The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-08-27

Ously proud 10 mention the fact Ol
such an altstu.i attic caller at hel
house.
How long ago was he here?"
ut was two minutes of three wher
! admitted him. l know because Mr.
Hines said he would probably come or
the 2:.55 trolley, which would make
it about two minutes of three when
] should begin to watch the bell. ]
did so and 1t rang right away"
Did you see HIM go out again."
mo. for returned to the parlor
Immediately to watch for the other
expected ones"
Were they men, too?"
II do not know. He said only
callers
"They didn't Gomez"
They have not come yet, though
they were to be here at three, and it
is now" looking at her watch, "just
half past"
At that moment the doorbell rang.
On opening the door Mrs. Rogers
found the doctor standing there with
two policemen and another individual,
who proved to be detective.
While the doctor began to work on
the patient the officers listened to the
story of the young man. He told in
a few words what Mrs. Rogers had
said and what little he personally
knew Of the matter, laying stress on
the fact that he had certainly heard
sounds in the hall as If at least two
women with rustling skirts were hur.
rying up or down stairs, stepping
several times on loose and creakine
boards. Then the policemen separat.
ed to search the house, the young man
left his card and returned to his bust
ness, while the detective occupied
himself with an examination of the
victim and his room.
How bad is it?" he asked the doc.
tor in whisper. He was short
heavy, clean-faced man. deliberate in
speech and manner, Symonds by
name.
Il can't tell yet. He is stunned, and
there's a slight fracture of the skull
/ haven't finished looking him over
yet"
Symonds peered into the thin, young
face a moment and then entering an
inner room, which was evidently 8
study, began without computations te
read the opened letters which he
found on the desk. In one short note
he found the following, dated the da,
before:
Dear Hinesy: I'll see you to-mor
row at three, or a little before. Car
stay only minute-engagements. Sc
have 1t all ready.-C."
That's Clements!" muttered the de
tective.
The doctor came in at the moment
with sheet OF paper in his HAND
which he passed to the detective, say
ing:
This fell from his clothes some
where just now. 1t has strange look
considering the circumstances, and IL
case he shouldn't recover"
Is there any danger Of that?" Sy
mondsNinterrupted. quickly.
There is no telling yet You would
better copy that, at all events. i
may be nothing still l would make
sure of it,"
Symonds looked at the paper ant
thought SO too, most decidedly, fol
1t was, or seemed to be, nothing les,
than note in CIPHER. It ran:
Il cikccoco mcfcmf cmcfceecof COZ
onkckff ockiceuiceu ONT clcclfck Gee,
C mkfmcg lcfck onfce onkcfoccicce,
ecfococckci cifcee emf O'Clock Nclccic
cgfof ccee keoge onkf omcof lckff
cmoccion cecfon of cince.''
There was neither address nor sig
nature nor date. but the detective Sc
himself at once to copying it out, for
as the doctor said, in the circum
stances It had queer look. When h,
had taken the characters down he re
turned the paper, at the same tim,
suggesting search of the patient,
pockets for additional finds. And a,
the doctor gave him one glance an,
returned to the parlor, he left the be
wildered Symonds rejecting that her,
was a man who was trying to impress,
him with the notion that he was al
together too good for this world.
The policeman who had examine,
the lower parts Of the house returne,
saying that the rooms were all desert
ed, and appeared as II nobody ha,
been In them for hours. The Are II
the range was 80 low that the hitch
en- was like q barn, and the door
were wide open all the way out iron
the basement hall -four Of them: an,
the gate itself. In the back fence
which gave on = lane, though It wa
closed, had not one OF its three bolt
shot into place. i
You go out the hack door, sal,
the detective, land see II you can nm
anybody that saw any woman. or any
body else, going IN or out that gate
Whoever It WAS that done It must hav
Slid "a that way, ana with ali ther
windersS over there somebody mus
have seen 'em. ~ 81 4 4
They might have gone out stha
Wy. returned the policeman. ''bu
EIedon't rec how they could 90 to wor
to Ut II. The back ways II, kept Dol,
FED up tighter N them gates alon
there Ii the lane than the from
VIVA 10. And there's MI them door
f0lr Of 'eln! And every one Away
locked - tishteI'n y drum. III BE-
~ 49, y ~ - - -. =, ~ s