Mexico Missouri message., 1906-02-01

point where I don't know whom 70 sun.
pect. Or what to think"
well, take this morning for q start
ing point. When we separated Inst
night you we're sure the partner was
our man"
4 wA2 In the FIRST place, North
seemed to have written his name on the
wall in his own blood. Now, It strikes
me that an accusation made at the mo-
ment Of death is very solemn one. A
man isn't likely at such a time to In
dulge in feelings OF petty spite or prsc,
tical joking, is he, now?"
II should say not, decidedly. But
wig were you 80 sure that he wrote it,"
because the doctors say he could
have done 1t, and that there are few cir
cumstanoes of death like that under
which such thing could happen. And
1t strikes me that to assume somebody
else did 1t in face of such a report. Is
taking too much advantage of what
must be in that case a remarkable coin
cidence."
Condolences happen, said the chief,
shortly.
80 they do. But in nine hundred and
ninety-nine chances out of thousand,
If murderer endeavoFed to throw us
of by such ruse, the medical examiner
would discover the trick at a glance,
and denounce the writing as fraud"
Even SO, How do you know what
North had in his mind to writer He
might have started in to declare Stack
house is my executor, or 'StaclIhouse
inherits my property OF 'Stackhouse
is anything else you may please to
imagine"
True" said Applebee. douDtfuily.
"And then, again. we are not unques-
tionably sure that the writing is intend
ed for Stackhouse, are WEI"
after two hours Of inspection and
experiment, am fully persuaded that II
cannot be anything else
"And how does Stackhouse himself
impress your"
"Confound the man! He puzzles me.
/ had long talk with him this morn
ing. He carries a 80 caliber pistol.
There are no signs of its having been
recently discharged"
Il presume he knows how to clean
it." said the chief inspector, dryly.
mo doubt and how to FIRE 1t, too.
But what good does that do US? put
the case to him plainly. said: Stack
house, this is no time for CONVENTIONAL
ties. People are beginning to talk. Bet
ter clear it up at once by giving me an
alibi.' Shoot me, II he didn't say that
between eight and nine, when Jarrett
says North was shot, he was walking in
the Public Garden alone, smoking
cigar"
Looks bad"
$50 1t does. But the queerest thing is
that he is not living at home. Where
did Thornton Stackhouse spend last
night? At his house at the beach, where
the women folk would certainly be ex-
pected to need him at such time as this,
Of all times? No, sir. At the Adams
house,
That means trouble in the family"
"And very serious trouble. Men quar-
rel with their wives often enough; but
not often under such circumstances as
! these"
How did you find the family?"
frightened to death. Stupid. IDIOT
ic. Stackhouses wife alone preserves
her senses, and she is tartar. She
seemed to take my visit as personal
affront, and read me lecture on pro-
priety. l confess lost my temper DO
you intend to hinder justice all you can,
or to help I'll? said /. It's not in my
province to do either she said, with a
defiant look IN her eye, I shall let JUS
tice take its course can forgive a
young woman with plenty of money
for doing great deal, but there's such
thing as OVERRIDING the high and
mighty. couldn't imagine what made