The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-07-29

and felt that this dried-up little man
was the repository of much that he
had not told me. I gave up trying to
elicit any information from him, and
we went together to view the body
before it was taken to the city. It
had been lifted on to the billiard-ta-
BILE and a sheet thrown over it; 9TH
erwise nothing had been touched. A
soft hat lay beside it, and the collar
Of the dinner-coat was still turned up.
The handsome, dissipated face Of Ar
mold Armstrong, purged' of its ugly
lines. was now only pathetic. As we
went In Mrs. Watson appeared at the
card-room door.
"Come in, Mrs. Watson" the lawyer
said. But she shook her head and
withdrew; she was the only one in
the house who seemed to regret the
dead man, and even she seemed rath-
er shocked than sorry.
Before Mr.. Harton left, he told me
something of the Armstrong family.
Paul Armstrong, the father; had been
married twice. Arnold was son by
the first marriage. The second Mrs.
Armstrong had been a widow, with
a child, little girl. This child, now
perhaps 20, was Louise Armstrong,
having taken her stepfather's name,
and was at present in California with
the family. ~.
"They will probably return at once"
he concluded. land part of my errand
here to-day is to see If you will relin-
quish your lease here in their favor. :"
1--WE would better wait and see if
they wish to come" said. ut seems
unlikely, and my town house is being
remodeled.", At that he let the mat
ter drop, but 1t came up unpleasantly
enough, later.
At six o'clock the body was taken
away, and at seven-thirty, after an
early dinner, Mr.. Harton went. Ger.
trude had not come down. and there
was no news of Halsey. Mr.. jamie
son had taken a lodging in the vii
lage, and had not seen him since
mid-afternoon. It was about nine
o'clock, I think, when the bell rang
and he was ushered into the living
room.
"Sit down. I said grimly. "Have
you found clew that will incriminate
me. Mr.. Jamieson?''
He had the grace to look uncomfort-
able. mo-" he said. IF you had
killed Mr.. Armstrong, you would have
left no clews. You would have had
too much intelligence"
After that we got along better. He
was fishing in his pocket, and after
a minute he brought out two scraps
of paper. Il have been to the club
house." he said, "and among Mr.. Arm
strong's effects, / found these. One is
curious. the other is puzzling.''
The first was a sheet Of club note
paper on, which was written, over and
over, the name "Halsey B. lnnes." It
was Halsey,s flowing signature to, q
dot. but It lacked Halsey's ease. The
ones toward the bottom Of the sheet
were much better than the top ones.
Mr.. Jameson smiled at my face.
"His old tricks" he said. 'That
one Is merely curious; this one, as
said before, % puzzling. Z
The second scrap. folded and re-
folded into q compass %. tiny that the
writing had been partly obliterated,
was part Of 9 letter the lower half Of
q sheet, not typed, but written II .
cramped hand. 81 B
altering the plans for
rooms, may be- possible. The best way,
In my Iopinion would be- 70 Aths plan
81 onssof the
EnSy.s sas US
That W. ~.
IN Z. I ~, looking 81. g hsrs
Nd athing 81 that q thsrei man