Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1909-08-05


had happened to alarm her7"
"No, sah. She was jes' materially |
skeered. Well that was all, far's
know. until the night I came over to /,
see Mis- Innes. came across the val |
ley, along the path from the club
house, and goes home that way.
Down in the creek bottom almost ran
into man. He wuz standin' with his
back to ME, an he was workin' with
one of these yere electric light things
that fit in yer pocket. He was havin'
trouble-one minute It'd fash out, an
the mex it'd be gone. had view of
Is whites dress shirt an tie, as
passed. didn't see his face. But l
know it warn't Mr. Arnold. 1t. was a
taller man than Mr.. Arnold. Besides
that, Mr.. Arnold was playin' cards
when l got to the club house, same's
he'd been doin' all day"
"Ard the next morning you came
back along the path?" pursued Mr.. ia
mieson relentlessly.
THE mex mornin' come back along
the path down where dun see the
man night befoh. picked UP this
here. ''The old man hold out tiny OBJ
iect and Mr. Jameson took it. Then he
held it on his extended palm for me
to see. 1t was the other half Of the
pearl cuff-link.
But Mr.. Jameson was not quite
through questioning him.
And so you showed 1t to Sam, at
the club, and asked him If he knew
any one who owned such link, and
Sam said--what?"
oval, Sam, he lowed he'd seen
such pair of cuff-buttons in a shirt
belongin' to Mr.. Bailey-Mr. Jack
Bailey, sah."
"Ill keep this link, Thomas, for
while,' the detective said. That's all
l wanted to know. Good night"
AS Thomas shuffled out Mr.. jamie
son watched me sharply.
"You see, Miss Ines he said. mt.
Bailey insists on mixing himself with
this thing. If Mr.. Bailey came here
that Friday night expecting to meet
Arnold Armstrong and missed him-if,
as say, he had done this, might he
not. seeing him enter the following
night, have struck him down, as he
intended before?"
But the motive?" gasped.
There could be motive proved,
think. Arnold Armstrong and John
Bailey have been enemies since the
latter, as cashier of the Traders Bank,
brought Arnold almost into the
clutches of the law. Also, you forget
that both men have been paying at
tention to Miss Gertrude. Bailey's
flight looks bad, too"
And you think Halsey helped him
to escape?"
Undoubtedly. Why, what could it
be but flight? Miss Innes, let me re-
construct that evening, as | see it.
Bailey and Armstrong had quarreled
at the club. learned this today. Your
nephew brought Bailey over. Prompted
by jealousy, insane fury, Armstrong
followed, coming across by the path.
He entered the billiard-room wing
perhaps rapping, and being admitted
by your nephew. Just inside he was
shot, by some one on the circular
staircase. The shot fired, your nephew
and Bailey left the house at once, go
| ing toward the automobile house. They
left by the lower road, which prevent
ed them being heard. and when you
and Miss Gertrude got down stairs ev-
erything was quiet"
buI-GeIL IuuS Slols, oe"hi
mered.
Miss Gertrude only brought for
ward her explanation the following
morning. I do not believe it, Miss In
4 nes 1t is the story Of loving and
ingenious woman"
"And-this thing tonight"
MAY upset my whole view of the
case. We must give the benefit of ev-
cry doubt, after all. We may for in.
stance, come back to the figure on
the porch: if it was a woman you saw
that night through the window, we
might start with other premises. Or
Mr. Innes' explanation may turn us in
a new direction. 1t is possible that he
shot Arnold Armstrong as a burglar
and then fled, frightened at what he
had done. In any case, however, l fee
confident that the body was here wheI
he left. Mr.. Armstrong left the club
ostensibly for a moonlight saunter
about half after eleven o'clock. 1t was
three when the shot was fired"
4 leaned back bewildered. 1t seemed
to me that the evening had been full
of significant happenings, had l onl.
held the key. Had Gertrude been thu
fugitive, in the clothes chute? Wht
was the man on the drive near thu
lodge, and whose gold-mounted dress
ing-bag had seen in the lodge sitting
room?
1t was late when Mr.. Jameson fl
nally got up to go. went with him t
the door, and together we stood look
ing out over the valley. Below lay th
! village of Casanova, with its OIL
World houses, its blossoming tree
; and it's peace. Above on the hill
. across the valley were the lights Q
the Greenwood club. 1t was ever pos
; sible to see the curving rows of pal
. allel lights that marked the carriag
road. Rumors that had heard abou
the club came back-of drinking, c
: high play, and once, a year ago, of
suicide under those very lights.
Mr.. Jameson left. taking a shor
cut to the village. 1t must have bee
; after eleven and the monotonous tic
!, of the big clock on the stairs benin
ME was the only sound. Then / wa
conscious that some one was runnin
up the drive In minute woma
darted into the area of light made b
the open door, and caught me by tn