The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-09-19

7 ougn I now I told EN- n
wasn't nobody there. Aain't / been
here all evenin' ,cept ter that minute
out, 'cept tn girl-not since Z O'clock.
That was about tn time that there
| blamed Thompson come in, too drunk
stand. He'd never "a got home in
tn world by hisself. but they was a
Teller with him, a-holdin' him up"
Godfrey was listening with trained
attention. There We're many questions
he wished to ask. but he dared not in
terrupt.
Well. we got him upstairs atween
US. An then, when 1 went through his
pockets. I couldn't find his key, an L
had t come down an git mine afore L,
could git his door open. We laid him
on his bed an left him there, a-snorin'i
like a hog. That Teller who was with
him was certainly a good sort. He set
down here t talk t me a while-lt was
ralnin so hard he couldn't So-an' he
said he'd run acrost Thompson down at
Pete Magraw's place on Sixth avenoo
Thompson was treatin' everybody an
actin like a fool gineral!y; then he got
mad 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 80 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 a looking fellow was
hep"
"A good-lookin' Teller, well-dressed-
no bum. l kin tell y thai. He was short
an heayy-set, with a little black
fnoustache that turned up at tn ends"
Godfrey's heart CAV a sudden leap
so Miss Croydon had told the ruth
after all! She was not trying to pro-
tect anybody. And the case was going
reading a mystery into it that it did
not possess; that was always the
danger with you theorist, he told
himself. a little bitterly-he was
forever looking for hidden meanings,
for abtruse clews, for picturesque solu-
lions. instead of following the plainly
evident, OF accepting facts at their face
value. Well. Simmonds certainly would
not make that mistake; he would have
little difficulty in finding his man:
And Their what happened?" he
asked. II uppose this fellow went
aWay?"
"Oh. yes; he stayed here talkin' quite
a while-he started t. go once or twice.
but TIL rain was too bad. But about
s o'clock he said he couldn't stay no
longer, rain r no rain. an was jest
b%uttonin' up his coat. when a cab drove
up an a woman got out. She had a
thick veil on. SOS 1 couldn't see her
face. but from her style I judged she
was ii ulSn llyeT. one COIne I'D [ me |
an she says. I want t. go t. apart
ment fourteen-Mr Thompson Mad
am avs I. I wouldn't If I was you
Why she asked, quick like. 'ain't he
there?' He's there says I, but he
amt in no condition t. see a lady
All right says 1. I'll be back in a
minute I added t. my friend. Mo-
he says. I can't walt; I must be goin','
an he started toward TIL door. Well,
good light says. a%n'stepped into tn
car an started it.
Il showed her tn door O. fourteen.
am she knocked. I was waitin' at tn;
elevator. fer I knowed Thompson was
too lead drunk t. hear her an I'd have
!. tax her down agfn; when blessed
walked. Well. sir. 1 was so dumfound-
ed couldn't believe my own eyes!
But m she went, an I come on down.
tryfn' t ngger 1T out. 1t was mebbe
ten mfnuter later that heard a pistol
shot an knowed in a minute what d
happened. That drunken brute had got
too familiar. an she'd put a bullet
In MIN. Though" he added, reflective
~. why. II she's straight, shed go t.
his room at all is more'n 1 kin see"
was there only one shot?" asked
Godfrey.
only one." answered the tanitor. !;
put 1t sounded like a small cannon. I
IL didn't come from no sech little pop {
. 800 eAoI "iltH NIL. summons picked h
up IN tn corner. I rushed up tn stairs
threw open tn door, /
Wasn't it locked?" s
an that's funny. too" he added. {
FER I remember hearin' the lock snap 6
after tn girl went in. Somebody must !
a throwed it back ag'in. Mebhe tn, &
girl did 1t, tryin' t get out, an Thomn-
son got a hold Of her an then she let
him have IT. : :
Godfrey nodded. with an appreciation r
seemingly very deep. $
That's it no doubt he said. 81 {
Us (,
Why" said Higgins. with a smile 81 ,
dissatisfaction. II alters have been
able t put two an two t'gether. They's G
one thing. though. I can't explain. AS '
was rushin' up tn steps, I heard tn. :
an shuttin' Of a door" {
All" said Godfrey thouehtfullv '
"And there was no one in the hallS; +
Not a soul; not a soul In sight" t
Are you sure OF that?" q
Sure! o. course I am. There's G
light in TIL hall-an'. anyway. thew
ain.t no place anybody could hide"
He might have zone into one Of the {
other rooms. mightn't he?" I
They were all locked-I'm certain q, :
:
Godfrey took a thoughtful puff 0, !
T" :.
TT was tn girl shot him-y, kin bank !
On that added Higgins with emphasis
But them objected Godfrey. "vom
said the report you heard couldn't havs :
come from her pistol" :
Continued Next Week.1 n
a.