The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-15
Copyright 1907, sy c. N. A A.

1 struck one, which showed me on the mantel an end of a candle, standing
 up in bed of its own grease.
 lighted 1t, and not until the flame was
 burning brightly, did I look round.
 There was but faint illumination.
 yet 1t was enough to give me the se-
 cret of the room. I might have seen
 all at a glance as I came in, before
 the light of my last match was blown
 out by the wind, had not tho door as
 I opened it formed screen between
 me and the dead man on the floor. , He lay in the midst of the widest
 confusion. In falling, he had dragged
 with him the cover of a table, and
 glass lamp which was smashed Tn
 pieces. the spilled oil minshng witn
 the stream of his blood. chair had been overturned. and broken plate
 and tumbler with the tray that had
 held them. were half hidden in the
 folds of a disordered rug.
 But this was not all. The struggle
 for life did not account for the condi-
 ton of other parts of the room. Pa
 pers were scattered over the hoori the
 drawers of an old escritoire had been
 ierked out of place. and their contents
 strewn far and near. The doors of a
 wardrobe were open, and & few shab-
 by coats and pairs of trousers thrown
 about, with the pockets wrong side
 out or torn in rags. A chest of draw CTS had been ransacked, and narrow,
 hospital bed stripped of sheets and
 blankets, the stufhng of the mattress pulled into small pieces. The room looked as if a whirlwind had swept through 1t; and as forced myself to 20 near the body, I saw that 1t had not been left in peace by the murderer. The blood stained coat was open, the pockets of the garments turned out, like those in the wardrobe, and all the clothing disarranged evidently py hands which searched for something
 with frenzied haste and merciless ae- termination.
 The coming forethought of the wretched man had availed him notn- ing. I could imagine how Joyously he had arrived at this house, believing that he had outwitted the enemy l pictured his disappointment on not finding the friend who could nave
 helped and supported him. l saw now
 he had planned to defend himseii in case of siege, by locking and bolting | the door (both lock and bolt were 1 broken); I fancied him driven by nun | ger to search his friends quarters Tor l food, and fearfully beginning a sup ! per in the midst of which he had prob I ably been interrupted. Almost, 1 could feel the horror with which ne
 must have trembled when steps came | along the corridor, whom the door was i tried and finally broken in by force without any cry of his being heard :.
 I guessed how he had rushed to the 1 window, opened it, only to stare down | at the depths below and return desper- 1 ately, to stand at bay; to protest 70 tne avengers that he had not the jewels; | that he had been deceived; that he was innocent of any intention to oo- | hn nznlAfm HIl make anything right if only they would l give him time.
 But they had not given. him time
 They had punished him for robbins 1 them of the diamonds by robbing hin i of his life. They had made him pay
 with the extreme penalty for hi. | treachery; and yet in the flickerint
 candle light, the stricken face. blood spattered though 1t was, seemed tS 1 leer cunningly. as if in the knowledg' l that they had been cheated in the end i The confusion of the room promised badly for my hopes, nevertheless tner'
 was a chance that the murderers, Tn tent on finding the diamonds or som' | letters relating to their disposal, might if they found the treaty, have hastil! I flung it aside, as a thing of no value | Though the corridors of the hous' were lit by gas, this room had none | and the lamp being broken, I had t' | depend upon the bit of candle which
 might fail while I still had need o
 1t. I separated it carefully from itl | bed of grease on the mantel, and as did so, the wavering light touched my
 hand and shirt cuff. Both were stained red, and I turned slightly sick at tho sight. There was blood on my browr boots, too. and the grey tweed clothes which I had hot had time to change
 since arriving in Paris.
 I told myself that must do my bes' | to wash away these tell tale stains | before leaving the room; but hrst | would look for the treaty.