Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-09-28
CHAPTER xv-lContinued).

l looked up to see his tall figure COM
ing toward me through the darkness.
He dropped beside me, and sat for a
moment silent-only. as l caught a
glimpse of his face. was startled to
see how white it was.
Il couldn't see a thing" he said, at
last, except a shadow moving up and
down, as you said. And 1 heard the
sounds. The woman is working at
something in the cellar-something that
requires iime-something which must
be aone secretly. l couldn't make any
thing out OF the shadows. n not much
out of the sounds-at least, I fear it's
only my imagination which gave them
the significance they had for me-"
What significance did they have?" l
asked.
I'm half afraid to tell you. Lester;
you'll laugh at me. But as l bent out
side that ventilator yonder with my
ear against 1t. l cOuld have sworn that
the person inside was engaged in SHOW
cling earth-shoveling it into--a
A little shudder ran through me at
the words; never was laughter farther
from my thoughts.
IA gravel" l stammered. But whose
grave"
Il don't know-Marcia Lawrence's
perhaps"
Marcia Lawrence sailed on the UNI
bria.'
You don't know she lid. You don't
even believe she did"
Whether she did or not, Who would
kill her, and why?"
All. II o come to the why and
wherefore. l can't answer you-not
yet"
Besides" I went or. the writing on
the message left at the West street Of
flee was her writing.
Perhaps 1t was only a good imita-
tion-you can't be absolutely sure that
you've ever seen a sample of her writ
ing. There's nothing to prove that
h wrote either the note or the mes
sage"
But Curtiss identified them-he was
sure the writing was hers"
"Curtiss wasn't in a condition to be
sure of anything. But suppose it was
hers. She may have wished to blind
her mother and Curtiss completely
she may have wished them to think
that she had really gone abroad--she
must nave foreseen that you would
trace the telegram. She may have
done all that before she came back
here"
Game back here?" I repeated, sud-
against my W theory Of half an hour
before. Walk into the lions jaws?
Nonsense, Godfrey! Place herself in
the power Of the people who. I sup
pose o think, killed herr"
Il DOM think they killed her." God
frey said c~omposedly. my belief is
that she killed herself to escap her
husband-to get out Of the tangle In
which she'd involved herself"
Her husband! You cling to the
husband then. do your"
More than ever. He's an italian
G tall. we'll built. handsome fellow, with
black yes n a most becoming black
moustache. He has a florid complexion
n can speak English, though with
strong accent. He smokes cigarettes
which he rolls himself. and he has lost
the tip OF the little finger Of his left
hand. He's FOND OF music; perhaps
himself a singer or musician, and 1,
may have been a instructor that he
first me- Miss Lawrence"
I had been staring at Godfrey open
mouthed: I could restrain myself nc
longer.
But how do you know all this?'
gasped. "Or Is 1t merely a fairly tale? Q
It's not in the least a fairy tale
my dear Lester. I know It because
this estimable gentleman was himself
In Elizabeth yesterday. The letter
which Miss Lawrence received appoint.
ed q rendezvous at the Kingdom cot.
tage. It was here she fled to see him
to buy him off. as she had done once
before"