Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-29
The Argus Daily Short Story
Hand With Missing Thumb-By Willard Brakeman
Literary

| ing q little hand microscope from his
vest pocket. he brought it to bear on
the blurred surface.
Urn" he said.
''well?" said Mrs. Morton interroga-
lively.
"Where can I lock up this bottle
holder?"
"In any of the closets. There's one
on each floor"
No. Every nook and Granny Of the
house will be searched
He threw himself into a chair and
thought Mrs. Morton stood waiting
The dead body lay on the bed. Final
ly Burch. rising. said:
81 must ,isk it"
Risk what:"
Before reporting my uncle's death
I must remove the bottle holder.
Promise me that you will say nothing
about it,
For the first time Mrs. Morton cast
suspicious glance at Mr. Burch.
eff I'm questioned about it shall be
Obliged TO tell
IF you are questioned. yes
Mrs. Morton gave a reluctant con-
sent.
Get me a pasteboard box that Will
hold it,"
She went out OF the room and pres
entity returned with box. Burch cut
a hole in it large enough to let through
the stand of. the bottle holder. by
which he grasped 1t, using the box as
a protector. so that nothing could
touch the silver surface.
Call a cab"
Mrs. Morton did as directed. and
Burch. carrying the bottle holder by
its stand part. left the house. pronis-
ing to return soon. Within twenty
minutes he was back. Then be went
to the telephone. called up the police
and reported that his uncle had died
suddenly under very suspicious cir
cumstances. The coroner was not long
in coming and. after carefully inspect
ing everything in the room. went out.
locking the door behind him and put
ting policeman ON guard.
While this was in progress William
Burch was locked in his own room
with detective.
My uncle has been poisoned" he
is missing. 1 wish you to find that
person. II you don't shall either be
executed for murder or imprisoned for
life or go forth a man with blighted
reputation. / was the last person
known, to be with my uncle before his
death. In a few days or at most a
few weeks shall be arrested.
These are my disadvantages. On
the other side. am heir to my uncle's
estate and can pay my lawyers and
you well. care nothing for them
provided you succeed. Go. Find the
man with the missing thumb"
In just two days from that day Will
liam Burch was arrested for the MUIR
der of his uncle. John Trevor. After
the usual delay the case came to trial.
Mrs. Morton was the first witness for
the prosecution. and one of the first
questions asked her was if there had
been holder for the soda bottle found
in the deceased's room. She replied
that there had been and when ques-
toned further testified that the &C
cused had taken 1T away.
This without any other evidence was
enough to convict Burch. Another fea-
ture alone was also sufficient to that
end. Burch was his uncle's heir. A
third feature admitted by Burch him
self clinched the other two. Being
put on the stand by his counsel and
asked what had passed between him
and his uncle at their last interview.
Burch said:
my uncle sent for me to tell me
that he was intending to marry. This
would turn his property away from
me. He proposed to make my inter-
est in it dependent upon the will of
the lady he was to marry. To this
objected"
All wondered at this admission.
which Indicated plainly that in order
to save an estate which was to pass
to another the prisoner had murdered
the owner.
A witness for the defense had been
SUMMONED in the person Of Edgar