Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-10-31
CHAPTER II.
A CRY TOR UEL.p.

CHAPTER ii.
4. CRY FOR HELP.
For three days Thompson's body lay
erthronct on its couch at the morgue
but of the thousands of people who
MED past it. not one could give II single
clew TO its identity. Godfrey's ennis
saries went from end to end OK the
docks. loitered In sailors saloons and
eating places. provided nnumerable
drinks. bur nowhere did they meet any
one WHO recognized the rough. bearded
race which the camera had reproduced.
h officers of every ship that had ar
rived within a week We're interviewed.
but none OF them knew Thompson. 1t
would seem that he had dropped from
tire clouds and that 10 II had wit
Messed his descent. 1t was an alto
"ether puzzlins state o. affairs. and
made Impossible amy further real prog
rcss IN the investigation of the crime.
The police worked I'm a desultory fash
ion along the usual lines Various the
cries were built up and exploded: vari-
Gus c'ews were laboriously followed
ana found To lead nowhere: various sus-
poets were arrested and afterward re-
leased: a close and utterly futile watch
was kept on the movements of Jimmy
the Dude. 1t was plainly apparent that
the authorities We're all at sea. and IT
seemed altogether likely that the affair
would Soon be written down with New
FORKS other unsolved mysteries.
i'uhllc interest waned and dwindled.
ana passed on to other things. Even
with me. living at the very scene of
'he crime. 1T faded in an astonishing
way. 1T no longer occupied my
over my evening pipe. II was
rot the details of the mystery l con-
1urcd up. but "A vision of a dark
rave.
An Inquiry of the janitor developed
the fact that it was my neighbors. Mr..
and Mrs. Tremaine. whom had met
that evening as I left the elevator.
uhey a the apartment just across
'ne nan from mine. and / had thought,
OF course, that I must meet them FIRE
quentiy but three days had passed al,
l mad caught not a glimpse OF the,
their hours for coming and gofr
seemed radically different from mine.
80 II was with a sense OF disappoint-
n,ent somewhat foolishly excessive that
l SET III my room and watched the
smoke circle up around the chandelier
ana at the whim which had
orought me to his apartment. MOI
put that 1t was comfortable enough;
YET ! was vaguely restless. uneasy; |
had not that homelike sense Of COM
1ort and quiet which had marked nv
sojourn With Mrs. Fitch. There was
nothing to be discovered here concerns
ing the tragedy: the rooms had been
stripped bare Of evidence before INV
arrival; 1t was absurd to
heard the sudden opening of a door:
IL scream. shrill. full of terror.
rarely have l been so startled as j
was by ina voice. In an instant, / vas
IN tne nan. A red light streamed
through the open door of the apartment
opposite. ~silhouetting a woman's figure,
ssarihF. with clasped hands.
s.p"ang past her. pulled down the
burning curtains. and threw them into
the nall. where Higgins. who had run
up the stairs. stamped out the flames.
The room was full OF smoke. but il
was evident hat the fire had spread no
farther. opened the window, and the
smoke was whirled away.
"Ihat was lucky" was Higgins COM
Ment. as nc stood painting IN the door
way. BY tricky! I'm all in a tremble.
l thought 1t was another murder.r
l couldn't helm laughing ne 7 ,ooled
at him gasping excitedly for breath.
You've got murder on the brain"
sale: u hope there won't be any more
at the Marathon"
SO do ~ he agreed. and gathering
turned to go. curtains
An. bon die" cried Mrs. Trcmaine.
N queeriy broken. but very charming
mixture OF French and English. What
a chance. What good fortune that YOU
Were IN your room. missie."
Sne mad closed the window with a
V shiver a. the cold and Their
stepped Oack into the full light I