Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-02-15

tie took down a little dark lantern,
lighted it, tested IT, and put it in his
pocket
Now I'm ready Have we far TO
go?"
"Oh no; just across the street"
Simmonds started with astonish-
ment
You don't mean the Marathon," he
said
Just that"
But who is il were going after?"
"a fellow named Tremaine.'
"Tremainei" Simmond's face grew
blanker and blanker why. ] know
him; he's been in here TO see me. lie
doesn't seem at all the Kind OF fellow
who would"
so ho." cried Godfrey 1t was you
who told him about the clippings!"
SmmOnds cOlored to the eyes.
who told you that" he stammered.
NO matter. il didn't do any harm
played right into our hands, in fact.
But YOU didn't show your usual per-
spicacty there, Simmouds. That fell
low is the most remarkable scoundrel
I've ever run across perhaps it's just
as well | never met him or he'd have
hypnotized me, too. Come along
Simmonds followed meekIy. Evil
IDENTIFY he felt his indisCretiOn deeply.
blame. Who, 10 look at him, would
have conceived any suspicion of Ire
maine Even yet, ! found il difficult
TO believe him guilty of any crime this
chain which Godfrey had So laborious-
ly forged about him-would IL really
hold-was il really strong i'm every
link? Or was there some fatal weak
ness in it, some unsuspected haw
Higgins was Just shutting the inner
doors He recognized Simmonds at
once.
Hello" he said; what's up now
No more murders, | hope2'
DO YOU know whether or not Mr.
Tremaine rs in his rooms ' asked
Godfrey.
Yes, sir; he went up about an hour
ago"
You have a key TO his door?"
Yes. sir"
We want YOU to go up with us and
open the door"
'Oh. come" protested Higgins
That's going IL pretty strong What's
Mr. Tremaine done?"
no matter There's no use holding
off. Higgins Simmonds here can place
you under arrest and force you to
60"
We'll see here" said Higgins, turn
ing "a little pale IF you break i'm on
him like that there's apt L be some
he isl ! wish you'd excuse me. Here's
the key why can't you open m door
yourself"
"ThatH do" assented Godfrey. ana
took the key Now, you stay down
here"
NO fear" said Higgins promptly
Though he added gloomily, 'mebbe
I'd better telephone fer some am
balances"
We went softly up the stair and
down the dimly lighted corridor To Tre-
names door. We could see by the
uansom that the room was dark.
II want to surprise him. whispered
Godfrey. IF he has two or three
minutes warning, he may be able 10
get rid of some evidence. He's prob
ably in bed and we must get to the
bedroom door without his hearing us
How does the bedroom door lie, Les
ter. with reference 10 this One?"
Straight ahead" l answered
hoarsely.
That's good are you ready"
Yes said Simmonds, and cooked
his revolver.
AS for me. | grasped my stick more
firmly, glad that it was stout one
"All right" said Godfrey, and he
threw back the bolt and opened the
door.
The room was in absolute darkness.
the hall. We entered cautiously God
frey in the lead.
Have your lantern ready, Sim
monds, he whispered, and | caught
the odor of heated metal as Simmonds
obeyed the order.
Two, three, four steps we advanced
feeling our way--then / heard a star
tied cry from Godfrey-an instant's
pause
quick, Simmonds, quick!" he cried
in a stifed voice The lantern!"
Instantly a brilliant band Of light
shot across the room. wavered, wagged
to and fro-then settled upon Godfrey
bending above some shapeless object
on the floor
What is it % l cried, running to him.
shivering with horror.
ITS Tremaine" and he knelt on the
floor and stripped back the clothing
from the breast He's dead he added
after moment.
Dead? But why? How"
He was in pajamas-I can see them
yet-striped blue and white.
Then ! heard Godfrey's voice again
My God!' he was saying. with an
accent of utter horror. MY Cod
Bring the light closer, Simmonds!"
/ looked down, too. The face was in
bright relief now-but was ii Tre-
maine? Could it be Tremaine? That
staring, distorted thing, with wide open
mouth? Then my eyes fell on the hand.
clasped across the breast.
What is II? | asked again. inarticu-
lately, frozen with dread What has
happened?"
l saw Godfrey stand erect with sud
den movement of loathing
IT'S the fer de- lancet" he said
hoarsely. Hes been bitten by II. And
it's still loose i'm the room somewhere."
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