The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-03-07

followed him. for knew that / had
nc further part In u juniors errand.
| YER back to our table n busted
myself gathering together u belong
inss. The room had gradually cleared.
end at the end of ten minutes only the
coroner and his clerk remained. They
had another case, it seemed to open IN
the neutrality-suspicious. case which, per-
maps involved just as great heartache
and anguish as ours had. Five minutes
later, my chief came hurrying back to
me. and a glance at his beaming e.+es
told me how he had been welcomed.
Miss Holiday has started home
with her maid" he said. she asked
me to thank you for her for the great
work o did this afternoon, Lester.
told her it was really you who had
done everything. Yes, 1t was" he add
ed, answering my gesture of denial.
While was cropping helplessly around
In the dark, you found the way to light.
But come: we must get back To the
office"
We found a cab at the curb, md in
a We're rolling back over the
route We had traversed hat morning
ages ago. as 1t seemed to me, 1t was
only a few minutes after 8 O'Clock; and
| reflected that i should yet have time
to complete the papers in the Hurd case
before leaving for the night.
MI. Graham was still at his desk, and
he Ut once demanded ali account of the
hearing. | went back to my work, and
so caught only a word here and there
enough, however, to show me that our
senior was deeply interested in this eX-
~traordinary affair. AS for me. | put all
thought of 1t resolutely from me, and
devoted myself to the work in hand.
1t was done at last, and | locked my
desk with a sigh of relief. Mr.. Graham
nodded to me kindly as | passed out,
n left the office With the comfort
able feeling that l had done a good
days work for myself, as well as for
my employers.
A man who had apparently been lott
ering in the hall followed me into the
elevator.
This is Mr.. Lester. isn't it?" he
asked as the car started to descend.
Yes L said looking at him in sur
prise, He was we'll dressed, with alert
eyes and strong. pleasing face. had
never seen him before.
'+Anc you're going to dinner, aren't
you. Mr.. LESTER" he continued.
"Ies--to dinner 1 assented, more
and more surprised.
Now, don't you think me impertin-
ent, ne SAID, smiling at my look of
amazement, but I want you to dine
with me this evening. l can promise
you az Scod a meal as you can get at
most places In New York"
But I'm not dressed" 1 protested.
That doesn't matter in the least
neither am l, you see. We will dine
in a solitude a deux."
Where" 1 questioned.
We'll how would the studio suit?"
The car had reached the ground floor.
and we left 1t together. was com
pietely IN the dark as to my mpa
ions purpose. and yet it could have
but one explanation-tt must be con-
nected IN some way with the Holiday
case. U~nless--and I glanced at him
again. No, certainly. he was not a con-
hdence man-even II he was, I would
rather welcome the adventure. NV
curiosity won the battle.
Very WELL" 1 said. IN be glad to
accept your invitation, Mr."
lie nodded approvingly.
Ihere spoke the man OF sense. Well.
you shall not go unrewarded. Godfrey
is my name-no. you don't know me
but III soon explain myself. Here's my
cab"
| mounted into it, he after me. It
seemed to me hat there was an nm
usual number of loiterers about the
door of the building, but we were off
m a n did not give them
q second thought. We ratified out into
Broadway, and turned northward for
the three mile straightaway run to
Union Square. I,noticed in q. moment
that we were going at a rate OF speed
rather exceptional for a cab and it
steadily Increased as the driver found
a clear road before him. My companion
Threw up the trap in the roof OF fine
cab as We swung around into Thir-
lteenth street.
All right, Sam?" he called.
The driver grinned down at us
through the hole.
"A1l right. sir" he answered "Thev
couldn't stand the pace a little BIT.
They're distanced."
me trap snapped down again, we
turned into Sixth avenue. and stonnad
in a momen before the Studio-gray
and ~forbidding without. but a den With
~. My companion led the way up-
stairs TO q private room, where a table
stood ready for US. The oysters an
peared before we were fairly seated.
You see he smiled, II made BOLD
70 believe that you'd come with me,
and so had the dinner already ordered =
/ looked at him without replying. r
was completely in the dark. Could this
be the writer of the mysterious note?
But what could his object be? Above
all, why should he SO expose himselfp
he smiled again, as he caught nv
glance.
''Of course, you're puzzled" he sai
Well. III make a clean breast Of the
at once. / wanted to talk with
you about this Holiday case, and I de-
cided that a dinner 1t the Studio would
be just the ticket"
! nodded. The soup was a thing to
marvel at.
You We're right" I assented. ..The
idea was a stroke of genius
Il knew You would think so. You see.
since this morning, I've beer making
rather a study of you. That coup OF
yours at the coroner's court this after
noon was admirable-one Of the best
things Lever saw"
| bowed my acknowledgements.
You We're there. them" / asked.
Oh, yes;I couldn't affor to miss it,
The color blind theory was a simple
s simple that it never occurred Ia
anyone else. / think were too apt Ia
overlook h simple explanations which
are, after all, nearly always the true
ones. It's only in books that we meet
\ reverse. You remember IT'S
Gaboriau who advises one always ia
distrust the probable? ~
Yes. don't agree with him.
Nor ]. Now take this q for IN
stance. | think It's safe to state that
murder, where It's not the result of
sudden passion. Is always committed
Tor n of w objects-revenge or gain.
Blu Mr.. Holidays past life has been
pretty thoroughly probed by the re-
porters. n nothing has been found ia
Indicate that he had ever made a dead
u ~ 80 49,