 1O4 Acacia avenue"
Occupation, if you please?"
Il am a bank manager. l have charge
of the Elmwood branch of Messrs. Per
rott, Perrott & Lane"
The inspector was setting this down
In a thick professional pocketbook when
the doctor suddenly asked;
What did you say your name was? 2"
Harvey Martin Jethroe," the young
man answered in some amazement.
The inspectors subordinate had been
going through the dead mans pockets,
and had just handed to the doctor a
small bundle of letters held together by
an elastic band. The doctor held this
out toward the inspector, who gave but
a single glance and started violently
This looks like rum business" he
said, recovering himself in an instant.
and turning a look of strange signif-
canoe upon the witness; this has Just
come off the body. Is that what you
Say your name isY
Harvey Martin Jethroe," written in
a bold and legible hand, stared him in
the face from the back of the envelope