The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-03-07

Mr.. Royce" and he left the room.
followed him. for ! knew that I had
M further part in our Juniors errand.
] went back to our table and busted
myself gathering together our belong
ings. The room had gradually cleared.
aud Rt the end of ten minutes only the
coroner and his clerk remained. They
had another ease. n seemed To open In
tho morning another case which. per-
haps Involved just rs great heartache
and anguish ~ ours had. Five minutes
| lR'cr, my chief came hurryinH back tn
me. and glance at his b-aiuinK q. 80
told me how he had been welcomed.
| Miss Hoiladny has started home
/ with her maid" he said. she asked
me to thank you for her for the great
work YOU did this afternoon. Lester.
] told her II was really you who had
done everything. Yes. u was" he add
ed. answering my gesture or denial
while ! was cropping hclpiessiy around
In the dark. you found the way To light
hut cone: We must get back TO the
| Office
We found cab at the curb. and In
n moment We're rolling back over the
route We had trayersed that morning
ages ago. ~ Il seemed To me. u was
only few minutes after : o'clock: and
I reflected that I should yet have time
To complete the papers Ia the Iiurd case
before leaving for the night.
MT 'tFNnhtn WIS tllii nj Ills desk Nnd
he at once demanded AN account of the
hearing. I went back tn my work. and
30 caught only word here and there
| enough. however. To show me that our
| senior WAS deeply Interested In this eN-
! iraordinary affair. A. for me. ! put all
thought OF Il resoiutely from me. and
devoted myself to the work in hand
II was done NJ last. and ! locked my
desk with n sigh az relief. MIR. Graham
nodded To me kindly as passed out
and ] left the Office with the comfort
able feeling that | had done a good
days work for myself. as well as for
my employers.
"rinE In the hall followed me into the
elevator
This r. Mr.. Lester. isn't it," he
asked as the ear started To descend
Yes" ! said looking ut him in sur
prise. he was well dressed. with alert
eyes and strong. pleasing face. I had
never seen him before.
| And you're going la dinner. aren't
you. Mr. Lester" he continued.
| "icS--to dinner" I asaented more
and more surprised.
Now. don't you think me iinpertin-
en;." I've said, smiling at my look of
Rinazcment. but want you Ia dine
with nv" this evening I can promise
you ne scod "a meal az you can get al
most places In New York"
But I'm not dressed" I protested.
THAT doesn't matter In the least
neither ann L. you see. We will dine
la n solitude a deux.'
Where I questioned.
Well how would the studio suit 49,
The car had reached the ground roor.
and we left II together. ! was com
plctely In the dark AZ to- my compan-
ions purpose. and yet II could have
but one expla tion-it must be con-
nrcted la some way with the Holiday
"sse. Unless--and glanced at him
again. No, certainly. he was not con
ndence man--even n he was. I would
rather welcome the adventure Ny
curiosity won the battle.
Very we'll" said. I'm be glad to
accept your Invitation. Mr.
lie nodded Rpprovingly.
There spoke the man of sense Well,
YOU shall not go unrewarded. Godfrey
IN my nRme-uo. YOU don't know me.
but I'll soon explain myself. Here's my
cab"
I mounted into q, he after me. II
seemed To me that there was an un-
usual number of Ioiirr~rs about the
door az the building, hut we were OF
In "a moment. and | did not give them
a second thought. We ratified out into
Broadway. ana turned northward for
the three mile straightaway run Co
Union square. ] noticed in "a moment
that We were going AZ a rate OF speed
rather exceptional for n cab and ~
steadily Increased aS the driver found
n clear road before him. My compa MON
threw up the trap I'm the roof ~ the
cab as We swung around into Thir-
teenth street.
IAN right, SAM" he called.
The driver grinned down at Us
through the hole.
AN right. SIR" he answered. They
I l1W.sN q.
They're distanced."
The trap snapped down again, we
turned into sixth avenue and stopped
Ia n moment before the Studio--gra \
and forb!dding without. but n den with
iu. My companion led the way up-
stairs 10 private room, where table
stood ready for us. The oysters APP
penrcd before We were fairly seated.
You See he smiled. II made bold
To believe that you'd come with me.
and So had the dinner already ordered -
| looked at him without replying.
was completely I'm the dark. Could this
he the writer OF the mysterious note =
Hut what could his object be- Above
all. why should he So expose himself?
he smiled again. as be caught my
glance.
"Of course. you're puzzled" he said
We'll, IN make clean breast of the
matter at once, ! wanted To talk with
| Nhl AhbAA AHlN iihiiHANN fahFs allu I de-
cid"d that n dinner at the Studio would
be- just tn. ticket"
nodded. The soup was thing Ia
marvel at.
You were right I asSented. The
idea was "a stroke 81 genius"
II knew YOU would think so. You see
since this morning. I've been making
rather a study of you. That coup uf
yours at tho coroner's court this after
noon was nirable--one OF the hes,
things I ever saw"
! I bowed my acknowledgements
You were there. them" I asked.
"Oh. yes. 7 couldn't AFFORD tu miss a. -
The color blind theory was "a simple
one"
so simple that n never occurred "a
anyone else. l think we're too apt Ia
overlook the simple explanations which
are. after all. nearly always the true
ones. IT'S only In books that We meet
the reverse. You remember It's
GRboriau who advises one always Ia
disirust the proba ble-'
Yes I don't agree with him"
Nor !. Now take this case. for I'm.
stance. I think It's SAT-. To state that
murder. where It's not the result oI
sudden passion. II always committed