The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1911-04-28

been asleep some time. because the
lights were out and. seemingly. every
body had gone to bed. He wondered
what the noise which started him
could have been. Suddenly he heard
groan. He listened intently, but all
was still. The silence was uncanny.
Now thoroughly frightened. How
ard cautiously CROPPED his way about.
trying to find the electric button. He
had no idea what time It was. II
was to drink so much! He wondered
what Annie would say when he didn't
return. He was a hound to let her
sit up and worry like that Well. this
would be lesson to HINT was the
last time he'd ever touch a drop. OF
course he had promised her the same
thing hundred times before. but this
time he meant it. His drinking was
always getting him into some fool
scrape or other.
He was gradually working his way
along the room, when suddenly he
stumbled over something on the floor.
1t was a man lying PROSTATE. Stoop-
ing, he recognized the figure.
"Why--it's Underwood" he ex-
claimed
At first he believed his classmate
was asleep. yet considered 1t strange
that he should have selected SO I'M
comfortable a place. Then it occurred
to him that he might be ILL., Shaking
him by the shoulder. he cried:
Hey. Underwood. what's the mat
teri"
No response came from the pros
trate figure. Howard stopped lower,
to see better. and accidentally touch
ing Underwood's face, found It clam
| my and wet. He held his hand up in
the moonlight and saw that it was
covered with blood. Horror-stricken.
he cried:
MY God He's bleedlng-he's
hurtl"
What had happened? An accident
or worse? Quickly he felt the mans
pulse. 1t had ceased to beat. Under
wood was dead.
For a moment Howard was too
much overcome by his discovery to
know what to think or do. What
dreadful tragedy could have hap
pened? Carefully cropping along the
| mantelpiece, he at last found the cleo
trio button and turned on the light.
There, stretched out on the floor, lay
Underwood, with a bullet hole in his
left temple, from which blood had
flowed freely down on his full-dress
shirt 1t was a CHASTITY sight The
mans white, set face. covered with
a crimson stream, made a repulsive
spectacle. On the floor near the body
was a highly polished revolver, still
smoking
Towards first superstition was that
burglars had entered the place and
that Underwood had been killed while
defending his property He remem-
bered now that in his drunken sleep
he had heard voices in angry alterca-
ton. Yet why hadn't he called for
assistance? Perhaps he had and he
hadn't heard him.
He looked at the clock, and was
surprised to find it was not yet mid.
night. He believed 1t was at least
five o'clock in the morning. 1t was
evident that Underwood had never
gone to bed. The shooting had oc-
CURED either while the angry dispute
was going on or after the unknown
visitor had departed. The barrel of
the revolver was still warm, showing
that 1t could only have been dis
| charged a few moments before. Sud
denly 1t flashed upon him that Under
wood might have committed suicide.
But 1t was useless to stand there
theorizing. Something must be done.
He must alarm the hotel people or
call the police. He felt himself turn
hot and cold by turn as he realized
the serious predicament in which he
| himself was placed. II he aroused
the hotel people they would find him
here alone with dead man. Suspi-
ciop would at once be directed at him.
and 1t might be very difficult for him
to establish his innocence. Who would
believe that he could have fallen
asleep in a bed while a man killed
himself In the same room? 1t sounded
preposterous. The wisest course for
him would be to get away before any
body came.
Quickly he picked up his hat and
made for the door. Just as he was
| about to lay hand on the handle there
was the click of a latchkey. Thus
| headed off, and not knowing what to
do. he halted in painful suspense
The door opened and man entered.
He looked as surprised to see How.
ard as the latter was to see him. He
was clean-shaven and neatly dressed,
yet did not look the gentleman. His
appearance was rather that of serv-
ant. All these details flashed before
Towards mind before he blurted out:
who the devil are your"
The man looked astonished at the
question and eyed his interlocutor
closely, as IL in doubt as to his identi.