The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-06-14

hopeless the solution came surgirv ever
his memory i,ke the rush OF d great wave
across a PLACID sea.
IT vas the perfume used by Austin
Gates,
Austin Gates said the chief lnspoo-
tor. soicrnrly, II arrest you Tor the mar
der al John Wolcottt'
T!ae man 2aNe q gasp of terror and i,ttt
his hands before his eyes.
The proof" ne cried. "fiave vol the
proof2'
YES and more!' thundercd Barnes.
The conscience money that Jotsl Woltott
was honest enough 70 return to the Unit
ed states government has been the means
of convicting his murderer. Cafes. YOU
were The man who made the lying entry
by which the customs swindln was made
possible. You We're The man who swore to
the false valuations. Don't deny it You
can't. AS soon as Woicott discovered it he
made restitution, little thinking the money
That was kept from The government went,
not to the firm, but into your pocket. r.
NO more; no more" shr:eked the
wretch In his scat. II did 1t, but 1T was
not premeditated. | swear it before Cod
"How did you come to visit the house
the night this-this thing h~appened?''
asked Barnes.
Gates lifted up a white face and looked
at his questioner p:tifuliy.
II had become heavily involved in stock
gambling" he walled; 'and was at the
end OF my rope. That afternoon l asked
Wolcott for a small amount TO tide me
over. told him must nave it before the
banks opened next day. ] confessed that
If did not get it l would be ruined. HIS
unsatisfactory reply WAS, See me in the
morning. That night some dev..l tempted
me to go to his house to make a fina APP
peal. | had to have money"
From that point the murderer pictured
the story of his crime with a vividness
That fascinated his hearers. Once or twice
he arose to illustrate some point in his
narrative During the recital he appeared
to forget his own personality in the alb
sorbing interest of his story. 1t was as if
he We're relating an incident i'll the life of
another man.
Gates began by telling how he had dis
covered the front door of Wolcott's house
open. Walking in, he found himself in the
darkened recessed hallway. He called
softly, but received no reply. Glancing
upward, he noticed a hin streak of light,
radlatlag from the closed curtains of the
door leading to the library, once again
he called, but the only response was the
echo OF his voice as it came along the high
ceiling stairway. For a few, seconds he
stood there indeterminate. then, turning
sharply, walked up the heavily carpeted
steps.
He paused at the landing for a moment,
theE' stepping forward, parted the cur
talns slightly. The sadowy room was
plainly but substantially furnished. A
telephone occupied a niche in the fair side
OF the apartment. a few feet away the
Old man sat at o small table, engrossed in
writing. a student lamp with a green
shade threw an uncanny reelection upon
mis- bowed head and w:zened face.
Gates was about to make his presence
known when his quick eye detected an
open safe, with 2. j pigeon hole filled with
bank notes. EveA at that distance it was
plain that they represented a small fort
une. The sight choked the words of greet
ing ere they reached the intruder's Inns.
He stood silent, and a peculiar sensation
passing through his frame caused him to
tremble violently. He tried to speak again,
but his heavy tongue refused to do his
bidding. Put money in thy purse" quot
ed a demon within him. Quick on the heels
OF this thought came a sudden feeling
of resentment against Wolcott. Here was
a man almost on the edge of the grave.
boarding up needless wealth. Bitterly he
contrasted this with his own pressing ne
cessities and barren hopes.
In those few seconds of thought he not
only yielded to the temptation, but planned
every detail of the theft. Outside the cir
Gle of the lamp the room was in semi
darkness. The safe was at Wolcott's ell
bow and out of sight. He still bent over
the table, and the only sound to break the
deadly silence of the apartment was the
monotonous scratching of his pen. Gates
crept into the room on his tiptocs. He
held his breath as he moved step by step
IN the direction of the safe. lac was al
most within arms length. Another move
and he could reach the money and silently
creep out of the house and into the night.
He reached over, and the next second A
large packet was clutched in his trembling
grasp.
AT tina critical moment his road came.
within the zone of light reflected by the
green shaded lamp and threw the shadow
OF his profile on the wall. simultaneously
the old man, pausing in his writing for a
word, looked up and behold the strange
reelection. He jumped to his feet with all
the nervous energy of his quick nature,
and. turning, faced the intruder.
In his haste the sheet of paper. on which
he had been writing fell to the floor. IL
the Old man felt any fear he did not show
it. He Strengthened up his Dent form IN
an attitude of defiance. The XII about
the long, thin nose seemed drawn tighter
ever. He peered at Gates with the
searching look peculiar to near sighted
persons. L.ke a flash a look of Mortified
recognition overspread his leathery
1OuilA'iitSiiSC. ny biiIll ups ipltStN up lIlIO
an expression of inetfable contempt.
"You-you dastard." he cried.
He tried to say more. but the words
would not come. He made one wild, freu-
zied plunge at Gates. who stoods.t there like
a man n a trance. The pantherlike spring
OF his victim aroused the thief. and, fail
ing in this. reached out his right hand and
grasped Wolcott by the throat. In that
moment the thief was filled with an i'm
placable and unreasoning hatred. He
pressed until Molcott's eyes looked as If
they would leap from their sockets. Sud-
denly remorseful, he withdrew his hand.
Thus released. the merchant. staggering
to one side, made Il rush for the telephone.
He lifted the receiver with a palsied hand,
but before he could utter d word fell on
the floor unconscious.
A feeling of terror overwhelmed Gates.
He dropped down on his hands and knees
and raised the old man to a sitting pos
ture with his back propped up against
the wall. Wolcott was unconscious and
for breath. Gates tore away his
collar and cravat by sheer force. He call
ed out to him to speak, but the head of
the old man, unsupported, lolled from
eide to side emphasizing it's CHASTITY ex-
p~Eeesion of horror and contempt. A glass
water stood on the mantel. He seized
it and dashed part of it in Wolcott's face.
He tried to get a few dropc down tho