The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-08-12
H5 y

kND esHI
said. "You and-and Jack left almost
at the time it happened. The detective
here thinks that you-that we-know
something about it."
1.-THE devil he does!" Halsey's eyes
were fairly starting from his head. II
beg your pardon, Aunt Ray. but-the
fellows a lunatic."
Tell me everything, won't you, Hal,
sey?" l begged. TELL me where you
went that night, or rather morning,
and why you went as you did. This
has been a terrible 48 hours for all
of U.S."
He stood staring at me, and l could
see the horror of the situation dawn.
ing in his face.
II can't tell you where I went, Aunt
Ray" he said after a moment. "As to
why, you will learn that soon enough.
But Gertrude knows that Jack and I
left the house before this thing-this
horrible murder-occurred."
Ml. coIuiOoOA uoCO AoI DOllCNO,
Gertrude said drearily. "Halsey, II
the worst comes, if they should arrest
you, you must-tell."
Il shall tell nothing" he said with
a new sternness in his voice. Aunt
Ray, it was necessary for Jack and
me to leave that night. l cannot tell
you why-just yet. AS to where we
went, If I have to depend on that as
an alibi, l shall not tell. The whole
thing is ar a%bsurdity, a trumped-up
charge that cannot possibly be seri.
GUS"
Has Mr.. Bailey gone back to the
CITY," demanded, cor to the club?"
Neither" defiantly; "at the present
moment l do not know where he is"
"Halsey," / asked gravely, leaning
forward, have you the slightest sus-
picion who killed Arnold Armstrong?
The police think he was admitted
from within, and that he was shot
down from above, by some one on the
circular staircase"
II know nothing of It," he main
tanned; but l fancied I caught a sud
den glance at Gertrude, a flash Of
something that died as 1t came.
AS quietly, as calmly as 1 could, I
went over the whole story, from the
night Liddy and 1 had been alone up
to the strange experience of Rosie
and her pursuer. The basket still
stood On the table, a mute witness to
this last mysterious occurrence.
There is something else," / said
hesitatingly, at the last. "Ealsey, I
have never told this even to Gertrude,
but the morning after the crime I
found, in a tulip bed, a revolver. It
it vas yours, Halsey."
For an appreciate moment Halsey
stared at me. Then he turned to Ger
trude.
my revolver, Trude!" he exclaimed.
why, Jack took my revolver with
him, didn't he?"
ooh, for heavens sake don't say
that" / implored. "The detective
thinks possibly Jack Bailey came back,
and-and the thing happened then"
HE didn't come back" Halsey said
sternly. Gertrude, when you brought
down a revolver that night for Jack
to take with him, what one did you
bring? Miner"
Gertrude was defiant now.
mo. Yours was loaded. and I was
afraid of what Jack-might do. / gave
him n / have had for a year or two.
1t was empty"
Halsey threw up both hands de-
spairingly.
IF that isn't like q grit" he said.
why didn't you do what / asked you
to, Gertrude? You send Bailey OF
with an empty gun, and throw mine
in a tulip bed, of all places OF earth!
Mine was a SO caliber. The inquest
will show, of course, that the bullet
that killed Armstrong was q 80. Then
where shall / bel"
"You forget" I broke in, that
have the revolver, and that NJ one
knows about it."
But Gertrude had risen angrily.
II cannot stand It: it Is always
with me-" she cried. "Halsey, / did not
throw your revolver into the tulip
bed. think - you - did-it-your
self"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)