Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-10-24

itit' tfpu.,tiN. tiDH.
Godfrey nodded. with dsaysn brows.
What's this?'' he asked suddenly.
holding up IL swart object. shaped like
a ,lain-si.el' and huivi!lg ia the same
WY along the sharp edge.
- don't know. Il curio picked W at
sea scncwhercs, perhaps. nave Il
titeory that Thompson was a saiior.'
''!Vhy9'
Wei. the tug ia the FIRST placc-only
way. Thcu. put yo,r head down Ia II
and, undcr tho tobacco. you'll smell the
salt"
Godfrey smiled and nodded again.
Then he got out his knife.
Let's take II look 1t the inside of
Mr.. Thompsou's curio," he said. and
inserted the blade.
A twist und the sides Enclosed. Sim
tucaIs spranS back will a sharp cry
nt surprise as he saw what lay within.
and aver e;odfrcy's heart gave q sud
den leap.
For there. coiied thrice upon itself.
lazy Il: little viper. witt veaornous. tri-
angular head.
Then. in an Instant, Godfrey smiled.
US not alive" he said. Don't you
see. it's some marvellous kind of nut"
Siulnonds approached cautiously and
took another look.
"A nut." he repeated. "A nut? Well?
that beats me-"
And well it might. FOR in every detail
the form was perfect. Godfrey looked
at 1t ,nusin-'y.
This may give us - clew." he said.
Il shouldn't imagine a nut like this
grows In many parts of the world.
Though. of course. II sailor might pick
ii w anywhere from another sailor. in
u siop-shop. wen here In New York,
perhaps.
He closed the shell together again
nnd placed it in the bag, stuting the
rest of the clothing In after 1t.
"Thoinpson had no very exalted idea
OF cleanliness" he remarked. Fills
clothing needs II visit to the laundry.
And this is ali?"
"Tcs--he'd rented his furniture from
a store down the street. He had to pay
his rent in advance because he had so
little baggage. That receipts the only
thing that's got his name on it-oh.
yes: there's Il letter tattooed on his left
arm. but it's not Il Tits q j."
(Which goes to show that his name
wasn't Thompson. think you're right.
Siiniaonds. In putting him down as a
sailor. I thought 20 last night-ir fact.
I've already got two men making a
tour of the docks trying to find some
body who knew him
HAY you?" said Simmonds. smil-
ing. That's like you. There's anoth-
or curious thing. though. about the
clothing he had on"
What is that"
Some OF it's marked with one initial.
some with another. Not one piece is
ins rked with his"
That is queer commented God
frey: but 1t isn't half SO queer as
another thing. Why should a sailor. Il
drunkard, without "a decent suit of
clothes, rent an apartment that costs
him forty dollars II month. when he
could get a room for a dollar IL week
t(nNN. Nh the RnUary he ,,nt,tru1
stamping ground?"
Simmonds nodded helplessiy.
THAT So" he said.
Unless" added Godfrey. he thought
he had to have sone such place 10
work from. He could hardly have
asked Miss Croydon to meet him In "A
Bowery lodging house"
No" agreed Simmonds: but he
needn't ave blown in forty dollars.
either. He could "a got Il nice room
most anywhere uptown for five "a
eek
A tap at the door Interrupted him
Come in" he called.
! The door opened and the %coroner's
clerl; entered.
MIR. Goldberg sent the exhibits back
to you" he said. holding out Il parcel
TO Simraonds.
Sim,nonds opened It and ook out a
pocket-boolk. Il pipe. "A knife. and some
silver money.
IAN right" he said. and signed a re-
ccipt.
Godfrey waited until the door closed.
then he rose and came over to Sim
,nonds's side.
There's something here that might
help us" he sud. picking up the
pockct-book,. "ThOSe clippings-why,
they're not here!"
Simnonds smiled drily.
That's another thing l wanted to tell
you. The clippings have been re-
moved"
.Rcroved? BY whom"
That's a question. They We're re-
moved some time between the moment
we looked at them and the moment the
coroner took charge"
Godfrey stared at him with startled
eyc
You remember" Simmonds con-
tinued. that after we looked at the
p~ocketbook. i put II back in Thomp-
sons pocket"
"Yes-I saw you do that"
then went into the bedroom. and
had a look around. leaving the body
alone"
with Miss Croydon said Godfrey.
completing the sentence.
Precisely. Goldberg arrived a min
ute or two later. Then hi and I
opened the pocketbook there was moth
Ing II It except the rent receipt"
Godfrey ~ down again In his chair.
The inference was obvious. Irresistible.
The clippings had been removed by
MIS- Croydon-they were the papers
session of. 0immonds and he had the
secret under their hands and had
missed It'll II was not a pleasant re-
facti0n.
His Thoughts, new back to Miss Croy-
Aon, and he found himself axain adwSr
lug her. To have taken the clippings
demanded . degree Of btave-y. Of sell
control. amounting almost to cailous-
-. e seemed Incredible that she
eouid nave dared approach the body,