The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1911-08-09
''IF I HAD ONLY DIED
THAT NIGHT"

tale label he be-
IF HAD ONLY DIED held witness
Ni'hi' bound to testify
against him If be kept silent himself
Don't answer" he went on. IT
may as well own the truth and be
done with it. l was In the clubhouse.
/ did rob the wine vault | did carry
or the bottles to have a quiet spree.
and 1t was to some place on Cuthbert
road l went. But when I've admitted
so much I've admitted all. l saw
nothing of my sisters murder. saw
nothing of what went on In the rooms
upstairs. / crept in by the open win
dow at the top of the kitchen stairs.
and | came out by the same. I only
wanted the liquor and when got it
slid out as quickly as I could and
made my way over the golf links to
the road"
The district attorneys voice sounded
thin. almost piercing. as he made this
remark:
"You entered by an open window.
why didn't you go in by the door?"
II hadn't the key. I had only ab-
stracted the one which opens the wine
vault. The rest I left on the ring. 1t
was the sight of this key lying on our
hall table which first give me the
idea. I feel like a cad when | think
of 1t. but that's of no account now"
Flushed, he slowly sank back into
in a hurry or of his anxiety to regain
his sick sisters bedside. He seemed
TO have forgotten those fears in the
perturbations of the moment. His
mind and interest were there; every
thing else had grown dim with dis
lance.
Ibid you try the front door?"
"What was the use? l knew 1t to
be locked"
what was the use of trying the
window? Wasn't it also. presumably,
lockedY'
The red mounted hot and feverish to
his cheek.
You'll think me no better than a
street urchin or something worse" he
exclaimed II knew that window.
had been through it before. You can
move that lock with your knife blade.
| had calculated on entering that
way"
MIR Ranelagh's story receives con-
firmation." commented the district at
torney. wheeling suddenly toward the
coroner HE says that he found this
window unlocked when he approached
it with the idea of escaping that way"
49,. aH,x.l ND aair nd M
moved
The district attorney wheeled back.
'sThere were a number of bottles
taken from the wine vault. Some half
dozen were left on the kitchen table.
Why did you trouble yourself to carry
up so manyT
Because my greed outran my con-
venience. | thought could lug away
an armful. but there are limits TO ones
ability. l realized this when | re-
membered how far bad to go and so
left the greater part of them behind"
"Why. when you had a team ready
to carry you?"
al had no team" But the denial
cost him something His cheek lost
its ruddiness and took on a sickly
white which did not leave it again as
long as the interview lasted.
"You had no team? How then did
you manage to reach home in time to
make your way back to Cuthbert road
by half past lip
~ didn't 60 home l went straight
across the golf links. If fresh snow
hadn't fallen you would have seen
my tracks all the way to Cuthbert
road"
''If fresh snow had not fallen we
should have known the whole story OF
that night before an hour had passed
How did you carry those bottles"
I'm my overcoat pockets-thesf
pockets he burted out. clapping bis
hands on either side of him.
Had 1t begun to snow when you
left the clubhousew
.No"
"Was II dark?"
II guess not; the links were bright al
day. or | shouldn't have got over then
as quickly as ! did"
Quickly? How quickly?" The dis
trict attorney stole glance at TN
coroner. which made Sweetwater al
vance a step from his corner.
Il don't know. | don't understand
these questions" was the sullen re
ply.
you walked quickly. Does tina
mean you didn't look backy"
How look back"
"four sister III a candle In the SINAI
room where her coat was found Thi
light should have been visible from tn