The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-09-14

the club, and asked him If he knew
any one who owned such link, and
| Sam said--what?"
wal, Sam, he lowed he'd seen
such pair of cuff-buttons in shirt
belongin' to Mr.. Bailey-Mr. Jack
Bailey, sah."
I'll keep this link, Thomas, for a
WHILE" the detective said. That's
all l wanted to know. Goodnight"
As Thomas shufied out, Mr.. jamie
son watched me sharply.
you see, Miss Innes," he said, "Mr.
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
had intended before?"
But the motive?" I gasped.
There could be motive proved,
think. Arnold Armstrong and John
Bailey have been enemies since the
brought Arnold almost into the
clutches of the law. Also, you for
get that both men have been paying
attention to Miss Gertrude Bailey's
fight looks bad, too"
"And you think Halsey helped him
to escape?"
Undoubtedly. Why, what could 1T
be but flight? Miss Innes, let me re-
construct that evening, as I see it..
Bailey and Armstrong had quarreled
at the club. l learned this to-day.
Your nephew brought Bailey over.
Prompted by jealous, insane fury,
Armstrong followed, coming across by
the path. He entered the Billiard
room wing-perhaps rapping, and be-
ing 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, going toward the automobile
house. They left by the lower road,
which prevented them being heard,
and when you and Miss Gertrude got
downstairs everything was quiet"
"But-Gertrude's story" l STAN
mered
Miss Gertrude only brought for
ward her explanation the following
morning. do not believe it, Miss
Innes. 1t is the story of loving and
ingenious woman"
"And-this thing tonight"
May upset my whole view Of the
case. We mast give the benefit OF
every doubt after all. We may, fol-
instance, 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. o.
Mr.. Innes' explanation may turn us
In new direction. It Is possible that
he shot Arnold Armstrong as burg
lar and then fed, frightened at What
he had done. In any case, however
I feel confident that the body was
here when he left. Mr.. Armstrong
left the club ostensibly for a moon
light saunter, about hall after clever
O'Clock. 1t was three when the sho
was fred" S4i,s.a.s
l leaned back bewihered. 1t seemed
10 me that the evening had been full
of significant happenings, had l onl!
held the key. Had Gertrude been tn,
fugitive in the clothes chute? Wht
was the man on the drive near tn,
lodge, and whose gold-mounted dress
ing-bag had seen in the lodge sitting
room!
1t was late when Mr.. Jameson
finally got up 70 CO. went with hin
to the door, and together we stoot
looking out over the valley. Below
lay the village Of Casanova, with 1T
Old World houses, Its blossomin,
trees and its peace. Above on the hill
across the valley were the lights o
the Greenwood club. 1t was even pos
sible to see the curving row of paral
lei lights that marked the carriag