Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-07-31

she cuff-link had been dropped into a
/ little filigree box on my toilet table
| / opened the box and felt around for
! it. The box was empty-the cuff-link
| had disappeared!
CHAPTER v.
Gertrude's Engagement.
AT ten o'clock the Casanova hack
| brought UP three men. They intro
duced themselves as the coroner of
the county and two detectives from
the city. The coroner led the way at
once to the locked wing, and with the
aid of one of the detectives examined
| the rooms and the body. The other
detective, after short scrutiny CT
the dead man. busted himself with
| the outside Of the house. 1t was only
after they had got fair idea of
things as they were that they sent for
| me.
received them in the living room
and I had made up my mind exactly
what to tell. I had taken the house
for the summer, said, while the Arm
strongs were in California. In spite
of a rumor among the servants about
strange noises-I cited Thomas-noth-
| ing had occurred the first two nights.
On the third night l believed that
some one had been in the house; I
had heard crashing sound, but be-
| ing alone with one maid had not in.
vestigated. The house had been lock-
! ed in the morning and apparently I'M
(, disturbed.
| Then, as clearly as could, re'ated
| hoy thr ut 1>NpN - Oh 1,ol
ed us; that my niece and had inves-
tigated and found a body; that I did
not know who the murdered man was
until Mr.. Jarvis from the club in
formed me. and that l knew Of no
reason why Mr.. Arnold Armstrong
should steal into his fathers house at
night. / should have been glad to
allow him entree there at any time.
"Have you reason to believe. Miss
Innes," the coroner asked, "that any
member of your household imagining
| Mr. Armstrong was burglar, shot
him in self-defense?"
II have reason for thinking So" I
said quietly
Your theory is that Mr.. Armstrong
was followed here by SOM enemy,
and shot as he entered the hcuse?"
II don't think have theory" l
said "The thing that has puzzled
me is why Mr.. Armstrong should en-
ter his fathers house two nights in
succession, stealing III like thief,
when he needed only to ask entrance
to be admitted"
! The coroner was very silent man:
he took some notes after this, but he
seemed anxious to make the next
train back to town. He set the in
quest for the following Saturday, gave
Mr.. Jameson, the younger of the two
detectives. and the more intelligent
| looking, a few instructions. and, after
gravely shaking hands with me and
lregretting the unfortunate affair, took
his departure, accompanied by the
other detective.
| was Just beginning to breathe
| freely when Mr.. Jameson, who had
been standing by the window, came
over to me.
/ "The family consists of yourself
alone, Miss Innes?"
"My niece is here" said.
There is no one but yourself and
niece?"
my nephew" I had to moisten my
lips.
"Oh, nephew. 1 should like to
see him, IL he Is here" :
HE is not here just now" | said as
quietly as could. 81 expect him-at
any time"
He was here yesterday evening, l
believer"
.'No-yes'
Didn't he have a guest with him
Another man?"
"He brought friend with him to
stay over Sunday, a Mr.. Bailey"
"Mr. John Bailey, the cashier of the
Traders Bank. I believe" And
knew that some one at the Greenwood
club had told him. when did they
leave?''
very early don't know at JUS,
what time"
| Mr.. Jameson turned suddenly and
looked at me.
please try to be more explicit,
he said. "You say your nephew ant
Mr.. Bailey were in the house las
night, and yet you and your niece
with some women servants. found thu
body. Where was your nephew?'
l was entirely desperate by tina
time.
| w uoI hliowp CIlCO, puI w
sure of this: Halsey knows nothing o
this thing, and no amount of circum
; stantial evidence can make an limo
cent man guilty
, "Sit down." he said pushing forward
a chair. "There are some things
| have to tell you, and, in return, pleas
} tell me all you know. Believe me
things always come out. In the frs
( place, Mr.. Armstrong was shot iron
: above. The bullet was fired at clos
range, entered below the shoulder an
came out, after passing through tn
3 heart, we'll down the back. In othe
| words, believe the murderer stoo
on the stairs and fired down. In tn
second place, I found on the edge q
the billiard table charred ciga
which had burned itself partly ou
!. and cigarette which had consume
: itself to the cork tip. Neither on
3 had been more than lighted, then pll
down and forgotten. Have you an
, idea what it was that made you
3 nephew and Mr.. Bailey leave thei
/ cigars and their game take out tn
| ~,