Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-01
CHAPTER XXI.
M'KNIGHT'S THEORY.

MKNIGI1TS THEORY.
confess 1 was staggered. The people
at the surrounding tables, after glancing
curiously in my direction, looked away
again.
/ got my hat and went out in a very
uncomfortable frame of mind. That she
would inform the police at once of what
she knew I never doubted, unless possibly
she would give a day or two's grace in the
hope that l would change my mind.
1 reviewed the situation as 1 waited for
a car Two passed me going in the op-
posite direction, and on the first one / saw
Bronson, his hat over his eyes, his arms
folded, looking moodily ahead. Was it
Imagination? or was the small man hud-
died in the corner of the rear seat Hotch-
kiss?
AS the car rolled on I found myself
smiling. The alert little man was for all
the world like a terrier, ever on the scent,
and securing about in every direction.
found Mcknight at the Incubator, with
his coat off, working with enthusiasm
and a manicure file over the horn Of his
auto.
IT'S the worst horn I ever ran across"
he groaned, without looking up, as I came
in. "The blankety-blank thing won't
blow"
He punched It savagely, finally elcting
a faint throaty croak.
Sounds like Group" I suggested. my
sister-in-law uses camphor and goose
grease for It; or how about a spice poul-
tice?"
But Mcknight never sees any jokes but
his own. He flung the horn Gathering into
a corner, and collapsed sulkily into a
chair.
Now" said, III you're through mani
curing that horn, I'll tell you about my
talk with the lady in black"
whats wrong?" asked Mcknight Ian
guidly. Police watching her, too"
"Not exactly. The fact is, Rich, there's
the mischief to pay"
Stogie came in, bringing a few additions
70 our comfort. When he went out 1 told
my story.
You must remember" said, that
had seen this woman before the morning
OF the wreck. She was buying her Pull
man ticket when l did. Then the next
morning, when the murder was dscov-
cred, she grew hysterical, and I gave her
some whisky. The third and last time
saw her until tonight, was when she
Crouched beside the road, after the wreck"
Mcknight slid down in his chair until
his weight rested on the small of his back,
and put his feet on the big reading table
1T is rather a facer," he said. ITS
really too good a situation for common
place lawyer. 1t ought to be dramatzed.
You can't agree, of course; and by refus-
ing you run the chance of jail at least,
and Of having Alison brought into public
ity, which is out of the question. You
say she was at the Pullman window when
you were?'
Yes; l bought her ticket for her. Gave
her lower eleven"
And you took temp
Lower ten"
Mcknight Strengthened up and looked
at me-
Then she thought you were in lower
ten"
II suppose she did, if she thought at
ALL"
ing excited. What do you figure out Of
this? The Conway woman knows you have
taken the notes to Pittsburg. The prob
abilities are that she followed you there,
on the chance Of an opportunity TO get
them either for Bronson or herself
Nothing doing during the trip over or
during the day in Pittsburg; hut she learns
the number OF your berth as you buy IL at
the Pullman ticket office in Pittsburg, and
she thinks she sees her chance. No one
could have foreseen that that drunken fell
low would have crawled into your berth.
NOW I figure Il out this way: she
wanted those notes despsrately-does still
not Tor Bronson. but 10 hold over his