The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-09-21
CHAPTER Xv--(Continued).


~ ] looked up to sec his tall figure com
He dropped beside me, and sat for 9
moment silent-only, as / caught q
glimpse OF his face, l was startled &c
see how white IL was.
Il couldn't see a thing" he said a,
last. except shadow moving up and
down. as you said. And l heard the
sounds. The woman is working al
something In the cellar--something that
requires time-somethng which mus,
be done secretly. I couldn't make any
thing out OF the shadows, and not much
out OF the sounds--at least, fear It's
only my imagination which gave them
the significance they had for me-"
What significance did they have"
asked Es h4N
I'm half afraid to tell YOU Lester;
youli laugh at me. But as bent out
side that ventilator yonder with my
ear against 1t, could have sworn that
the person inside was engaged Ia show
cling earth--shoveling it into--a
gravel"
A little shudder ran through me at
the words; never was laughter farther
from my thoughts.
"A gravel" stammered but whose
gravc?"
Il don't know-Marcia Lawrence's
perhaps
Marcia Lawrence sailed OH the TIM
bria."
You don't know she did. You don't
even believe she did"
Whether she did or not. who would
Kill her, and why?'
"Ah, IL you come to the why and
wherefore. can't answer you---not
yet"
Besides" went on, "the writing on
the message left at the West street Of
flee was her writing
Perhaps 1t was only good imita-
ton-you can't be absolutely sure that
you've ever seen a sample OF her writ
ing. There's nothing to prove that
she wrote either the note or the mes
sage"
But Curtiss identified them-hc was
sure the writing was hers"
"Curtiss wasn't in a condition To be
sure of anything. But suppose It was
hers. She mas 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 iorcseen that you would
trace the telegram. She may have
done all that before she came back
here"
Game back here" l repeated. sud i
against my own theory OF half an hour
before. Walk into the lions Jaws?
Nonsense, Godfrcyl Place herself in
the power OF the people who I sup
pose YOU think, killed herr"
II don't think they killed her" Cod
frey said composedly. My belief is
that she killed herself to escape her
husband-to get out OF the tanglc in
which shed involved herself"
Her husbandl You cling to the
husband then, do your"
More than ever. He's an Italian
C tall. well built. handsome fellow, with
black eyes and most becoming black
moustachc. He has a florid complexion
and 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 |,
may have been as instructor that he
first met Miss Lawrence
/ had been staring at Godfrey open
l could restrain myself no
longer
But how do you know all this"
sasped. "Or is 1t merely fairly tale?"
IT'S not I'm the least a fairy tale,
my dear Lester I know 1t because
his estimable gentleman was himself
in Elizabeth yesterday. The letter
which Miss Lawrence received appoint
cd a rendezvous at the Kingdom cot
tage. II was here she fled to see him
to buy him off, as she had done once
before"