The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-10-17
CHAPTER l.

l ~ IS y - M NItIl
details. theories, suggestions to the
police, letters from interested readers
Many Of the latter were quite GER
tain that they could quickly solve the
mystery. but unfortunately private
business demanded their whole atten-
ZION; meanwhile. the stupidity Of the
detective force was a disgrace to the
city: let the guilty parties be arrested
without further delay, whatever their
position. 1t was remarkable how few
accepted the simple theory which Sim
monds had ~propounded: all of them
more intricate, more mysterious, and
Miss Croydon incurred much oblique
reference. This, for the most part. took
the form of scathing, even hysterical
polemics against the degeneration OF
American society, the greatest peril
threatening the health and prosperity
of the republic. AT it was with Rome,
so would 1t be with America; luxury,
sensuality. a moral code growing ever
more lax, could have only one re-
suit.
No doubt these vigorous c%orrespon-
dents enjoyed themselves and imagined
that society quivered in CONSERVATION
under the c~astigation. Certainly they
formed a source of exquisite amuse-
ment to the readers or the papers.
1t has long been a habit of mine.
when any particularly abstruse GRIM
inal mystery is before the public, to
pin my faith to the Record. Its other
features l do not admire, but 1 knew
that Jim Godfrey was its expert in
crime, and ever since my
with him in the Holiday case, l have
entertained the l~iveliest admiration Of
his acumen and audacity. If a mystery
was possible of solution, L believed that
he would solve it, so 1t was to the
Record 1 turned now, and read care
fully every word he wrote about the
tragedy.
1t is difficult for me to explain, sven
to myself, the interest with which ]
followed the case. l suppose most
have a fondness, more or less unreal
lied, for the unique and mysterious,
and we all of us revolt some times
day existence. We had been having
a protracted siege of unusually HARD
work at the office. and l was a little
u down in consequence l felt that
I needed a tonic, a distraction. and
1 found 1t in The Tragedy in Suite
H." as Godfrey had christened 1t.
l was sitting In my room on tho
evening of the second day after the
affair, smoking a post-prandial pipe
end reading the Records stenographio
report of the c%oroner's inquest when
there anne a knock at my door and
my landlady entered. She held in her
hand a paDer which had a formidable
legal appearance.
Have you found another apartment
yet, Mr.. LESTER" she asked.
mo. 1 haven't. Mrs. Fitch" I said.
Tn afraid I've not been as diligent
been."
Well, I've just -. another no.
tice," and she sighed YEARLY. "They'rs
going to begin tearing down the house
day after tomorrow. l can't And an
other house. so I'm going to put my
| f,,v,,jt,,ra u, O,o Cn YIya t1lI tL~ roa,
to come for it tomorrow"
All right" l said. IF I can't hnd
an apartment to suit I will put my
stuff in storage, too, and stay at a
hotel for a while. I'll 10Y by tomor-
row noon, Mrs. Fitch
though" she added, pausing On the
threshold, that we should be the onea
to suffer, when there's so many other
blocks they might ave taken"
THE residents of any Of the other
blocks would probably nave said the
same thing" l pointed out. after all
1 suppose this block was better thar
the others, or it wouldn't have beer
chosen"
h shifted skeptiGally, n went on
her way to notify Iaer other dodgers
of the imminent eviction.
We We're martyrs to the march OF
public Improvement. The block had
been condemned by the usual Legal
process, and an armory was to be
erected on the site. So there was noth-
ing left for us to do but move I had
hoped that Mrs. Fitch would find an
other house somewhere in the neigh
borhood and that I could stay with
her; now, it seemed, 1 must search
for other quarters, and at exceeding
ly short notice. To find comfortable
ones. conveniently situated, and at the
same time within reach of my modest
| income would Erauy ha a rrohla,,,
not easy of solution.
l settled back in my chair and took
UP my paper again, when a sudden
thought brought me bolt upright. Here
was an apartment, two rooms and
bath, Just what wanted, empty-and
admirably placed for close-at-hand
study of the tragedy. l glanced at
my watch-it was only half past sew
en-and l hurried into my coat in a
sudden fever of Impotence lest some
one should get there before me.
Twenty minutes walk brought me
to the Marathon apartment house, and
as | stepped into the vestibule l saw
sitting by the elevator a red faced
man whom I recognized instantly as
Higgins. the %janitor. He rose as ]
approached him.
You have an apartment here to
rent. haven't your / asked.
Not Jest now, sir" he answered.
I There viii be next week-if tn, walk
in delegates leaves us alone. You
see. tn house is bein' remodeled."
Oh" l said. more disappointed than
i cared to show. II thought perhaps
there was one 1 could move into at
once. Next week won't d. me any
good"
He moistened his lips and scratched
his head. cycling M undecidedly.
May l ask your name. sir?" he said,
at last.
I handed him a card, which had also
the address of my firm. Graham &
Royce. He read it slowly.
We've got one apartment, SIR" he
said. looking up when he had MASTER
ed it; two rooms an bath-but 81
needs a little cleaning up. When do
y have t. have it?"
Il have to move in tomorrow" /
answered, and / told him briefly whv.
May I look at this apartment
He hesitated vet a moment, then
Strengthened up with sudden resolu-
tion.
You kin see It IL you want to. sir.
he said: but first, / mus. ten so, that
It's SCOT fourteen. where they was 5
Ia murder two days ago
"A murder?" I repeated. "Oh, yes. /
did see something about 1t in the pa
pers. Well, that doesn't make any dir.