The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-05-23
CHAPTER v.
(Continued)

The possibilities were great, and
Thomas knew it, but having arrest.
ed the most likely one, he was
properly cautious.
But, nevertheless, he had taken
precautions. The girl had been I'M
der surveillance since the time that
she was discovered in the room
with Theodore and the murdered
man. Jane Malley, unknowingly,
unsuspectingly while at liberty,
was still a prisoner.
The death of Montgomery Stone
was tragic. But the consequences
were only just developing.
Back of it all came to the chiefs
mind the first clear note of the pos
sible defense-a suicide and not a
murder. But then came James
story, which, told before them all,
lnegatived that theory.
Standing there, supported by her
father, looking Chief Thomas
squarely in the face, with eyes red
with weeping and hair disheveled
and falling down her back, she told
how she had gone to Theodore Of
fee building and entered by the
back way-as they all knew was
true. Up the stairs. into the hall,
past the back Office door to the
back door of the front Office she
had gone She had halted there,
hearing the voices of Montgomery
AMI Theodore in argument. She
had knocked, but was not heard.
Then came a lull. Some one pass
ed out of the other door to the
street stairs. She heard a sudden
movement, curse, an awful strug-
gle. Wild with fear, she had Shrek
ed and opened the back door of the
office. She could only move it half
way. a man was against it, but she
could see Montgomery standing,
staggering, and that same moment
she saw an arm. hand, a swinging
blow, and dagger. She shrieked
and closed the door, and hearing
the fall, overcame her fear and
threw the door wide open again.
The man against it had moved.
She staggered into the room and
beheld-Theodore on the opposite
side of the body.
Her story rang with deep inten-
| sity. Long afterward those present
remembered her closing words as
she finished telling of her expert
ence.
There seemed but on ray OF
| hope: she had heard some one pass
TO the street stairs before the strug'
gle, and Theodore had told Roger
in the presence of Chief Thomas
that he had gone downstairs and
| then returned. Thomas, astute
quick-witted, hurled a sudden ques
| ton at Jane Malley.
"Who was it went down the
street stairs, Miss Malley?"
| Before Theodore's cousin could
interfere, Jane spoke.
1T was boy. | saw his legs
along the hall; he knows the muir
derer; he must have seen him.
| Theodores statement that he had
gone down the stairs was not cor
roborated by Jane. 1t was boy
that Jane had seen go down. The
Sweetheart had apparently refute1
Theodore's statement, of which she
was entirely ignorant.
Evidently satisfied with what he
had heard, and anxious to get back
to headquarters, Chief Thomas
took his departure.
The girl and her parents, with
Roger and the two younger chill
Iren, stood a moment as TrooI
seized the doorknob and quietly
turned to follow Judge Pickering
who had stepped without. Then the
young woman, inspired by an after
thought, and throwing convention
alities to the winds, bent low and
Selling Mr.. Troops hand. chung tC
it as vine clings to the sturdy
tree.
"Mr. Troop, fight, fight for Theo
dore: he is innocent. There is
something here we do not know
Theodore is poor now, since this
mornings fire, but fight; work fol
him."
Yes, that | WILL" came the an
swer. There is little money to fight