Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-09-14

age suspect. were you in the room
wnen this man was killed.
Yes, sir
You know him?"
only slightly she answered cooily,
disregarding Godfrey's stare OF amaze
ment. His name, think was Thomp-
son.
You had an engagement with him
here?"
Yes. sir on private matter which
cannot concern the police"
Simmonds passed that over for mo-
ment
win you kindly tell us just what
happened" he asked.
II drove here In a cab" she said.
speaking rapidly. which | told to wait
for me. In the Vestibule | met the
janitor, and asked to be conducted to
suite Il. He brought me up here where
Mr--Mr. Thompson was waiting.
entered and closed the door We were
talking together when the door OF the
inner room opened and a man came
out. Before ] realized what he was
doing. he raised a bar OF iron he held
IN his hand and struck Mr.. Thompson
upon the head. Then, standing over
him. he drew a revolver and fired one
shot at him. ] had shrunk away into
the corner. but thinking him a mad
a
| crew my pocket pistol and fred at
him. Without even glanCing az me he
opened the outer door and disappeared.
The janitor rushed in a momert later"
Did your shot hit him.? asked Sim
monds
II don't know: l think not; he showed
no sign Of being wounded"
Simmonds stocd looking at her; Cod
frey turned TO an examination of the
opposite wall
Miss Croydon't shot went Wild he
said, curiously elated al this couiirma-
tion of her story. Here's The bullet"
and he pointed TO It. embedded in the
woodwork OF the bedroom door
Simmonds took "a look at t., then he
returned 70 the inquiry.
Did you know this Intruder" he
asked
"No, sir; I'd never before seen him,
she answered steadily,
"WilI you describe him 30
She closed her eyes. seemingly in an
effort at recollection.
He was a short, heavy set man."
she said at last, with dark face and
dark mustache which turned up at the
ends That is an / can remember"
And dressed how 2"
In dark clothes he wore a slouch
hat | think, drawn down over the
eyes. ] didn't see the face clearly"
llN aliHN tl CdlllE without hesitation,
but II seemed TO Godfrey that there
was in the voice an accent of forced
sincerity
What did he do with the bar of
iron?" asked Simmonds
'As soon as he struck the blow. |
think he-he threw it down. / re-
member hearing It fall"
"Yee-here il is said Godfrey tri-
umphantly and fished 1t out from un-
der chair which stood near the wall
But see, Simmonds-irs not d bar, it's
a pipe"
Simmonds examined it. Ii was an
ordinary piece of iron piping, about
fifteen inches in length
Her story seems 10 be straight" he
said in an undertone to Godfrey.
What DO you think about it?"
Il think she's perfectly innocent Of
any crime answered Godfrey with
conviction. He had his doubts as to
he absolute straightncss of her story.
but he concluded to keep them to HIM
self
"Well, there's nothing more to be
learned out here" remarked Sim
monds, after another glance around.
suppose We take look at the other
room" and he led the way toward the
inner door
II was an ordinary bedroom of mod
crate size and with a single closet in
WnlCh a rev SOIleu clothes We're hang
ing. The bed had been lain upon. and
evidently by a person fully dressed for
there were marks OF muddy shoes upon
the counterpane. fresh marks as OF
one who had come in during the even
ing's storm An empty whisky bottle
lay on a little table near the bed
Il guess Thompson was a boozer,"
observed Simmonds
Yes" agreed Godfrey, his face
showed that pretty plainly"
Wei, the man were after amt in
here: wen have 10 search the house. :"
Cant we let Miss Croydon go home ?
She won't run away--Tll answer for
that Besides. there's nothing against
her"
Simmonds pondered a minute
Yes. | suppose So" he said. at last.
"Of course, she'll have to appear at
the inquest, Do you know her ad-
dress ?"
"Yes-twenty-o East Sixty-ninth
street"
Simmonds jotted It down in his note
book
"All right" he said You'd better
take her down TO her cab"
Continued Next Week.)