Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-13

lIle WlNO WAS sui HlgO. lie
turned back to the building and found
the janitor sitting just inside the door.
lie had endured the ordeal Of inquisi-
iion by police and reporters and was
rather limp.
After all, Godfrey told himself. he
had as yet only half the story; he
must get every detail from this man,
and he saw that 1t would be necessary
TO proceed delicately, for his compan-
ions temper was evidently badly ruff
fed
well" he began at last, you look
ss though those fellows had about
worn you out. Mr.
"Higgins Is my name" said the jan
itor. "Simon Higgins
"Oh. yes. l remember now"
They sat together for a moment in
silence, listening to the tramp of feet
in the halls overhead, the opening and
closing of doors, the subdued murmur
Of voices. At the stair foot, beyond the
elevator, they caught a glimpse now
and then Of a policeman pacing back
and forth.
They're searchin' tn house." OBJ
served Higgins at last, with grimace
of dsdain. Il turned tn keys over t
them. Much they'll findw
Nobody there, eh?" 1t was not real
" q question. 1t seemed more a sign
Of polite interest on Godfrey's part.
II ought t know. l told 'em they
wasn't nobody there. Amt been here
all evenin' 'cept fer that minute l run
acrost tn street? Nobody in nor out,
'cept TIL girl, not since o'clock. That
was about tn time that there Thomp-
son come in too drunk t. stand. He'd
never "a got home in tn world by his
SELF but they was Teller with him,
a-holdin' him up"
Godfrey was listening with strained
attention. There were many questions
he wished to ask, but he dared not in
serrupt.
well, we got him upstairs atween
us. An then, when l went through his
pockets, / couldn't find his key. an
had T. come down an git mine afore
could git his door open. We laid him
on his bed an left him there, a-snorin
like hog. That Teller who was with
him was certainly a good sort. He set
down here t talk t. me awhile-it was
ralnn' so hard he couldn't go-an' no
said he'd run acrost Thompson down at
Pete Magraw's place on Sixth avenoo.
Thompson was treatin' everybody an
actin like fool ginerally. Then he
got bad an started t. clean out tn
saloon. an Pete was goin' t call a cop,
but this Teller said he'd bring him home,
an so he did"
Higgins stopped to take breath, and
Godfrey ventured to put a question.
Did you know him."
mo. | never seed him afore."
What sort of looking fellow was
hA?"
"A good lookin' feler well dressed
no bum, l ken tell v that. He was
short an heavy set. with IL little black
mustache that turned up at tn ends
Godfrey's heart gave a sudden leap
20 Miss Croydon had told the truth
sfter all.
And then what happened" he
asked. II suppose this fellow went
away"
ooh, yes; he stayed here talkin quite
Rwhile--he started t 90 onct or twice,
but TIL rain was too bad. But about
) o'clock he said he couldn't stay no
longer rain r no rain, an was Jest
Suttoniu' up his coat when cab
drove up an woman got out. She
had thick veil on SOS l couldn't see
her face, but from her style l judged
she was high hler She come up t
me an she says, 4 want t. go T.
apartment fourteen - MI. Thompson.
Madam, says l. I wouldn't if / was
you Why she asked, quick like,
'ain't he there He's there says l,
but he amt in no condition t. see q
lady Never mind says she, I'll &c
up All right says l. IN be back
in a minute added t. lay friend
No. he says, 4 can't wait; must be
goin'' an he started toward tn door
We'll, good night ] says, an stepped
into tn car an started it.
II showed her tn door O fourteen
an she knocked / was waitln' at tn
elevator, fer l knowed Thompson was
TOO dead drunk t. hear her an I'd have
t take her down ag1n; when blessed il
tn door didn't open on In she walked
Well, sir, was so dumfoundered
couldn't believe my own eyes. But II
she went, an I come on down, tryin' t
figger it out. 1t was mebbe ten min
utes later that heard pistol shot an
knowed in minute what'd hap
pened. That drunken brute had go
too familiar, an she'd put bullet IL
him; though" he added refectively
"why she'd go t. his room at all /.
more'n | kin see.'
WAS there only one shot?" asked
Godfrey.
only one" answered the janitor
"but it sounded like small cannon
1t didn't come from no sech little pop
gun as that which Mr.. Slmmond
picked up in tn corner. ! rushed III
tn stairs an threw open tn door
Wasn't it lOcked?"
"No; an that's funny, too" he added
''fer l remember hearin' the lock snaI
after tn girl went in. Somebody mus
"a throwed it back ag'in. Mebbe til
girl did 1t, tryin' t git out an Thomp
son got a-hold of her an then she le
him have It,"
Godfrey nodded, with IN appreciate
seemingly very deep.