The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-09-12

Tcdu ndltl1Sly. N@'.l nave 10 report I'LL
event the most interesting which has
just happened here, and which proves
again the futility OF vows the most rig
orous to quiet the ardent desires Of the
human heart or to change the"
"Oh, well,', interrupted Simmonds,
1--WE can't vast time reading I'M more
'of that rot; 1t sounds like a French
novel. The coroner can wrestle with 1t,
IL he thinks 1t worth while"
He replaced the clippings in the
purse, which he slipped back into the
pocket from which he had taken It.
Now he added, rising to his feet,
we'd better get the girls story"
DO you know who he is?'' asked
Godfrey, In q low voice. AS he glanced
at her, he was startled to note her at
titude of strained attention. which. as
he turned, lapsed instantly to n of
seeming apathy.
II heard you call her Miss Croydon"
rYes-she's the sister Of Mrs. Rich
ard Delroy."
Again Simmonds whistled.
The deuce you say! Dickie Delroy!
Well, that doesn't a any differ
ence," II he turned toward her reso-
lutely.
Miss Croydon" he began abruptly,
though perhaps in a gentler voice than
he would have used toward the aver
ooS 5uoPSSlI "OIS Jou III III 1OOIIl
when this man was killed."
Yes, SIR"
You know him?"
r"Only slightly" she answered coolly,
disregarding Godfrey's stare of amaze
ment. His name, I think, was Thomp-
SON." -
You had an engagement with him
here?" 81.
Yes, sir: on a private matter which
cannot cOnCarn fha nnlira
Simmonds passed that e for a mo-
ment.
"Wm you kindly tell US just what
happened?" he asked.
II drove here in q cab" she said,
speaking rapidly, (which 1 told to wait
for me. In the vestibule, I met the
~janitor, and asked to be conducted to
suite Ia. He brought me up here where
Mr.-Mr. Thompson was waiting. I
entered and closed the door. We were
talking together when the door Of the
inner opened and a man came
out. Before. I realized what he was
doing, he raised a bar of iron he held
In his hand and struck Mr.. Thompson
upon the head. Then, standing over
him, he drew a revolver and fired one
shot at him. I had shrunk away into
h corner, but thinking him a mad
man, believing my own life In danger,
I Grew my pocket pistol and fired at
| Without even glancing at me, he
opened h outer door and disappeared.
The janitor rushed in a moment later"
Did your shot hit him?" asked Sim
monds.
Il don't know; I think not; he showed
no sign of being wounded"
Simmonds stood looking at her; God
frey turned to an examination of the
opposite wall
Miss Croydon't shot went Wild" he
said, ~curiously elated at this conhrma-
ton of her story. Here's the bullet >
n he pointed to 1t, embedded in the
woodwork of the bedroom door.
Smmonds o a look at It. hen he
returned to the inquiry.
Did YOU know this Intruder" he
asked.
mo, sir; I'd v before seen him.
she answered steadily.
will you describe himT"
She closed her eyes, seemingly in an
effort at recollection.
III was a short, heavy-set man.
she said, at last, with a dark face and
Clark mustacbe which turned up at ths
ends. That is all / can remember"
And dressed howT"
In dark clothes; he wore a SLOUGH
hat, / think, drawn down over the
eyes. I didn't see the face clearly"
The answer came without hesitation
but 1T seemed to Godfrey that there
was In the voice an accen of forced
sincerity.
What did ne do with the bar OF
tron?" asked Simmonds.
A soon as he struck the bow, J
think he-he threw 1t down. 1 re-
member hearing 1T fall"
"Yes-here 1t is" said Godfrey tri-
umphantly, and fished 1t out from un-
der a chair which stood near the wall
But see, SimmOnds-it's not a bar, it's
a pipe"
Simmonds examined 1t. It was ar
ordinary piece of iron piping, about
fifteen inches in length.
Her story seems TO be straight" he
said, in an undertone to Godfrey
What do you think about it?"
Il think she's perfectly innocent OF
any crime" answered Godfrey, with
conviction. He had his doubts as to
but he concluded to keep them to him
self.
well, there's nothing more to be
learned out here" remarked Sim
monds, after another glance around
Suppose we take a look at the other
ROOM" and he led the way toward the
inner door.
1t was an ordinary bedroom Of mod
crate size and with a single closet. In
~" ScAASN SAOhlSo "cTe DdHk-
ing. The bed had been lain upon, and
evidently by a person fully dressed. for
there were marks Of muddy shoes upon
the counterpart, fresh marks as of
n who had come in during the even
fng's storm. An empty whisky bottle
lay on a little table lea the bed. >
Il guess Thompson was a boozer,"
observed Simmonds.
Yes" agreed Godfrey, This face
showed that pretty plainly"
We'll, the man we're after amt I'm
here; We'll nave to search the house"
Cant we let Miss Croydon go home?
She won't run away-Pn answer for
that. Besides, there's nothing against
her"
Simmonds pondered a minute.
Yes, / suppose So" he said, at last.
LOT course. she'll have to appear at
the inquest. Do you know her ad-
dreas?"
"Yes-twenty-one East Sixty ninth
street"
Simmonds jotted 1t down in his note
book.
"An right" he said. You'd better