The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1909-08-05

wv n 1917 AEAA ~ ~
ing the doctor. He suspected malice
on account Of the proposition he had
made to rife Hines pockets, and
which had been so contemptuously re-
fused. However. the doctors face
was straight and, ~muttering. the de-
tectlve entered the paTlor. The next
instant a loud imprecation from the
wounded man and a string Of lurid ad-
jectives following from the same
source indicated that the detective
might not feel above spite, whatever
stand others might take.
The doctor entered quickly at the
sound Of the voice.
"Ah. this is good" ne cried. Il wal
sure you would come around In a few
minutes. But you mustn't excite your
self. Drink this and then you viii be
able to tell us who assaulted you"
For A moment Hines looked as II he
would like to charge the assault TO
the detective, who stood woodenly re-
peating that he had only meant to do
the invalid a kindness by removing his
left shoe. But he swallowed the medi-
cine presently and, passing the glass
back. said;
The man who shot me was Charlie
Mains"
The doctor examined him keenly as
he made the statement. and the detec-
tive thought, Hes lying. What forg
And then he asked:
Tell us how It happened?
Il scarcely know myself" Hines an
swered. He paused to consider, and
both men knew by the expression OF
the eyes that they were about to hear
an invention and not the truth, at all
events not the whole truth. Charlie
wished me TO lend him some money"
he finally went on. and / couldn't.
because / had one He wrote to me
several times about II. One OF his
notes is in there"-pointing towards
the inner room. Would you mind
getting the bunch Of letters on my
desk2" He looked at the detective.
"Ill show you"
symonds knew that the note re-
ferred to was the M in his Own
pocket. The signature &C" then, was
not that OF Clements, but stood for
Charlie While he FASTENED into
the study and brought out the letters.
placing the one wanted among them,
he was thinking, How bally easy Il Is
70 raise a false bunchl I'd have
crossed my throat that C meant
Clements"
Hines selected the note from the
pile and read IL aloud, and then held
II up for them 70 see.
There's the date on the envelope
he said. and there's the C. for
Charlie. The appointment was for
to-day. and he kept It. l could not
raise the money, and he said could Il
wished, but wouldn't We had
words and he struck me. Then he
grabbed my revolver from the table
|, and let me have IT, / didn't know any
thing after that"
, The detective watched him with al
his eyes. Why did he think II neces
sary to go into details. fortifying the
story with proofs? The natural way
would be for him to make the charge
leaving the details and proofs unit
! they were called for. And then 1
the story were true. where did Gle
Z ments come In The lodging mistress
who knew him, had admitted him 4
the house az I've minutes OF three
scarcely 20 minutes before the shoot
ing. Was Clements the guilty one
and was the victim trying to scree
him? II 30. why7 Aud why SHOULD
he accuse Mains falsely? Moreover
what about those hurrying wOmel
heard by the young man In the hal
the very moment after the shooting
Hines probably felt that the deteC
tive was skeptical. for after gain.
from him to the physician, neither O
whom spoke a word In comment.
fact that must have struck him a
queer. 20 say the least, Ia the circuu
stances. he drew another paper fror
his pocket. saying, as IL to cap n
: climax OF proof:
a This is the note in which he mel
lions what he wants-ten thousand.
=. "Ton thousand" symonds 81
claimed. Then he whistled softly.
yes. You see how cautious he wa
about it--it is In cipher"
lie held Il toward them and the
saw that It was the n the detectiy
. had copied.
is What does Il sayf" asked 8
mondB.
ps lie put Il TO his near.sighted ey'
is and read slowly:
= Il shall come Monday al tire
bringing a receipt for $4,000. whiC
y / shall expect 70 hnd ready. Send n
your door key and have the Way elea
,el / must not be seen"
~Ah. that's how he got In" s
ln' monds exclaimed But" he adde
Why didn't be want 20 be seem"
IL. The patient waved his hand.
ng Ask me an easier One-he's
queer case" he answered. And
be added the afterthought. perhaps
liz had this very thing In mind ther
AZ touching with his finger the banda.