Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-10-11

Drysdale sat for a staring
into the fire.
Il do appreciate her." he said slow
ly, through and through. I'm APP
palled at the wonder of it, sometimes.
that she should really care for a fellow
Ike me. I'm not worthy
Godfrey was walking n~ervously about
the room.
NO, you're not" he broke in abrupt
ly. Mighty few men would be. Luck
lily, women don't stop to look at that
side of it. Besides. She help you, IL
you really try to live up to her.
Il intend to-" said Drysdale humbly.
Godfrey started to say something
more, then shook himself impatiently.
Her appearance will help her." he
added in another tone, when she's
called before the coroner-she'l i'm
press the jury in just the right way"
Drysdale got up quickly.
She'll ave to appear before the
coroner"
"Of Course-she's practically the only
witness. Your place is with her-more
especially since you say Delroy him
sex is out Of town"
Thank you" and Drysdale took up
mis- hat. You've helped me a lot" and
with another warm hand-clasp he was
gone.
Godfrey turned back into the room
and sat down again before the fire.
Drysdale's story had, indeed, furnished
aim with new food for thought. So it
was a family secret that Grace Croy-
ION was guarding. She had spoken
The truth-she had scorned to lie. A
secret that affected the family honor.
That was conceivable-it furnished the
only possible solution Of the mystery.
eIe felt that he could reconstruct the
drama with some degree of plausibility.
He smiled grimly as he drew a pad
# paper toward him and got out his
pencil. Like all good tragedies, it
should be in five acts.
ACT /.
The Croydon family possesses a skel-
ston, and one Thompson holds the key
% the closet in the shape Of certain
papers. He threatens to use them, to
display the skeleton to the world. He
writes TO Miss Croydon, or perhaps to
Mrs. Delroy, demanding a price for his
3apers. Mrs. DelrOy is for letting him
10 his worst; Miss Croydon, less SEN
sible IalSO perhaps more sensitive). is
or trying TO buy him off. She over
'ides her sister, makes an appointment
With Thompson, d~isregarding the risk
she runs Of compromising herself. (The
skeleton, then, must be a particularly
yrisly one!)
ACT II.
Miss Croydon goes to the appoint
nent alone, but with the precaution of
'aking a pistol with her. (Query-Was
she accustomed to using a pistolO She
3 admitted by Thompson, who has
barely awakened from a drunken sleep.
4 ten-minute parley follows, during
which he states his demands. She, per-
laps, finds them excessive, impossible
20 comply with, and tells him so. He
angry 1hnSjya narhanS attaunntS /
some violence. She produces her pis-
and at that m a man steals
behind him from the inner room and
strikes him down. Then, standing over
him, he deliberately shoots him through
he heart. Miss Croydon, p~erceiving
ais intention, instinctively raises her
1wn pistol and fires at him. The shots
ire simultaneous, which explains the
single loud report heard by the ~janitor.
murderer calmly opens the door
and escapes.
ACT III.
Mrs. Delroy is at her library window,
inXiously awaiting her sisters return.
She has been absent much longer than
he expected to be, and Mrs. Delroy is
alarmed. Enter Jack Drys-
iale, the sisters affianced. Mrs. Del
tries desperately to get rid OF him,
lies to do so. in the effort to pre-
the discovery of her sisters abb
ence. AS he Is about to go, Miss
Croydon returns, sees her sister, and
Tells her that the interview has led TO
rhompson's death. Mrs, Delroy jumps
20 the conclusion that her sister has
herself committed the crime and COL
apses. Miss Croydon then, for the first
lime, seeing Drysdale, warns him that
'he is compromised. Exit. Drysdale
off in search of an explanation.
That Mrs. Delroy should for an in
believe her sister guilty of such
crime argues that the skeleton Is so
horribly repulsive that only Thompson's
leath could bury 1T DISQUALIFICATION,
IF course, Is plausible, since he doubt
knew the contents Of the papers.)
There" said Godfrey, laying down
ais pencil. after the recognized fash
three acts are devoted to deepen
ng the complications: two must now
devoted to clearing them away.
the work for the future. Let us
zee what we have to do"
He took up the pencil again and
TO a new sheet.
/. To establish the identity of the
Ia This may be done by
more careful examination of his be-
onglngs. The callosittes on his hands.
his weather-beaten face, the cut OF his
all indicate that he was a sailor.
should say that he had seen better
rays, put nad Deen brought down In
he world by drink. (Note-In the
morning, send a mar along the water
'front.' with his photography
2. TIC dlsinter the skeleton. This, of
will render necessary an exam
Of the history OF the
.rroydons, and should not be difficult.
lNote-ask Delaney to look up the
8. To discover the murderer.
This last" continued Godfrey, gaz-
ng contemplatively at his paper. lis,
If course, the most important; indeed,
t is the object of the other two. Now,
ct us see what we know about this
individual" and he turned
page.
/. He must have been in apartment
before Miss Croydon's ar
rival, otherwise he could not have
access to the bedroom unseen.
This huts out Jimmy the Dude.)
2. Therefore he was a friend or at
an acquaintance of Thompson's,
ii Is imDossible that he could
been there without Thompson's
3. But il Thompson consented to his
overhearing the interview, he must
ave expected some help from him.
4. Yet he was not in the apartment
1t Z o'clock when Higgins put Thonp-
son to bed.
5. But Higgins say that no one
after that except Miss Croy-
(Higgins may, of course, be mis-