The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-04-21
+ The r
RED MOUSE
A Mystery Romance
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By WILLIAM HAMILTON
OSBORNE
Copyright 1909. by Dodd. Mead a C. !
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"Just sketch me here on this paper u
little plan showing the position Of the
men I'm Room 4 that night"
"Sure." volunteered Pemmican. TAX
ing the profrered pencil. Now. here
was Colonel Hargraves. here was
He stopped abruptly. for he had seen
that in Murgatroyd's hand a wallet
marked "R. IT,"
"Go on" said Murgatroyd.
And here was Penimican stop.
ped again.
What are you looking att" Murga
troyd asked. ''Oh. thatT' he said cas-.
ually and passed the wallet to Penn
micun
Pemmican started and backed away.
"I don't want II. II amt mine.
don't know what Il is What is II
anyhow he gulped. mo. counselor"
he added. "and. besides | wasn't look.
ing Mt It."
Murgatroyd patted the wallet.
''It was Colonel Hargraves' pocket
book" he said. IL thought you rec
-ognized It
Never saw IL before, counselor" he
repeated sulkily. never saw II be-
fore"
You must have seen IT," persisted
Murgatroyd. Its pretty well worn.
and he must have carried II long
time He was one Of your patrons.
The fact Is. Pemmiran." he went on.
"this wallet was the occasion of my
sending for you just now. | am in
formed that when Hargraves last car
ried IL the wallet was full of bills, and
when he was found in the street II
but | should like to know whether
Challoner robbed this man as well as
killed him"
Pemmican slowly shook his head.
Cant help you out" he answered,
''for never saw the wallet. don't
know"
Murgatroyd went of on another
tack.
"Very well, then. But there's an
other thing that you may clear up.
BY the way, Pemmican, perhaps you
don't know that Challoner has con-
<essedr
Pemmican cried joyfully:
Confessed? Gee, that's good.
Great! 1t just had to come to thatv'
Yes" conceded Murgatroyd, but
there's another thing which bothers
me. though | don't know that It com
plicates matters exactly. It's mere
detail again. ChallOner says he shot
his man in Room \ in Cradlebaugh's.
You say the quarrel took place there,
that Hargraves went out first and that
Challoner followed him. Hargraves,
as we know, was found dead in the
street above. That's right isn't it?''
Sure" returned Pemmican positive
". II didn't see him fire the shot.
Nobody saw that. It's a good thing.
though, because between you and me.
prosecutor. Notwithstanding my testl-
mony, | thought that you'd have some
trouble In making out case. Cir
cumstances is something, but they
amt everything, you know"
Murgatroyd seemed satisfied. Now
he leaned toward Pemmican and said
confdentially:
"Pemmican, ! want your testimony
In this case. want 1t right. Have a
cigar"
Pemmican accepted and continued
"You can depend on me. III tell the
truth, the whole truth and nothing but
the truth, so help me- His gaze re-
turned again to the pigskin wallet on
the desk. But, say, l never saw that
thing before"
Murgatroyd picked up the wallet.
."Pemmican, suppose We're to fill
this with-well, say, $4,000 and give
It to you" he said loudly, how would
you testify In this case, ehf"
But" protested Pemmican, 81 nev-
or saw $4,000 in it, No.
mo" repeated Murgatroyd, but if
you should right now have 1t filled
with $4,000, how would you testify
for meT'
Pemmican stolidly shook his head
and answered.:
"To the truth, counselor. I'm an
honest man."
Murgatroyd still persisted
"How much would you take, Penn
mican," he went on, ito swear that
Challoner did not commit this crimeT
Pemmican started back in alarm and
once more shook his head.
counselor, I'm an honest man." he
answered doggedly.
Murgatroyd gave 1t up as a bad job.
you're honest, all right, Pemmican,"
he said. "You must go back now, but
before the trial Wen go over the testi-
mony carefully. You see, I'm most
particular about this case" McGrath
entered and took Pemmican away.
Fifteen minutes later Mrs. Challoner
arrived. She was accompanied by Ste
vens, the butler carrying a large par
Gel, which he deposited on the prose
cutor's table, as directed. He was then
dismissed, and when the door had
closed on him the man and the wo-
man stood for a few minutes listening
IN silence TO his retreating footsteps.
Murgatroyd noiselessly locked the door