The Red Cloud chief., 1907-06-21
Continued from Page Three.)

ttAii'
But the doors aie all open," Dun.
combe said.
IL go presently and close them" ma
dame answered. '"The careless hussy!
Duncombe produced a small piece of
gold. Madame laid down the paper at
once. She looked ut 1t as though ready
to snatch 1t from his hand.
Madame would oblige me very much
IL she would ascend with me at once"
Duncombe said. II should like to
make quite sure whether the young
lady Is there or not"
Madame was on her feet with re-
markable celebrity. She accepted the
coin and carefully placed 1t In n purse
drawn from somewhere among the
folds of her voluminous skirts.
ave shall need n candle" Duncombe
reminded her.
She lit II lamp, talking all the while.
Monsieur is very generous" she de-
clared. mile. Flossie is II charming
young lady. No wonder she has many
friends. Ihere was one" she contlnu-
ed. "who came here with her this aft
ernoon, but he left almost at once" she
added hastily, aware Of her indiscre-
ton. "Ah, these stairs! They grow
sleeper for II SO corpulent. At last!'
She pushed open the door and went
sideways down the narrow passage.
Directly they had entered it they had
a view of the room beyond. Madame
cried out, and Duncombe felt all his
vague fears spring into a terrified APP
prehension of actual evil.
The curtain before the window had
been hastily drawn, but the lamp
which the Fortress carried was sutii-
cient to feebly illuminate the room. The
tablecloth and a broken vase lay upon
the floor. a few feet off was an over
turned chair. Upon the canopied bed
lay n PROSTATE figure, the head thrown
back at an unnatural angle, the eyes
open but glazed. Duncombe dared do
no more than cast one single Mortified
glance ut Ii. Madame set down the
lamp upon the table and made the lit
tie room hideous with sh:lcAs.
Good God" she cried, 1t Is the lit
tie one who is dead!'
Duncombe himself fetched In the
gendarmes and waited while they took
voluminous notes Of the occurrence
The murder seemed to them and to
madame to be one of a very common
class. The assassin had LEFT no clew
whatever behind him. The poor girls
rings had been torn from her fingers;
her little stock of jewelry ransacked:
her purse was empty; everything of
value had been taken. There was not a
shred Of evidence against any one. Ma
dame, who had seen the man upon the
stairs. could only say that he was short
and wore a black felt hat. The officer
who took down what they had to say
shrugged his shoulders as he replaced
the book In his pocket. The affair
would pass most certainly. he feared,
into the long list of u~ndiscoverable
crimes.
Duncombe left his name and address
and enough money for the funeral.
Then he returned to his hotel. This
was the end, then, Of the clew from
which he had hoped so much. Spen-
GERS warning as to what would surely
happen to those whom he might sue
coed In bribing came back into his
mind with s~ickening insistence. In a
measure he was responsible for the
girls death. After all, what chance
had hef He was fighting against pow.
ers which, moving always In the dark.
ness, seemed able with the most ridicu.
lous ease to Illustrate his every NOV e.
He re-entered the hotel In n state of
complete nervous depression. For the
first time he had forebodings on his
W account. What had happened to
Mile. Flossie might happen so easily to
him.
A man rose quickly from the lounge
IN the hotel as he entered. Duncombe
greeted him with a little expression OF
wonder.
Spencer" he exclaimed. Were you
waiting to see me?'
The journalist nodded. He was not
In evening dress, and he, too, had the
appearance Of a man who has received
something of a shock.
Eyes. The cafe Is closed, l suppose
Let us go down into the smokeroom.
want to talk to YOU"
Duncombe led the way. They found
two easy chairs and dispatched n wait
er for WHISTLES and soda. Then Spen
Ger turned to his friend.
Have you met" he asked, with any
SUGGEST"
None" Duncombe answered gloom
lily.