The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1910-09-16

i KlLlGI III I'LL
the woman who quarreled with Arm
strong, are the same. II looks as II
Thomas had stumbled on to some af.
fair which was more or less discred-
liable to the dead man, and, with a
certain loyalty to the family, had kept
1t to himself Then, you see, your
story about the woman at the card
room window begins to mean some
thing. 1t is the nearest approach to
anything tangible that we have had
yet"
Warner took us to Richfleld ia the
car. 1t was about rs miles by rail
road. but by taking series OF afro
ciously rough short cuts we got there
very quickly IT was pretty little
town. on the river, and back on the
hill could see the Morton big coun-
try house, where Halsey and Ger
trude had been staying until the night
of the murder.
Elm street was almost the only
street, and number IA was easily
found 1t was small white house,
dilapidated without having gained
anything picturesque, with a low win.
dow and a porch only foot or so
above the bit of lawn There was
baby-carriage in the path, and from
a swing at the side came the sound of
conflict. Three small children were
disputing yociferously, and faded
young woman with a kindly face was
trying to hush the clamor When she
saw us she united her bingham apron
and came around to the porch.
Good afternoon" | said, Jameson
lifted his hat without speaking. Il
came to inquire about a child named
Lucien Wallace"
Il am glad you have come" she
said. I'm spite of the other children.
think the little fellow is lonely. We
thought perhaps his mother would be
here to-day"
Mr.. Jameson stepped forward.
You are Mrs. Tate?" l wondered
how the detective knew.
Yes, sir -...
Mrs. Tate, we want to make some
inquiries. Perhaps in the house"
Come right in" she said Hospitality.
And soon we were in the little shabby
parlor, exactly like a thousand Of it's
prototypes. Mrs. Tate sat uneasily, her
hands folded in her lap
How long has Lucien been here?"
Mr.. Jameson asked.
Since a week ago last Friday. His
mother paid one weeks board in adj
vance, the other has not been paid"
Was he i'll when he came?"
mo, sir, not what you'd call sick
He was getting better of typhoid, she
said, and he's picking up fine"
will you tell me his mothers name
and address?"
That's the trouble" the young
woman said, knitting her brows She
gave her name as Mrs. Wallace, and
said she had no address. She was
looking for a boarding house in town
She said she worked in a department
store, and couldn't take care of the
child properly, and he needed fresh
air and milk. l had three children OF
my own, and one more didn't make |
much difference in the work, butt |
wish she would pay this weeks |
board"
Did she say what store it was?"
mo, sir, but all the boys clothes
came from Kings. He has far too fine
clothes for the country"
There was a chorus of shouts and |
shrill yells from the front door, fol |
lowed by the loud stamping of chill |
dren's feet and a throaty whoa
whoa" Into the room came a tan.
dem team of two chubby youngsters, a
boy and a girl, harnessed with a
clothes-line, and driven by a laughing
boy OF about seven, in tan overalls
and brass buttons. The small driver
caught my attention at once; he was
a beautiful child, and, although he
showed traces of recent severe illness.
his skin had now the clear transpar
ency of health.
Whoa, Flinders he shol,ted
You're going to smash the trap"
Mr.. Jameson coaxed him over by
holding out lead pencil. striped blue
and yellow
Now, then" he said. when the bow
had taken the lead pencil and was
testing its usefulness on the detect
ives cuff, now then, I'll bet you don't
know what your name Isl"
I do" said the boy. "Lucien Wal.
lace"
Great! And what's your mothers
Mother, of course. What's your
mothers name?"
And he pointed to me, am going
to stop wearing black; 1t doubles a
age.
And where did you live before you
came here?" The detective was noljte
enough not to smile.
CrO BE CoNTINUED)
Roor, &C.,