Charlevoix county herald., 1911-05-13
He thought he had heard a woman's


body had gone to bed. He wondered
what the noise which started him
could have been. Suddenly he heard
a groan. He listened intently, but all
was still. The silence was uncanny.
Now thoroughly frightened, How
ard cautiously groped his way about,
trying to find the electric button. He
had no idea what time it was. 1t
must be very late. What an ass he
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 a lesson to hint was the
last time he'd ever touch a drop. OF
course, he had promised her the same
thing a 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 it strange
that he should have selected so un-
comfortable place. Then it occurred
to him that he might be i'll. Shaking
him by the shoulder, he cried:
"Hey, Underwood, what's the mat
ter?"
No response came from the pros
trate figure. Howard stopped lower
to see better, and accidentally touch
! ing Underwood's face, found it clam
1 my and wet. He held his hand up in
the moonlight and saw that 1t was
covered with blood. Horror-stricken
| he cried:
MY God! He's bleeding-he's
hurt"
What had happened? An accident
or worse? Quickly he felt the mans
! pulse. 1t had ceased to beat. Under
wood was dead.
For moment Howard was toe
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 elec
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 hat
flowed freely down on his full-dres:
shirt 1t was a CHASTITY sight. The
mans white, set face, covered with
crimson stream, made a repulsive
spectacle. On the floor near the body
was a highly polished revolver, still
smoking.
Towards first supposition was tha
burglars had entered the place anC
that Underwood had been killed while
defending his property. He remem
bered now that in his drunken sleel
lie had heard voices in angry alterca
ton. Yet why hadn't he called fol
assistance? Perhaps he had and n,
hadn't heard him.
He looked at the clock, and was
surprised to find it was not yet mid
| night. He believed it was at leas
five o'clock in the morning. 1t wa!
evident that Underwood had nevei
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 o
the revolver was still warm, showing
that it could only have been dis
charged few moments before. Sud
denly ii flashed upon him that Under
wood might have committed suicide
But 1t was useless to stand ther,
theorizing Something must be done
He must alarm the hotel people o.
call the police. He felt himself turl
hot and cold by turn as he realized
the serious predicament In which h,
himself was placed. If he aroused
the hotel people they would find hin
here alone with dead man. Suspi
cion would at once be directed at him
and it might be very difficult for hin
to establish his innocence. Who woult
believe that he could have fallel
asleep in a bed while a man killet
himself in the same room? 1t sounde,
preposterous. The wisest course 70
him would be to get away before any
body came.
Quickly he picked up his hat Ant
made for the door. Just as he wa
about to lay hand on the handle ther,
was the click of a latchkey. Thu
headed off. and not knowing what t,
do, he halted in painful suspense
The door opened and a man entered
He looked as surprised to see How
ard as the latter was to see him. III,
was clean-shaven and neatly dressed
yet did not look the gentleman. Hi
appearance was rather that of a sery
ant. All these details flashed befor,
Howards mind before he blurted out
who the devil are you?"
The man looked astonished at tn,
question and eyed his interlocuto
closely. as IL in doubt as to his identi
ty. In a cockney accent he sale
loftily:
81 am Ferris Mr. TTnderwoOd'S man