Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-03-24

aIter 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 curtly.
'I'm not trying to defend myself"
he went on. II was ready to steal the
notes-I had to. But fnurder!"
He wiped his forehead with his
handkerchief.
"Well. slipped across and behind
the curtains. 1t was very still. The
heart was humping until thought he
would hear 1t.
II felt around cautiously. It was
perfectly dark. and came across a
bit Of chain. about as long as my fin-
ger. 1t seemed a queer thing to find
there. and 1t was sticky. too"
He shuddered. and I could see Ali.
sons hands clenching and unclenching
with the strain.
"All at once It struck me that the
man was strangely silent, and l think
lost my nerve. Anyhow, I drew the
curtains open little, and let the light
fall on my hands. They were red.
blood-red."
He leaned one hand on the back Of
the chair. anA was silent for a 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 a
paper-weight and was tossing II from
hand to hand: when 1t slipped and fell
to the floor. a startled shudder passed
through the room.
"Therc was something glittering In
there" Sullivan resumed. "and on i'm.
pulse picked II up. Then I 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.
II suppose did-I'm not very clear
about what happened then. But when
I rallied a little I saw . Russia leath-
er wallet lying in the aisle almost at
my feet, and. like q fool. I stuck II,
with the bit Of chain. into my bag.
II sat there. shiverinE. for what
seemed hours. It was still perfectly
quiet. except for some one snoring. I
thought that would drive me crazy.
The more I thought Of It 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 I remembered the notes. and
I took out the wallet and opened it."
He stopped for n minute. Ms II the
recalling OF the next occurrence was
almost beyond him.
"I took out the wallet" he said sim
ply. "and. opening It. held It 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. I sat there almost paralyzed.
wondering what this new development
meant for me.
do you believe me now?" He
looked around at US definntly. II am
Of you believes me!
My wife. I knew. would swear
had killed her father: nobody would
be likely to believe the truth.
After bit the man in lower mine
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 I got the idea Of
changing berths with him. getting his
clothes. and leaving the train. I give
you my word I had no idea OF throw
ing suspicion on him."
Alison looked scornfully incredu-
lous. but felt that the man was tell
ing the truth.
Il changed the numbers of the
berths, and It worked well. I got into
the other mans berth. and he came
back to mine. The rest was easy. I
dressed in his Enthusiastically. they
jumped the train not far
from Baltimore. Just before the
clear up" said "why did you try to
telephone me from M. and why
did you change your mind about the
He looked astounded.
You knew I was at M" he
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
after I had made what considered
my escape. began to think I had left
the man in my berth in bad way.