Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-10-25

~ LINN q ~ 49,
ag'in." he added, as we started upward
though | see now hat L was foolish,
fer really, 1t don make no difference
-
The car stopped and he led the way
down the hall without troubling to fin
ish the sentence.
Here we are" he added, pausing
before a door and producing a bunch
of KEYS. Which reminds me that I'll
have Z git a key fer you-the other
tenant lost his-leastways, II wasn't
found on him. Or mebbe you'd rather
I'D change tn LOCKE"
"Oh. no" l assured him. Another
key viii do" and we entered together.
1 examined the room with keen in
terest. Evidently everything had been
left Just as IL was on the night OF the
crime; only the body a been re-
moved. and IL, / knew, was at the
morgue. waiting Identification. Hig-
gins was busy pointing out 10 me the
advantages of the apartment, but l
confess I did not heal him. l recon
struCtcd the picture which had met
Godfrey's eye when he burst into the
room, J tried in vain to discern some
point Of evidence which he had over
looked. The furniture vas OF the com
mouest kim n consisted of only the
most necessary articles.
Higgins Ted the way into the bed
room and opened the door OF the bath
room beyond.
Il hail bring my own furniture" /
said But 7 haven't any carpets. Per-
haps ! can buy these. They seem pref
~ good"
"They are. sir" agreed Higgins.
They're good carpets n as good as
tn day they was put down. ItI make
il lots easier for us If we don't have [
take 'em up
"Ali right" l agreed. Find out
- 100 . mn $50.
have the rooms ready"
He looked at me and scratched his
e again; then, remembering sud-
denly the nature Of janitors, / took out
my purse n tipped him.
Have them ready by tomorrow aft
ernoon, | said Get a man TO help
you. If necessary. I'll expect 10 be at
homo here tomorrow night"
His face cleared instantly.
I'll do it. sir" he agreed, as he
pocketed the money. I'll see that
everything gifts in all right. You kin
sign tn rent agreement to~morrow-th'
SCOT rents fer forty a month
Very well" l said. and followed him
Into the outer room. smiling to myself
at the thought hat | had forgotten
TO ask for this important detail.
Would you mind il / sat down and
took a smoke. while | decide how I'll
arrange my furniture? 2"
That's all right, sir" he assured me
instantly. and just Their the elevator
bell rang. There" he added. its
them COMPOUNDED artists, too lazy T.
walk downstairs. I'll be back in a
minute. sir"
II took me but an instant to light my
cigar, then ] whirled my chair around
20 the table before which il stood The
table a a single drawer. l opened
81. II was absolutely empty. / went
GI1fCk1y sO the hadrppm aud puanaI
the closet, but not even a piece Of
clothing hung there. Then | turned TO
the dresser. but its three drawers, too.
We're empty. Evidently all of Thomp-
sons belongings had been removed by
the police. OF course they had searched
through every Dol and Granny; it was
foolish Of me 10 expect 10 find any
thing now.
I returned TO my chair and looked
again bout the room. There was the
corner where Miss Croydon had cow
cred. and from which she had shot at
Thompgon's assailant; there was the
spot where Thompson himself had al
len. he had lain extended on the car
pet, while the--what vas hat a
tiny sparkle caught my eye, a reflec-
ton OF the light overhead. | sprang
from my chair and stopped above the
place. but could see nothing. / re-
turned TO my chair. n again caught
Tie IEiiOGAlotl. HIS liiIlc, Il HidIhtu II
exactly in the pattern OF the carpet.
went 10 il carefully; put down my
Observation-Disclosures, a little hard point
pressed into the carpet, so minute l
could not pick Ii up. / moistened my
finger. n an instant later, under the
light. ! saw that l had found a dia-
mondi
/ wrapped 1t carefully in a scrap OF
paper and slowed IL AVA safely In my
pocketbook. Then I went back to my
chair. How came the diamond there?
A stone so minute must have beer set
In a piece OF jewelry: perhaps IA
only one If many such stones forming
a cluster. or q border TO a larger jewel.
II one could only discover the piece
from which 1t had fallen, there would
be a clew-
Wei, have y got 1t all fixed, sir?"
asked a voice from the door, and /
turned with a start to see Higgins
standing there.
Yes" / answered. rousing myself
with an effort; and l gave him such
directions as occurred to me. Has
anyone else been in the rooms?" L
asked.
mot since yesterday mornin', sir.
when tn coroner brought his jury T.
look EN- over. They've been locked
since then"
Il thought perhaps somebody might
have wanted to rent Them" / explained.
Say. hats funnyi" he cried. I'D
purity night forgot ii. Early this
mornin' they was Somebody wom-
an" He came close to me and dropped
his voice TO a hoarse whisper. ID "
xnow who l think IL was? That Croy-
dor woman."
| stared at him in amazement.
Weren't you sure?"
"No; she had a veil wrapped around
her head an she was dressed different.
But Ii was her--I know It,"
And what did she want?" | asked,
more ard more astonished.
'She wanted L see tn rooms: but |
told her they was closed. ! tell YOU. !
was dead afeard Z come up here with
her. How'd ! know but she'd take a
shot at me? Then h wanted I rent
'em sight unseen. an offered a months
rent in advance-but told her
we didn't rent scots 4 single women.
which Is true. Mebbe 1 was kind o
rough, but i was a-skeered Z have her
around, fer 1 kind o believe she's crazy
so rufty soen, after some more taikin
she give Ii mp an went away.
AS we vent down in the elevator. !
Wondered this remarkable story. Couic
IL really have been Miss Croydon Bu'
what POSSIBLE reason could h have
for wishing to rent the roomsy Flow
- A-~.-iF a., nntay than