The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-01-09

al lust The right instant. The fellow
who arranged II wanted to be too sure
he oyerleaped himself"
That may all be true" / said slow
Eiy, after a moment, but 1t would be
worse than folly TO use that argument
with q jury. To say that a man isn't
Eguilty because the evidence against
hhIm appears to be conclusive
We're not going to use 1t to a jury;
were using 1T between ourselves, In
the effort to find a working hypothesis.
And here's another argument which
would carry no weight with a jury, yet
which with me, personally, is conclu-
sive: ! know a. Drysdale; I've
known him for q long time, and /
know that it's utterly impossible that
The should have committed such a crime.
He's not a very original fellow; not
at all a genius; he's never done any
thing. perhaps, which either OF us
would think really worth doing; but
he's kind, and honest, and gentle, and
honorable. ] repeat that a crime like
this Is as far beyond his horizon as 1t
is beyond yours-farther, Pm sure, than
II Is beyond mine; and yet, I don't be-
lieye you'd think me guilty, no matter
what the evidence against me seemed
to be-" ... 7...
II shouldn't" / said ;"but If Drys-
dale isn't guilty, who is?"
IF Drysdale isn't, there's only one
other person who a be-that's Ire
maine. As I'm sure Drysdale's not
guilty, I'm correspondingly sure that
Tremaine Is"
But then" 1 objected, you've just
said that there's no evidence against
him"
II said apparently there wasn't"
l. And Delroy says he didn't leave the
house" ......'
'DeIroy must be mistaken-must be.
n MIND Xnll1 AM NUhfla.fhaRn tonbf ANU
direct evidence, there's some pretty
good indirect. We know that Ire
maine IL a criminal and, therefore,
capable OF this crime; we suspect that
he needs money, and the necklace
would place him out Of need for a long
time to come; we know that he was
within reach OF the spot where the
murder was committed, IL he could get
away from Delroy for ar hour or SO.
In other words, We have a motive and
the physical possibility OF guilt. 1
may add that think we shall find he
had some reason to injure Drysdale-
Tn sure We shall, In fact"
But the button-the pistol-Drys-
dale's unexplained absenceT' .
Those points can only be cleared I'D
by a personal investigation OF the
premises. That's why we're going to
Edgemere."
Godfrey" / said, there seems to
me TO be one great objection to your
theory that Tremaine killed Thompson.
IL Miss Croydon saw him do y. would
n consent to associate with him ?
wouldn't her very knowledge of his
crime give her a greater hold on him
than he has on her sister,"
he paused to turn this over.
Yes" he admitted at last; at
would: but a oma might not think
OF that"
ga dasnarata woman 1vouI5 +bInL 80
everything" ! said; and II your theory
Is right, both she inc her sister must
be very desperate"
He nodded without answering, and
sat staring before him, his brows
knitted in p~erplexity.
There was n conclusive objection
/ might have urged, had i known Of 1t
but l was not yet possessed of the
story OF the house party. II Tremaine
was the husband OF Mrs. Delroy, how
could he propose marriage to her sis
teri. Tha was a rock, as yet unseen
by us, which doomed ahead-which we
could not aVoid-upon which our the
DRY must inevitably be dashed to
pieces.
The train flashed past two or three
big hotels, then the brakes were ap-
piled.
Here's Babylon" said Godfrey, rous-
ing himself from the profound reverie
into which my question had thrown
him.. Wen ook in upon the prisoner,
first, and chez him UP a bit"
The jail was only a short distance
from the station, and a Ave minutes
walk brought us to 1t.
We're here in behalf OF Mr. Drys-
dale" Godfrey explained to the taller.
This Is Mr.. Lester, OF Graham e.
retained to defend him. ! ID we
may see him."
IN take in your cards" he said, aft
er looking us over. If Mr.. DrysdaIe
wants to see you, it's all right, but
you'll be the first ones"
He disappeared into an inner room:
we heard the rafting OF keys and the
changing Of an iron door. He was back
again in a moment.
Step this way, gentlemen" he said.
DIYsdale was sitting on the bunk In
his little cell. He came forward with
hand outstretehed as o as he saw
Godfrey.
This is mighty kind of you. Jim."
~rl have to lock you in. gentlemen"
broke In the jailer. How soon must
I come fer your"
Say twenty minutes" answered
Godfrey. looking al his watch. Then
he turned back to us as the jailer's
steps died away down the Corridor.
So~ng SO NAA Nhln I'd 1nIs AeSL6T, OI
Graham & Royce, who've been retained
to o after III case"
MY case? Who retained them?"
II did. i scarcely supposed you were
going TO let yourself be convicted with
out lifting a finger"
Drysdale smiled bitterly.
They won't convict me. Just the
same, I'm glad to see you, Mr.. Lester"
and he held out his hand. II shall, of
course, need some legal advice"
I'm glad o admit that muchI" re-
torted Godfrey, with rca Il I'M
derstand that you haven't condescended
as yet to prove an alibi?"
mo" answered the prisoner quietly.
"The a C Is, / can't prove an alibi.".
You can't?" and Godfrey's face
paled n little.
mo, when I left the house that night,
I went down to the pier and had q lit
tie talk with Graham; then IL wan
dered around the grounds until the
storm came up, when / went back to
the hou INT up to my room. No
body saw me; I spoke to nobody after
I left Graham, until I returned to the
house. There's only my own word for
IL. What was n use of telling the