The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-16

The beam of light from Gibson s
fiash-lamp revealed a damp cellar. half
filed with rubbish and empty boxes,
also a fight of wooden stairs leading
to the floor above. Up these Donald
led the way, then into the rear room
of an establishment fronting on the
adjoining street.
The two back windows were open,
the blinds closed. There was a chill
in the room. The silence was oppres-
sive. The very air seemed imbued with
the shadow of death.
Upon a bier in the middle of the
room, seen in the beam of light from
the hand of the detective. was
stretched the lifeless form of Reginald
Dexter, clad in the undress uniform OF
a British subaltern, in which Colonel
Mortimer Dexter had insisted that his
son should be cremated.
He's dead, all right" whispered
Gibson, drawing nearer.
81 had no doubt of his death, r1ut-
tered Donald. "Only one possibility
led me to take this STEP
I'm case Hanson has been bribed.
Exactly In that case the JOB could
easily have been done and detection
avoided. To attempt bribing Hanson
however, would have appeared eX-
tremely hazardous to a total stranger
and l feel sure that the attempt was
not made. Only one chance, possibly
safe one, remained-that of secretly
doing the job at the last availa5lc mo-
ment before the incarceration, by which
all evidence of the crime would be de-
stroyed."
"Of necessity. then, that would lie
attempted tonight"
IF at ALL replied Donald. I'VE can
only wait and see. If our vigil proves
vain, an autopsy must precede the ere
nation. If our man fails to show up
we can only assume Harki BY Jove
/ think we've figured closer than I i'm
agined! Crouch back of the ice box
yonder. I'll make use of this table. II
I'm right. Gibson. not a breath till he
gets what he seeks. Then nail him
when leaving. Out with that light
A faint noise in the rear yard had
occasioned these last hurried COM
mands. 1t was presently followed by
the ti1kie of fallen glass, as a base
ment window was cautiously broken
Next came a slight creaking of the Gel
lar stairs, and then a stealthy step or
the floor of the rear room.
The odor of hot tin was at once per-
ceptible, that of a dark lantern. the
glowing lens of which suddenly Ie-
lieved the Egyptian darkness.
mat the INTRUDER felt sure Of him.
self was at once apparent Without
delay, with merely a glance about the
room, he placed the lantern on the
bier in position suited to the work
before him. In the circular beam OF
light, CTouched above the dead form
with his sleeves drawn to his elbows
was plainly revealed amid the sur
rounding gloom the powerful figure
and sinister, bearded face of Colonel
Mortimer Dexter.
Mute mOtionless. Well-night breath
less, witnesses of a knavery far better
imagined than described his two OBJ
servers watched and waited. Only ex-
perienced hands, those of skilful sur
geOn, could so swiftly and deity have
done the dreadful work Only nerve
of steel, of a man in whom the fierce
fire of avarice consumed paternaI ten
derness, could have stood the awful
strain.
Yet when. after thirty minutes. hi
took up the lantern from the bier, Their
paused to make sure that he was leav.
ing behind him no external evidence o.
his shocking sin. the sigh that broke
from his bearded lips betrayed the
frightful tension under which he hat
labOred
1t was at that moment that the ring.
ing voice of Morris Donald broke the
prolonged silence
AT him, Gibson," he shouted, leap.
ing from his concealment. "Now. ient
me a hand.'