The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-01
Hagar of the Pawnshop

pointment II may be wrong. Let me
examine the other"
This time she was rewarded for her
shrewd guess. At the bottom of the
right hand urn, quite concealed by the
pot. she found a small pistol On it's
stock there was a silver plate, and on
that plate name was engraved. At
the sight of this latter the eyes Of
Hagar glistened with much satisfac-
ton.
II thought so." she said to herself;
land now to tell Julf!"
The detective was waiting for her at
the park gates, and looked up expect
antly as she moved toward him with a
smile OH her face. With grim satisfac-
ton she placed the pistol in his hand.
There is the weapon with which Sir
Leslie was killed." she said in a tone
of triumph. Il found it under the ge-
ranium pot in one of those urns. What
do you think of that?"
"The pistol of Kerris" said Julf,
quite amazed.
mo; not the pistol of Kerris. but of
the man who murdered Sir Leslie
"Kerris," repeated Julf with logged
obstinacy.
Look at the name on the silver plate,
you idiot
Lewis Cranei" read the detective
stupefied. Then he looked up with an
expression Of blank astonishment on his
solemn face. What" he muttered;
''do you think Sir Lewis killed his eou-
sin?'
II am sure of it," replied Hagar
firmly. II have just learned from
servant that he was in love with the
girl Laura also, and that he was poor
"a
money. The two had a quarrel on the
night of the murder, as they were walk
ing in the park. Because of this quar-
rel they parted. each going different
ways. Sir Lewis said that he returned
home, that he heard the pistol shot and
thought that his cousin was shooting at
a target-as if a man would do so in the
twilight" added the girl. cOntemptu-
Ously. What he really did-Lewis, /
mean-was to follow his cousin, and
shoot MIN by the Queens pool; then he
hid the pistol in the marble urn and
crept back TO the house to play his
comedy. L tell you, Mr.. Julf. that Ker-
ris is innocent. | said so always. Sir
Lewis is the guilty person, and he slew
his cousin out of jealousy of Laura
Brenton, and because ne wanted the
dead mans money"
Out TIE DOOIS-lile IOOIl1ldrkS III the
mud?" stammerad Julf, quite confound-
ed by this reasoning. THE marks were
made by the boots of Kerris."
81 quite believe that" admitted Ha-
gar; another portion of Sir Lewis very
clever scheme to ward off suspicion
from himself The servant who, lied me
TO the Queens pool will tell you, as he
told me. that Sir Lewis just a day or
two before the murder, paid a visit to
the cottage of Kerris. Now, It is my
opinion that while there he stole the
boots, ana wore them on the night on
which he committed the murder, with
the intention of throwing the blame on
Kerris, whom Laura Brenton loved.
Don't you see what his game was. Mr..
Julf? He wanted to gain a title and
money. so as to marry Laura; so he
slew his co'isin to get the first, and laid
the blame-by circumstantial evidence
on George Kerris, to get the second.
Now what do you say?"
1T looks black against Sir Lewis,
certainly" admitted Julf: still, 1 can
not think that he would dare
Bah! men dare anything to crafty
their passionsi'' retorted Hagar
shrewdly; besides. he thought that he
made all safe for himself by wearing
the boots of Kerris. 1t was Sir Lewis
who gave the boots TO Micky. Oh, if
that boy could only be found
He is found" said Julf, quickly. Il
got telegram while you were in the
park. The police picked h m UP I'm
Whitecnapei, and will send him down
here tomorrow. If he can swear that
Sir Lewis gave him the boots l shall
get a warrant out for that mans ar
rest"
81 believe he is guilty" said Hagar.
In meditatsve fashion, land yet | am
not altogether sure
why not? There is certainly
strong case against him.
Yes. yes: but why. if Sir Lewis is
guilty. should kerris keep silent, and
not declare his innocence? I must see
the man and find out. Can / get into
the iail?'
I'll take you there myself tomorrow
morning replied Julf. Il should like
to know the reason of his silence also.
1t can't be love of Sir Lewis as makes
him hold his tongue"
NO: that Is what puzzles me- After
all, like Kerris, the baronet may be
innocent
Julf shook his head. IL can't think
where you will find third party on
which to lay the guilt-unless, he adj
died. with an afteIthought, you blame
the Irish boy who pawned the boots"
1T may be even him." said Hagar,
seriously. But wen know tomorrow,
l fancy. Kerris. Sir Lewis, Micky-
him. | wonder which of the three killed
that poor young man.
Hagar thought over this problem for
an hour or so, then, not being able to
solve it, she put 1t out of her head for
the night AS for Julf he was so much
impressed by Hagar's cleverness in
finding the pistol and constructing
case against Sir Lewis-who he now be-
gan t. believe was guilty-that the
next morning, before taking her to see
George Kerris i'm prison, he conducted
her to an outlying farm.
Laura BrentOn lives here" he said
TASK her about Sir Lewis and see if
we can strengthen the case against
him."
Laura was a fine, tall, handsome girl,
somewhat masculine in her looks but
at the present moment she seemed i'll
and appeared haggard-whIch was no
wonder. seeing that one of her lovers
was dead and the other in prison. How
ever. she was quite willing to answer
Hasar's questions. and declared most
emphatically that Kerris was innocent
He wouldn't kill ffy!" said she,
weeping. although he was angry with
me for meeting Sir Leslie; but | never