The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-01-29

cfumblins. He 40 Innocent she
knew no was innocent. the man she
loved; but how fatally strong the svi.
dence seemed! s
Il doubt IL Lathom would have been
arrested but for the fact that he was
known to have had a revolver in his
possession that night-a revolver that
the bullet fitted" said Mr.. Culverton.
"What fools the police are! And
have they succeeded in proving that
Jack also bought a pack of, cards that
night?" broke in Thornton, inpatient
ly. "A card was found in the dead
mans clutch-and the presence Of
that card points to a deeper mystery
than the police will admit-afraid of
showing their own incompetence, I
suppose. But I believe that, IL we
could only read it, the clue to the
crime and the criminal lies in that
marked card found in Philip Hume's
hand. There's that man who asked
for Hume at tie club under the name
of Carr"
1--WE are making every effort to
trace that man." said the solicitor.
Unfortunately, he has had three
weeks in which to make himself
scarce. And then there. is another
curious fact. This morning. the or.
ganist Of your church, Ruthen, came
forward to furnish the police with some
information. It seems that .on the
night, and, indeed, at the estimated
hour of the crime, Mr.. Grale encoun-
tered, close by the place where poor
Hume was afterwards found man
and a woman under queer circum.
stances"
The rector drew in his breath. His
eyes were bent feverishly on the
speaker, UNNECESSARILY startled. The
blind man had spoken! What had he,
said? How much was known?
whoever the man was, Grale sworc,
he was not Lathom. He knows La
thcm's voice we'll. If only we could.
find out who that man and that wom-
Tn were, and why they were there at
that hour"
"Then-then Grale could give no
clue?' broke in the rector.
HE can only swear that the man
was not Lathom. He is positive Of
that. The man, it seems, leapt for.
ward, selling Grale's wrist, and babe
him harsh]y not linger. The very act
has a suspicious look of guilt. The
woman did not speak at all-but he
is sure woman was there. A very
queer business. But it was not until
the news of the murder that Grale at
tached any significance to it," added
Culverton.
They drove home from the solicit
or's Office in Thornton's Panhard.
Hilda could not have walked; she
seemed almost stunned as Thornton
assisted her into the car. For a mo.
nent Stephens gaze rested on her
face; he withdrew it quickly, as
though the pain and horror struck him
with a sense of guilt and shame. He
had only to speak a word and Jack
Lathom would be free. Only one
word-but he had left it unspoken.
He wondered if Hflda would ever for.
give his silence if she knew.
Scarcely word was spoken during
the drive back. The hint of tragedy
he had caught in EIilda's face had sud.
denly confirmed for Thornton what he
already had suspected-that this girl
and the man in prison were more
than merely friends, that Hilda loved
Jack Lathom; and with a delicacy OF
sympathy he refrained from intrud-
ing on the silence of her absorbed
thoughts. His OWL anxiety on La.
thom's account had been intensified
by the lawyers words. He realized
how black the case seemed against
his friend.
In Stephens mind was tumult OF
warning thoughts. He had not spoken
the words that would have proved
Lathom's innocence, the words he
alone could speak.
Ito Be continued.)