The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-10-18

Not a thing except some loose smok-
1ng tobacco. There's one thing about
the clothing. though-have you noticed?
It's all summer clothing; see these
linen trousers. now"
Godfrey nodded. with drawn brows.
What's this?" he asked suddenly,
q clam-shell and halving in the same
way along h sharp edge.
II don't know. A cur.o picked up at
sea somewheres. perhaps. 1 nave a
theory that Thompson was a sailor"
~Why?"
well. the bag in the t,rst place--only
q sailor would carry his clothes hat
way. Then. put you head down In 1t
and. under the tobacco, you'll smell the
salt"
Godfrey smiled and nodded again.
Then he got out his knife.
Let's take a look at the inside of
Mr.. Thompson's curio," he said, and
inserted the blade.
A twist and the sides Enclosed. Sim
mOnds sprang back with a sharp cry
of surprise as he saw what lay within,
and even Godfrey's heart gave q sud-
den leap.
For there. coiled thrice upon itself,
lay a little viper, with venomous, tri-
angular. head.
Then. In an instant. Godfrey smiled.
Its not alive" ne said. Don't you
see, it's some marvellous kind of nut"
Simmonds approached cautiously and
took another look.
IA nut he repeated. "a nut? Well?
that beats met"
And well 1t might. for in every detail
form was perfect. Godfrey looked
at 1t musingly.
This may give US a clew," he said.
Il shouldn't imagine a nut like this
crows In many parts OF the world.
Though. of course. q sailor might pick
= slop-shop. even here in New York.
perhaps"
He closed the shell together again
and placed 1t in the bag. stufling the
rest Of the clothing in after 1t.
Thompson had no very exalted idea
clothing needs q visit to the laundry.
And this Is all7"
"Yes-he'd rented his furniture from
q store down the street. He had to pay
his rent in advance because he had SO
little. bagEage. That receipts the only
yes: there's q letter tattooed on his left
arm. but it's not a TITS q j."
Which goes to show that his name
wasn't Thompson. I think you're right,
'Sfmmonds, in putting him Town as a
sailors l. thought go last night-in fact.
I've already got two men making a
tour offthe docks trying to find some
body who knew him"
Have you?" said Simmonds, smil-
Ing. That's like you. There's anoth-
or curious thing. though. about the
clothing he had on"
What 10 that7"
Some Of It's marked with one initial.
"Thatsis queer" commented Cod
frey; -but It isn't half so queer as
another thing. Why should a sailor. a
without a decent suit OF
clothes. rent an apartment that costs
could get a room for a dollar q week
down on the Bowery, his natural
ground?'
Simmonds nodded helplessly.
That's so." he said.
Unless" added Godfrey, "he thought
he had to have some such place to
work from. He could hardly have
Bowery lodging house."
No" agreed simmonds; but he
needn't have blown in forty dollars.
either. He could "a got q nice room
anywhere uptown for five a
week
A tap at the door interrupted him.
Come in.'' he called.
The door opened and the coroner's
clerk entered.
"Mr. Goldberg sent h exhibits back
to you,'' he said. holding out a parcel
10 Simmonds.
simmonds opened 1t and too out a
.pocket-book. a pipe. a knife. and some
.silver money.
IAN right" he said, and signed a re-
.ceipt.
Godfrey waited until the door closed,
then. he rose n came owe to Sim
imonds'sssside.
There's something here that might
help u.s." he said. picking up the
:pocket-book. Those clippings-why.
they're not here!'
Simmonds smiled. drily.
That 3 another thing 1 wanted to tell
you. The clippings have been re-
.Removed? BY whom?"
That's a question. They were re-
moved some time between the moment
we looked at them and the moment the
coroner took charge"
Godfrey Stared at him with startled
eyes.
tinued. that after we looked at the
.pocketbook, I put it back in Thomp-
sons pocket"
.Yes-1 saw you do that"
wv then went into the bedroom, and
had a look around. leaving the body
with Miss Croydon" said Godfrey,
completing the sentence.
Precisely. Goldberg arrived a min
ute or two later. Then he and
searched the body again. When he
openedythe pocketbook there was moth
inc In iitsexcept the rent receipt"
Godfrey sat down again in his chair.
The Inference vas obvious, irresistible.
The clippings had been removed by
Miss Croydon-they were the papers
she had risked so much to get pos
session of. Simmpnds and he had the
secret under their hands and had
zntssed 1t! It was not a pleasant re-
~llection.
His thoughts dew back to Miss Croy.
don. and he found himsel; again admir-
ing her. To have taken the clippings
demanded a degree of bravery, Of SELF
control. amounting almost to callous-
ness. It seemed incredible that she
should have da.ed approach the body,
omen. fhe<coat.
Thenshe remembered her half-faint.
ING attitude when he had returned from
the inner At the time, he had
Thought the collapse natural enough
Now: It took on a new meaning.
There's another thing" continued
Slmmonds. after a moment. Here's
1.-THE pieccsof pipe we found on the floor
do you know where it came FROM
49, a. -