The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-08-04

webs 70 entanale him, Is caught in .
sheet Of ny paper. finds himself more
and more mired. and tn finally quick
with the sticky stiffness OF despair
Wen, Was the fly. / had seen TOO
much OF circumstantial evidence 70
have any belief that the establishing
Of my identity would weigh mucn
against the other discriminating de-
tails II meant imprisonment ana
trial, probably, with all the notoriety
and loss Of practice they would en-
tail. man thinks quickly at time
like that. All the probable conse-
quences OF the finding of that pocket
book flashed through my mind as ex.
tended my hand TO take Il. Then !
drew my arm back.
II don't want IT," I said. Look IN
side. Maybe the other man took the
money and left the wallet"
The conductor opened It, and again
there was curious surging forward
of the crowd. To my intense disap'
polntment the money was still there
/ stood biankly miserable while II
was counted out--five 800 bills, SIX
twenties and some fves and ones that
brought the total TO $3.50.
The little man with the notebook
insisted on taking the numbers OF the
notes, 10 the conductors annoyance.
I II was immaterial to me: Small things
had lost their power TO irritate. was
seeing myself In the prisoners box,
| going through all the nerye-racking
routine OF trial for murder--the chal'
longing of the jury, the endless cross
examinations, the alternate hope and
fear. | believe | said before that
had no nerves, but for few minutes
that morning / was as near as a man
ever comes to hysteria.
/ I folded my arms and gave myself
mental shake. I seemed to be the
center Of hundred eyes, expressing
every shade of doubt and distrust, but
| tried not TO finch. Then some one
created a diversion.
The amateur detective was busy
again with the sealskin bag, investi
eating the make Of the safety razor
and the manufacturers name on tht
bronze.green tie. Now, however, he
paused and frowned, as though some
pet theory had been upset.
Then from corner of the bag h
drew out and held up for our inspec
ton some three inches of fine golC
chain, one end OF which was black
ened and stained with blood!
The conductor held out his hand TO
1t. but the little man was not read.
7 TO give II up. He turned to me.
"You say no watch was left you
/, Was there piece of chain like that?
mo chain at ALL" said sulkily. IN
!. jewelry Of any kind, except plain gol'
buttons In the shirt | am wearing"
Where are your glasses?" h
1 threw at me suddenly; instinctivel
! my hand went to my eyes. My glasse
i had been gone all morning and ha
4 not even noticed their absence. TIL
. little man smiled cynically and he'll
out the chain.
II must ask you to examine this,
he insisted. isn't II part of the fin
gold chain you wear over your ear?
didn't want to touch the thing
IA The stain at the end made me shuC
der. But with. bakers dozen of SUI
% plcious eyes--well, wen say 14--ther
n were no one-eyed men--I took tn
A. fragment in the tips of my fingers an
N looked at II helplessly.
Very fine chains are much alike
"a managed to say. "For all I know
b. this may be mine, but don't kno
o. how It got into that sealsltin bag.
in never saw the bag until this mornin
b. after daylight"