Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1910-09-15

Finally, however, when things had
been quiet for time, | got up, and
after looking along the aisle. l slipped
behind the curtains of lower ten. You
understand, Mr.. Blakeley, that
thought you were in lower ten, with
the notes."
/ nodded CURLY.
I'm not trying to defend myself"
he went on. Il was ready to steal the
notes-I had to. But murder!"
He wiped his forehead with his
handkerchief.
We'll, ! slipped across and behind
the curtains. 1t was very still. The
man in ten didn't move although my
heart was humping until thought he
would hear it.
Il felt around cautiously. 1t was
perfectly dark, and came across a
bit of chain, about as long as my fin
ger. 1t seemed queer thing to find
there, and 1t was sticky, too"
He shuddered and / could see ALI
sons hands clenching and unclenching
WIN the strain.
"All at once it struck me that the
man was strangely silent, and l think
| lost my nerve. Anyhow, | drew the
curtains open a little, and let the light
fall on my hands. They were red,
blood-red."
He leaned one hand on the back OF
the. chair, and was silent for mo.
ment, as though he lived over again
the awful events of that more than
awful night.
The stout detective had let his cigar
go out; he was still drawing at it
nervously. Richey had picked up
paper-weight and was tossing it from
hand to hand; when it slipped and fell
to the floor, startled shudder passed
through the room.
There was something glittering in
there" Sullivan resumed, land on i'm
pulse ! picked 1t up. Then dropped
the curtains and stumbled back to my
own berth"
where you wiped your hands on
the bed clothing and stuck the dirk in
to the pillow" Hotchkiss was seeing
his carefully built structure crumbling
to pieces, and he looked chagrined.
81 suppose did-I'm not very clear
about what happened then. But when
| rallied a little l saw Russia leath-
err wallet lying in the aisle almost at
my feet, and, like a fool, stuck It.,
with the bit of chain, into my bag.
Il sat there, shivering, for what
seemed hours. It was still perfectly
quiet, except for some one snoring.
thought that would drive me crazy.
The more thought of it 1.-The worse
things looked. The telegram was the
first thing against met would put
the police on my track at once, when
It was discovered that the man in low
er ten had been killed.
Then Y remembered the notes, and
I took out the wallet and opened It,"
He stopped for minute, as If the
recalling of the next occurrence was
almost beyond him.
Il took out the wallet" he said sim
ply, and, opening 1t, held 1t to the
light. In gilt letters was the name,
Simon Harrington"
The detectives were leaning for
ward now, their eyes on his face.
Things seemed to whirl around for
a. while. sat there almost paralyzed,
wondering what this new development
meant for me.
do you believe me now?" He
looked around at us defiantly. II am
telling the absolute truth, and not one
of you believes me!
my wife, | knew, would swear I
had killed her father; nobody would
be likely to believe the truth.
After a bit the man in lower nine
got up and walked along the aisle to-
ward the smoking compartment. I
heard him go, and, leaning from my
berth, watched him out of sight.
1T was then / got the idea of
changing berths with him, getting his
clothes, and leaving the train. | give
you my word | had no idea of throw
ing suspicion on him"
Alison looked scornfully incredu-
lous, but felt that the man was tell
ing the truth
81 changed the numbers of the
berths, and II worked well. got into
the other mans berth, and he came
back to mine. The rest was easy.
dressed in his Enthusiastically, they
ftted-and jumped the train not far
from Baltimore, just before the
wreck"
There is something else you must
clear up" said. why did you try to
telephone me from M, and why
did you change your mind about the
messenger
He looked astounded
You knew | was at M" he
stammered.
Yes, we traced you What about
the message?"
We'll, it was this way; of course,
did not know your name, Mr.. Blake
ley. The telegram said: Man with
papers in lower ten, car seven and