Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-09-27
Higgins gasped and choked, staring

ilN'N SDailt - anu ~ SltAli''A NANiNNuAJ
up ard down the hall.
Tho police will find him if there is
sdil Godfrey reassuringly. "Wha hap
peaC1 after you reached the room?'
Well continued Higgins. quietlng
down a little, but still keeping one eye
ovcg his shoulder, las / was sayin',
] tErowed open tn door, an there was
tn Girl leanin' agin tn wall an Thomp-
son on tn floor with a big blood-spot on
his shirt front. / jest give II look
at EN- an then / went down tn steps
three ut a time an over { tn station.
] tell you, ii purity nigh done me up
He was interrupted by a tramp Of
feet that came down the stairs. 1t
was Simmonds and the coroner. closely
attended by the crowd of reporters,
who Immediately surrounded Godfrey,
in threatening admiration.
How did you happen TO be here?'
demanded Rankin of the Planet.
Just luck" explained Godfrey, look
ing around the group with a pleasant
smile.
Does it mean another SCOOP
"Oh, no; not at all! / dare say you
fellows know more about it now than
/ do
"Oh, Of course we do" assented
Rankin dryly. amid derisive laughter.
AT least" Godfrey added Mr.. Gold
berg has all the facts and is probably
willing to help you out"
Yes" agreed the coroner; but it's
getting late, and I'm in a hurry-I'l
give you ten minutes at my Office and
he started toward the door.
'All right" said Rankin; come on
boys and they trooped out OF the
building together.
Simmonds waited until the last of
them had disappeared.
We'll, we searched the house" he be-
gan.
Nobody there?" asked Godfrey.
mot a living soul. | didn't really ex-
pect to find anybody; but we Wen
through every room-even to the suites
which are occupied"
Higgins opened his mouth suddenly;
then as suddenly closed 1t.
Did you find the doors all locked?"
Every one; the hall windows bolted
on the inside and the trap in the roof
hooked in place. There's only one way
our man could get out-that was by
the front door yonder,' and Simmonds
looked sharply at the j%anitor.
Higgins grew red in the face.
Il amt got nothin' more t. say" he
burst out eXplostYely. You'll be sayin'
i did il, nextl'
"Oh, no. retorted Simmonds coolly,
'you didn't do 1t. But I'm not quite
sure you've told us all you know"
Higgins sprang from his chair. fairly
foaming at the mouth with rage, but
Simmcnds calmly d~isregarded him.
rive left a man on guard in Ia" he
said. Goldberg van to bring his
jury around in the morning TO look at
things. Here's your keys" n he
handed the jingling ring back to the
janitor.
There's a man coming up from the
office to take a flash-light of it, said
Godfrey. NO objection TO that, |
Euess?"
NO; that's all right. Come around in
the morning to talk it over. l think I'll
have some news for you" and he went
OH out into the street.
Higgins sat dow again, still nursing
his wrath.
did " hear him?" he demanded.
why, he as good as called me a liar!"
'Oh, you mustn't mind him." said
Godfrey soothingly. It's his business
to be suspicious. He doesn't really sus-
peet YOU"
We'll, they amt no cause 4 suspect
mel amt done nothin'.' returned the
janitor; then he looked ~meditatively at
his keys. which he still held I'm his
hand. Funny" he murrnured; funny.
] don know when they went out
Godfrey said nothing, but contem-
plated him through half-elosed eyes.
AT that instant the street door opened
and a man and woman entered.
There they come now!" cried Hig-
RliLS. SDIiIHlilS W ~ iCGl. 1bOu tNIil-
in. Mr.. Tremaine."
Good evening" returned the
stranger, in a voice singularly rich
and pleasant.
II was jest a-sayin' L my friend
here added the %janitor, that l hadn't
see " go out"
Godfrey, for an instant, found him
self gazing into a pair of the keenest
eyes he ever encountered.
You wished to see me-" asked Ire
maine.
oh, no, no. interrupted Higgins;
but tn p'lice was goin' through tn
buildin-'
'Oh, / fergot-you don't know-that
man Thompson's been murdered-he
had tn SCOT right acrost tn hall from
you
Murdered.n echoed Tremaine. MUIR
dered, Why. that's terrible! Who did
it? How did 1t happen2"
Higgins retold the story With some
JUNCTION. evidently enjoying his listen
er's horror. But Godfrey did not even
glance at him. He was gazing-per-
haps a shade too intently for polite
ness-at Mrs. Tremaine. And. indeed,
she was a woman TO hold any mans
eyes.
the story was finished.
THE house has been searched?" he
asked. THE scoundrel couldn't be hid
dem
"Oh, no., Higgins assured him: 9TH
plice went all through it-even through
your rooms"
I'm glad of that-then We can sleep
In peace"
Godfrey rather wondered that Mrs.
Tremaine took no part IN the discus
sion. She too listening Alphabetically,
NOT even noticing his stare.
When they told me they'd gone
through your rooms" added Higgins,
81 was kind o. surprised. I thought you
was at Tome T. night"
And that we stayed I'm our rooms
during all that row." queried Ire
maine, smiling. Il suppose there was
a row.
His eyes sought Godfrey's again:
then he turned back TO Higgins, evil
IDENTIFY disturbed.
You mean we may a TO prove an
alibi?' he went on quickly. "Oh. we
can do that. We left the house just
utter 7 o'clock-that was the first that
/ knew Ia was occupied could see a
light through the transom. didn't see
you anywhere about
"Oh, now I understand" cried Hig-
eius: that was while we was putin