Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-05-05

mo. do you not remember, wnen we
examined the window, that 1t was
opened from the inside?"
"Egad, you are right. Then you
think that some one must have been
concealed in the room. and strung out
from hiding to drug Jaggard,"
NO said Arkel again, mo one was
concealed in the room"
"Confound it, man, you don't mean
to say that Jaggard opened the win
dow" cried Jen, starting from his seat
with some show of temper.
"Ay, but do, Major, Jaggard help
ed to steal the body of Mr.. Aylmer
He opened the window to admit his ac-
completes. When they fulfilled their
task and got the body out of the room
they turned on Jaggard and betrayed
him. That is, they drugged him and
knocked him down."
4 don't agree with you at all, Arkel.
Jaggard is perfectly honest, and was
as devoted to Maurice as he is to me.
Besides, even granting the possibility
of such thing, which do not in the
least, why should Jaggard's accom-
plices betray him?"
Il can't say" returned Arkel, shrug-
ging his shoulders. "They may have
been bribed to steal the body, and on
accomplishing their task did not want
to share the bribe with Jaggard!"
"Rubbish!" said Jen, tartly. They
must have known that he would betray
them when he recovered his senses!"
Dt,t ~, fho nj
they would make themselves scarce
Jaggard has been insensible or raving
for over week, Major. The scoun-
drels counted on that!"
Il say again that 1 believe in Jag
CARDS honesty, and do not agree with
you, said Jen, putting on his hat, and
after all, l do not see how you deduce
this drugging theory?"
"Oh, as to that, l was once bit of
a chemist" explained Arkel; "and
when you took me to see Jaggard l
smelt curious perfume which seemed
to be hanging about him. AS a servant
is not likely to use perfumes, / thought
it curious"
Did Etwald notice it?" asked Jen.
thoughtfully.
yes; but he processes his inability
to explain it. He thinks the man was
stunned, and not drugged. l think that
he was first drugged and then stun
ned"
HIN; it's queer! I'll have to think
it over. But when the body was taken
out of the window. Arkel?"
"The thieves carried it across the
lawnl"
Then down through the bushes to
that winding lane, l suppose?" said
Jen. Il know all that; but after
wards!"
They put it into cart and took it
away"
How do you know that?" asked the
Major all on the alert.
why" said Arkel, lingering his fat
chin, 'it was raining, as you may re-
member, on that night. We found the
mark of wheels in the lane, which
would not have been left had not a
considerable amount of rain fallen"
did you follow the trail?" asked the
Major.
ITO the high-road only, and there
the wheel marks became mixed up
with those of other vehicles. / never
met the like of it before, and l am
fairly puzzled. Why should these
wretches steal the mortal remains of
murdered MANI"
True" said Jen; "and why should
these wretches have murdered that
man?"
LAS to that, we are by no means
certain that they are the same"
Il don't follow you"
NO? And yet it is easy enough. If
those who slew Mr.. Aylmer wanted
his bodyl they could have stolen it on
the high-road, where they struck him
down. 1t was mere foolishness to ven
ture liberty and life in raid upon the
house."
1T may have been an after thought"
People don't have afterthoughts in
grim matters of this kind" said Arkel,.
rising well, Major, good-by; good
by. Should l learn anything else,
shall let you know; but depend upon
it; the truth of the matter is to come
from Jaggard."
He is honest Honestl" cried Jen
'Tll stake my existence upon that"
Ito be continued)
An Appropriate Move.