Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-09-26
as though those fellows had about worn

tor. Simon Higgins"
'Oh, yes; / remember now. sup
pose they asked you about a million
questions"
"A Million" echoed Higgins. with
scorn. Ten million'd be more like 1t.
But 1t wasn't so much that. as that
they wouldn't believe me when 1 told
EN- a thing. They seemed t think l
was lynn"
Godfrey nodded sympathetically.
That does get on a mans nerves."
he agreed. II feel a little upset. myself
won't you try a smoker"
Higgins took the cigar.
IT'S agin tn rules" he said. but I
don't keer: l iced it," n he bit off
the end.
They sat together for a moment in
silence, listening to the tramp Of feet
in the halls overhead. the opening and
closing OF doors. the subdued murmur
OF voices. At the stair-fOot, beyond the
elevator. they caught a glimpse. now
and then. OF a policeman pacing back
and forth.
They're searchin' tn house," OBJ
served Higgins. at last. with a grimace
OF disdain. Il turned tn keys over t.
them. Much they'll find!"
Nobody there. eh?' 1t was not really
a question:; 1t seemed more a sign Of
polite interest In Godfrey's part.
II ought t know. told 'em they
wasn't nobody there. Aain't 1 been
here all evenin' 'cept fer that minute
out 'cept tn girl-not since Z O'Clock.
That was about tn tim hat there
blamed Thompson come in. too drunk
T. stand. He'd never "a got home in
tn world by hisself. but they was .
Teller with him. a-holdin' him up"
Godfrey was listening with strained
attention. There were many questions
no NjShnd fn oCk hllf hA dared not fA~
terrupt.
We'll. we got him upstairs atween
as. An then. when 1 went through his
pockets, I couldn't find bis key. an I
had t con down an git mine afore !
could git his door open. We laid him
on his bed an left him there. a-snorin'
like a hog. That feller who vas with
him was certainly a good sort. He set
down here t talk Z me a while-it was
rainin' SO hard he couldn't go-an' he
said he'd run acrost Thompson down at
Pete Magraw's place on Sixth avenoO.
Thompson was treatin' everybody an
actin like a fool ginerally: then he got
mad an started t clean out tn saloon.
an Pete vas goin' I call a cop. but
this Teller said he'd bring him home
an 80 he did"
Higgins stopped to TAX breath. and
Godfrey ventured to put a question.
Did you know him."
No: / never seed him afore."
VIVA sort OF a looking fellow was
he?"
"A good-lookin' Teller. we'll dressed-
no bum. l kin tell y that. He was short
an ~heavy-set, with a little black
moustacale that turned up at tn ends"
Godfrey's heart gave a sudden leap
so Miss Croydon had told the truth.
after all! She was not trying to pro-
tect ANYBODY. And the case was going
to prove a simple one-he had been
reading a mystery into 1t that it did
not possess; that was always the
himself. a little bitterly-he was
forever looking for hidden meanings,
for abtruse clews. for picturesque solu-
lions. instead OF following the plainly
evident, of accepting facts at their lace
value. Well. eimmonds certainly would
not make that mistake: he would have
And then what happened?" he
asked. Il suppose this fellow went
away?"
"Oh. yes: he stayed here talkin' quite
a while-he started t go once or twice,
but th' rain vas too bad. But about
8 O'Clock he said he couldn't stay no
longer. rain r no rain. an was jest
buttonin' up his coat. when a cab drove
up an a got out. She had a
thick veil on. SOS couldn't see her
face, but from her style I judged she
was a high flyer. She come up Z mo
an she nays. I want t go Z apart
rent fourteen-Mr. Thompson.' Mad.
'Why!' she asked. quick like. 'ain't he
there? Hes there says I. but he
ain't IN no condition t. see a LADY,
Never mind says she. TIL go up
All right say I. I'll be back in q
minute I added E my friend. NO.
h. a0as0 N 1A~t -
an he started toward tn door. We'll.
good night / says. %an'stepped into tn
car an started 1t.
Il moved her tn door O. fourteen.
an she knocked. I was waitin' at tn
elevator. fer l knowed Thompson was
toe lead drunk t. hear her an I'd have
Z take her down agin; when blessed
walked. vell. sir. I was so dumfound-
ed I couidn't believe my own eyes!
But IN she went, an I come on down.
try1n' { h0gsr 1t out. It was mebbe
ten mAauter later that I heard a pistol
shot a I kno~eed in a minute what d
TOO familiar. an. she'd put . bullet
In MIN. Though" he added. reflective
" why. II SHE'S straight. she'd 20 {.
his npom at dfl 10 more'n I kin see"
Was there only n shot!" asked
Godfrey.
Only one" answered the janitor:
but It sounded like a small cannon.
1t dadAt ON from no sech little pop
gun astaas which Mr.. simmends picked
up IN tn coraer. rushed up tn stairs
an threYiopen tn door.
Wasn't Il locked."
No: an that's funny. too" he added
"fer remember hearin' the lock snsc
after tn girl went IN. Somebody muat
threwed 1t back ag'in. Nehbe IL:
stN y It. trytn' e get out. an Thomn-
scn got . hold Of. her an then h let
him have H."
Gedffey nodded: with an appreciation
eeemhpay very deep.
TITS 1t no doubt" he said. II
n you're q Close reasonsr. Mr.. Hie-