Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-10-12

monds' crestfallen face Was he Jus
tfed in pushing her further? He
glanced at her again from under
half-closed lashes end her imperious
beauty did it's work
That is ALL" he said abruptly. You
may go, Miss Croydon"
Godfrey watched her as she lowered
her veil, rose. stepped down, and took
Drysdale's arm. She had carried II off
well, exceedingly we'll Her attitude
had been so frank, so candid, so openly
sincere that he himself was almost con-
vinced by it. But for that instant's
agitation when she first perceived the
prisoner, he would have been quite con-
vinced She had told her story and
answered Goldberg's questions with
clear cheek and steady eye--with a di
Tectness which had plainly carried
great weight with the jury. Wonder
full was the adjective which Godfrey
used in describing her TO himself.
But what had that instants agitation
meant? Was Jimmy really guilty?
Was she trying to shield him, out of
gratitude, perhaps, for defending her?
Had Jimmy risen 10 that height OF
chivalry? See with what a fascinated
gaze he was watching her now
She passed from sight, the door
closed, and he leaned back in his chair
TO hear Jimmy tell a smooth story OF
his doings the night before. Magraw
and half dozen others confirmed the
tale. il was a really good alibi care
fully arranged there was nothing to
disprove il, and at the end, the Jury,
without retiring, handed in the usual
verdict Of death at the hands OF a per
son unknown.
When Il was over. Simmonds crooked
al Godfrey an inviting finger, and to-
x ther they went down to the detec-
tiye's private office.
Sit down." said Simmonds; Il want
to talk TO you. We're up against a
tough proposition"
Godfrey sat down and looked al him.
Yes we are" he agreed,
What do you think OF it?'
I'm more inclined to think Jimmy
guilty than l was last night"
You saw, then, that she was try
ing TO protect him?" asked Simmonds
eagerly.
Il saw there was some understand
ing between them. Don't let your
theory Of Jimmy's guilt carry you
away Besides, there's a good deal TO
say on the other side. There wasn't
enough finish about II to look like
Jimmy. He'd think a long time be-
fore he killed a man with "a third per-
son looking on
But if II was self-defense?"
Godfrey raised his eyebrows ex-
pressively.
Il think she was drawing the long
bow myself" agreed Simmonds, quick
ly and there can be only one reason
for it-she's trying to protect Jimmy,
or whoever II was killed Thompson. IL
was Jimmy, / tell you--he was Jealous
Of her"
"Oh, nonsense!" interrupted Godfrey
impatiently. "A love affair between
those two, You've been reading French
romances, Simmonds!"
/ hf4F fy..
stranger things than that right here
in New York. This is a bad snar any
way you look at IL. Here's a point
now-how could Thompson, VINO was
dead drunk al O'Clock, be wide awake
at s? How could he have heard Miss
Croydon's knock ,"
Maybe 1t wasn't Thompson who op-
ened the door"
But Miss Corydon entered without
hesitation. The man who opened the
door must We been the one she ex-
pected to see. Youll remember, she
asked for Thompson"
We'll whoever il was" Godfrey
pointed out. lit wasn't Jimmy. He
couldn't have beaten the elevator up
stairs"
mo" admitted Simmonds helplessly,
The couldn't But let me point out one
thing-whoever got into Thompson's
rooms had his key. There was nobody
liltIt WHICH iAlSBllS put thompson 10
bed, Higgins locked the door when ne
came out; Thompson's windows were
all locked on the inside and the transom
was bolted Now If Jimmy didn't have
the key who did?"
II don't know" said Godfrey. But
we'll never arrive anywhere If we keep
tangling ourselves up this way. Who
is Thompson? The first thing we'Ne got
TO do Is to establish his identity Then.
maybe we can make a guess at the
rest OF the story"
"Of course: | saw that at once. But
a queer thin 6 rs that we can't find out
a thing about Thompson. Last night
was the first time ned even been seen
at Magraw 's--nopody there'd ever seen
him before. lie spent three or four dol
lars treating the crowd Then ne got
noisy and MagraW was going TO call
The police but Jimmy spoke up and
said he'd look after him. His story was
straight that far"
Have you gone through Thompson's
beloagiugs?'
Here they are" and Simmonds
brought out a canvas bag and opened
t. Look at them
Godfrey turned out the contents and
examined them piece by piece. IL was
merely q lot Of ordinary clothing most
Of IL the worse for wear and an Of il
strongly lmpregnated with the odor
Of yo5acco.
anything in the pockets?" asked
Godfrey,
fCcpF,p,ed MAJ NuooiN