The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-01-10
By R DICKSON
CHATTER xvi.-continusd
Aethor o.
The Black Wolfs Breed. nc
csspyrrat ~ - D ASp's.sa 3 oa1

"Joe.7 the other looked up sudden
" from the table. where did she goS
I saw her drive on that morning IN
a carriage. and don't know whether
she came back TO the hotel or not
I searched everywhere. have not
seen her since-sinee-this happened.
She Is at hrs. Chaudron's with her
cousin.
Miss Ashton was taken IN. wasn't
sheg"
yes"
Il thought that must be the reason.
She did not look wen when they drove
away He dropped his head In his
hands; after all II did not matter very
much. not now; nothing mattered.
Does she know where ! amp" He
did not raise his head.
yes: she was here Just now; she
saw you when you came into that
room"
Duke tottered to his feet. leaning
heavily with one hand on the table.
Why did she come to this placer"
"You would not give your name,
and the police wanted to identify you.
No. 1t wasn't exactly that way. but"
"Auitai Came 60 identify me2 My
Cod" he sank back into hts chair
again,
~Yes. both the girls are at the
Chaadrons'," Joe repeated. aimlessly:
Mrs. Chaudron took them home with
her after Mrs. Ashton disappeared.
OF course they couldn't stay at the
hotel alone. They are completely
crushed and heart-broken-"
Mrs. Ashtong Disappeared Duke
looked up blaDkiy. what are you
talking about? What are you talking
about9"
We've never found her. you know
We don't know a thing"
Don't know a thing about what?'
'Don't know what became OF Mrs.
Ashton. She's been missing now since
last Thursday, about IL O'Clock. We
nave about come to the conclusion
that she has been" Duke was star
ing al Joe. so steadily ia the face,
that Joe scarcely knew how ne I'm
ished the sentence: I'VE have come
to the conclusion that she has been
murdered"
$50 that's II, That's IT." Duke ex-
claimed. and sprang excitedly to his
Ceet-the mans eyes we're terrible 10
look at by God. Joe Balfour. you
don't mean to tell me that / am here
Ia jail under suspicion OF numbering
q wOman-a woman2 thought those
police we're asking me a lot OF foo
questions-eouldB't make out what
they were driving at. That old por-
ter said those hotel doors were not
opened on Thursday night-did he!
He's a liar. a leather-faced liar. And
that other Frenehmsn. the one with
the black mustache-he's a liar. too
They carried somebody away from
that place about daylight the next
morning. Let me out Of here-let me
get out. No. no. ! forgot"
Joe caught him firmly by the arm
and sat him down at the table again
Joe was now much more excited than
the other man.
Tell me. Noel. tell mel You say
those doors we're opened on Thursday
night. that they carried somebody OUT
Of there the next morning. What %
you know about it2"
4 saw II myself-stood right there
and watched the whole thing.
walked up and down that street All.
night long. An ambulance from The
hospital came there about daylight
men with uniforms ~on-yeilow flag.
They took somebody out or there on
a stretcher I don't know how, bat
4 got the idea that a was a woman.
both OF those lying hounds helped 70
iift the stretcher into the ambulance
At the words hospital" stretch
er," yellow Gag" Joe bounded 20 his
feet. lie stopped, listened to a few
more sentences. then tore open the
door and rushed like a madman
through the corridor.
II was done SO quickly that ne got
away before Duke could understand
what had happened. When lie ran on,
Of the cell and reached the jailere
door he heard Joe's excited voice in
the room.
Look here. Mr. Fitzgerald. he says
that some one was taken ava from
that hotel in an ambulance
Ilmmy Fitz and the jailer were az
tuidy on their feet. standing close 10.
ENtuNt AVi NiNAtNAlYu tucl NaN hNalN
Joe coming Baker tried to slip ont
through the door, but Joe blocked IL
ard the man took refuge behind q
desk FiD and Baker and the lanel
glanced nneasiiy at ach other.
"Hes. Mr. Balfopf Jimmy Flh
began
I'm a hospital ambulance on Friday
morning
Well you see. Mr, Baifour. It was
thls way
Those two Freedmen helped d
put a stretoher IN the ambulance
sYes. ar Baifoar Jimmy had
Rop caught BIS breathi be spoke IN
ths mo,i conoiliatory tone, spreading
sui ~ taads As Il ~ were pouring