The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-17

Don't worry. Mrs. Wardcll-every-
| thing Will be all right-l'n sorry II I've
YOU were getting -since--since the
night YOU called 10 see the captain" And
| he backed toward the door III at ease
under the peculiar stare Of the. womans
| eyes,
THANK you, Mr. Connor: if you see
Tom ,} r tell him I'm waiting FOR him. dear
she's gone clean daHy." muuuurcd
BIZ as he found his way 10 the street.
Then he recalled the words OF the desk
sergeant. I'll beats the devil how a
woman can go nutty over man" And
| This woman had really done that very
thing-over a thief who had ruined her
life and treated her so shamefully. so
brulally
Twice on the following day Connor
was OH the point Of telling the captain
OF his visit 90 Mrs Wardei but some
thing made him hesitate. and he kept
his own counsel, Not even to the desk
sergeant did he mention the little. lone
widow of Fifth street. He went about
MS work Keeping the secret OF Toms
her. wondering how long she could live
under the Illusions that possessed her.
speculating what the months and the
OF the yegG-and the Groblem became
a source of not little mental discom-
fort TO the big detective, whom Prov-
dcnce had ordained should bear the trou-
blss Of his nelghbors more or less
Then, some weeks later, one evening
between twilight and the darkness. Bill
Connor again ascended the steps OF the
tenement in Fifth street. He could no
longer resist the impulse To see the widow
Of Tom WardclI-to inquire If she was
III, TO ascertain ii IN the interval since
turned for better or for worse
AS he climbed the second flight OF
stairs he met bareheaded man com
ing down. tall man with bearded
nor ivs ,tfiTh n
suppressed oath. and then went on his
way. Indifferent and unconcerned, but
evidently In hurry TO reach the street
Connor knocked at the door OF Mrs.
Wardeil. There was no answer. He
knocked again. Stll no answer. He
turned the knob and the door opened.
The room was in darkness. He heard
n sobbing cry of woman In pain. Then
he struck match and lighted the gas.
The widow lay upon the floor. face
downward, Her dress was torn and
hard and moaning pitfully.
Connor bent over her as if TO raise
her from the floor. He turned her face
toward him.
voice. what's happened here"
She leaned heavily against him,
clutched at his arm and from the bleed
ing, swollen lips sasped the words: Tom
came bac6-wanted money-beat me
poor Tom And then she fell lifeless
in Bill Connor's arms.
He laid her gently back upon the floor
| Then, dazcd and scarcely knowing what
10 do, Bill Connor moved toward the door
| like drunken man. He must get help
arouse the neishborS, summon the man
on post from the street below, telephone
the station, send for doctor. and as his
| brain whlrled with the many intentions,
/ he gave one quic. bewlldered glance
about the room,
On the table was Il mans hat. and the
remnant OF q supper. Two persons had
/ IN rIp n Nipc m
dell had taken tea with her a short
time before. And Conpor had met him
on the stairs-the barcheaded. bearded
man going down as he was coming up:
| The newspapers and the police agreed
| that the murder of Mrs. Wardel was
the most puzzliug mystery of the year.
| With a hundred others Bill Counor
worked TO find the murderer. He had
| told the captain about his meeting the
| bearded man on the stair. but said moth
| ing OF the last words OF the dying Wo-
man. Yet over and over he said to
| himself; II hardly know what to think.