Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-09-29
AFFAIR AT
4. By Ba s. a. T: sss s,ass'a n.
Holiday Case" Etc
N<v Yok-Henry Holt & co-lsH

al quite positive Illdt no stranger ma
passed the gate or entered the ground.
during the morning. After I left you
yesterday morning, I started back Il
the hotel to get my things together
and in the hotel office I happened L
meet the policeman, whose name, il
seems, is Clemley. He was off duty
and seemed anxious TO talk, so 1 tool
him in 10 the bar, and got him q drink
and pumped him a little on the aft
chance OF his knowing something ht
hadn't told me.
And you're still sure, / asked him
after a while, that no strangers went
into the Lawrence house yesterday
morning.
"'Oh, yes, sir he answered. Per
fectiy sure. l was on duty there al
the time, YOU know. There were a
good many people around, but l knew
them all. I've been a policeman here
for 20 years, and there's mighty few
people l don't know. The only strang-
er | noticed the whole morning was a
fellow who stopped to ask me where
Miss Kingdom lived
You a guess, Lester, how my
heart jumped when I heard that! Well,
ne described him about as I described
him to YOU"
Even to his being a musician?"
asked.
We'll no." Godfrey laughed. THAT
was a long shot Of my own. But he
told me the fellow was humming a
tune all the time he wasn't talking. He
came along just about IL o'clock and
asked where Miss Kingdom lived; asked
also what was going on at the Law
enc place, and seemed much inter
ested in what the policeman told him.
He rolled a cigaret and lighted it as
he t~alked-rolled IT, Clemley says. with
one twist Of his fingers, so expertly
that Clemley marvelled at it. Finally
he went on to the gate out yonder and
entered the yard. That was all Glenn
ley saw"
Did he see him come out again ?'
"No-he's certain he didn't come out
while he was on duty, which was till
3 o'clock in the afternoon. OF course.
he may have left by some other way.
He could have gone out by the alley
at the back Of the lot, If he'd wished
to avoid being seem"
"And you believe Marcia Lawrence
met him here2"
Tn sure Of 1t. There can be only
n explanation Of that letter-it de-
manded a price for silence. threa tened
exposure-at the church itself, perhaps,
unless the money was paid. Miss Law
n flew here with what jewels and
money she could lay her hands on aft
the moment, gave them to him, and he
left; or perhaps she only promised TO
reward him il he'd keep the secret-it's
doubtful If h had money enough at
hand to buy him off, for his demands
wouldn't be modest At any rate, she
got rid or him for the moment. But
after he had gone. she reflected that
she would always 20 at his mercy.
that she could never be Burr Curtiss's
legal Wife. Suppose she should return
70 the house and carry through the
farce OF a marriage she
would only be preparing for herself
an agony OF suffering even more ter
rible than that which she was then
enduring. The time would surely come
when she would be unmasked before
her lover She could bear anything but
that. She decided to end it-but to
end II in such n way that her secret
would be safe forever. SO she lured
him away upon another trail, then re-
turned here and" He finished with
a significant gesture at his throat.
l thought 1T over; then / shook my
head.
1T vent do, Godfrey" I said. ct
won't hold together. In the first place
how did this fellow know about the
Kingdoms? If he met Miss Lawrence
here, they must be mis- accomplices."
IT believe they are"
Granting that, L don't believe Miss
IAdH ESlSS Ilieu neTSeIl. L certainly
don't believe any such fantastic theory
as that Miss Kingdom is working away
there in the cellar burying the body.
Why should she incur such a risk
as THAR"
i've asked myself the same cues
ton, depend upon it, Lester
AMI found no answer to it?"
mot yet"
Miss Lawrence is on board the I'M
bria," l repeated, trying to convince
myself.
Then what is Miss Kingdom doing
in the cellar?"
II don't know. but it's not what you
think"
We'll" said Godfrey, rising suddenly,
I'm not going to theorize about it any
longer-Im going to find out
Tt find out?" l echoed, rising too.
"Yes-Tm going to enter the house"
but you'll be committing a felony"
"Oh, / don't think I'll have to break
in. / believe that IGOR yonder is un-
locked, Lester. Lucy Kingdom came out
of II. and I'm pretty sure it hasn't been
locked since"
That makes no difference" 1 pointed