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

Not a thing except some loose smok-
Ing tobacco. There's one thing about
the clothing, though-have you noticed?
!ts all summer clothing: see these
linen trousers. now"
Godfrey nodded, with drawn brows.
what's this?' he asked suddenly.
holding up a swart object, shaped like
a clam-shell and halving In the same
way along the sharp edge.
Il don't know. A curio picked up at
sea ~somewheres. perhaps. I have a
theory that Thompson was a sailor
Why"
We'll, the bag in the first place-only
a sailor would carry his clothes tina
way. Then, put your head down in 1t
and. under the tobacco. you'll smell the
salt"
Godfrey shifted 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 a sud
den lean.
For there. coiled thrice upon itself,
lay a little viper. with venomous, tri-
angular head.
Then. in an instant. Godfrey smiled.
It's not alive" he said. Don't you
'~Ns ~ . 'lSthiS iiil Cio III VI VI
Simmonds approached cautiously and
took another look.
a nut?" he repeated. "A nut? Well?
that beats mel"
And well 1t might. for in every detail
the form was perfect. Godfrey locked
at 1t musingly.
This may give us a clew." he said.
Il shouldn't imagine a nut like this
grows III many parts Of the world.
Though. OF course. a sailor might pick
1t up anywhere-from another sailor, in
. slop-shop. even here In New York,
perhaps"
He closed the shell together again
n placed 1t. in the bag. stufing the
rest of the clothing In after 1t.
Thompson had no very exalted idea
OF cleanliness" he remarked. His
clothing needs a visit to the undry.
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, baggage. That receipts the only
yes; there's a letter tattooed on his left
arm. but it's not a Tits a j."
Which goes to show that his name
wasn't Thompson. / think you're right,
simmonds. In putting him down as a
sailor. I thought SO last night-in fact,
w already got two men making a
tour of the docks trying to find some
body who knew him"
Have you?" said Simmonds, smil-
ing. That's like you There's anoth-
er curious thing. though. about the
clothing he had on"
What 10 THAR"
Some Of it's marked with one initial.
some. with another. Not one piece is
marked with HIS"
That ID queer commented Cod
frey; but It isn't half 80 queer as
another thing. Why should a sailor, a
H 6r>ylnkn RI -yyitJYChyf n HA1Atf 1,tt -
clothes. rent an apartment that costs
him forty dollars a month. when he
could get a room for a dollar a week
down on the Bowery. his natural
stamping ground?"
Simmonds nodded helpiessIy.
"That's So" he said.
Unless" added Godfrey. che thought
he a to have some such place to
work from. He could hardly have
asked Miss Croydon to meet him in a
Bowery lodging house"
No" agreed Simmonds; "but he
needn't have blown In forty dollars.
either. He could "a got a nice room
most 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 the exhibits back
to YOU" he said. holding out a parcel
to Simmonds.
Simmonds opened 1t and took out a
pocket-book. a pipe. a knife, and some
silver money.
.All right" he said, and signed a re-
ceipt.
Godfrey waited until the door closed.
then he rose and came over to Sim
nonds's side.
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 drfIy.
That's another thing / 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 m the moment the
coroner took charge
Godfrey Stared at him with startled
eyes.
You remember" Simmonds con-
tinued. that after we looked at the
pocketbook. I put it back in Thomp-
sons pocket.
Yes-I saw you do that"
wv then went into the bedroom. and
had q look around. leaving the body
ALONE
With Miss Croydon" said Godfrey,
completing the sentence.
Precisely. Goldberg arrived a min-
~ 49, 49, - 4LlGfL EMue ana Il
searched the body again. When he
opened the pocketbook there was moth
ingsin II except the rent receipt
Godfrey sat down again In his chair.
The Inference was obvious, Irresistible.
The clippings had been removed by
Miss -Croydon-they were the papers
she had risked 80 much to get pos
session of. Simrnonds and he had the
secret under their hands and had
missed IT. II was no . pleasant re-
Election.
His thoughts new back to Miss Croy-
don, and he oun himsel1 again admir-
ing her. To have taken the ~clippinp
demanded a degree Of bravery. 81 self
control. amounting almost to callous-
ness. II seemed Incredible THAI she
should have dared approach the BODY.
open the coat.
Then he remembered her half-faint-
ing attitude when he had returned from
the inner DOM At the time, he had
thought h collapse natural enough.
Now; IT took on q new meaning.
HThere's another thing" continued
Sinrnonds, after 4 mon emf. Here's
1.-THE piece OF pipe we found on the floor.
do you n where it came from p.
OIL WAS going TO look that. 3