The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-06-20

'And tonight"
Il saw him at his club" H.
Where was that?'
The Veterans in Shaftesbury ave-
nue."
About what time?"
Between s and g.,
You had some talk with him."
Yes"
Pleasant talk" asked the officer In
differently. VI.
Family affairs" rejoined Luke dry
ly.
And you parted from him."
Somewhere about g."
I'm the club"
TN the club"
1.-THE door steps,"
T"No. The lobby
He was alone then? I mean-he-
sides yourself was no one with himT"
mo one. The hall porter stood there
of course" p
No one joined him afterward:"
THAT / n say. When parted
from him he was alone"
you know that Mr.. Phillip do
Mountford was murdered in a taXicab
between Shaftesbury avenue and Hyde
Park corner, soon after 8 o'clock" o.
i have heard most of the details OF
that extraordinary crime"
And you can throw no light on It at
ar?"
NONE. f1OW COulI L.
Nothing" insisted the police officer,
occurs to you at this ome that
might help us in any way 10 trace the
murderer"
Nothing whatever"
The man was silent. 1t seemed as
IL he was meditating how best to put
one or more questions. Up to now
these had been curt and to the point.
and as they followed n another IN
quick succession there was a marked
difference ia the attitude both OF
the questioner and the questioned.
The police officer had started by be
ing perfectly defcrential--just like "A
whose position in the world compelled
"a certain regard. He a originally
adj" sssed Luke as sir" just as he had
invariably q my lord" TO Lord
Radycliffe. but now he spoke much
more curtly. There was "a note of de-
mand in every question which he put,
a peremptoriness of manner which did
not escape the observation OF his in
terlocutor.
AS the one man became more ag-
gressive so did Luke also change his
manner. There had been affable cour-
tesy In his first reply to questions put
to him, q desire to be Of help IL help
was needed, but with his senses at
tuned by anxiety and nerve strain tn
distinguish subtle difference OF manner
and OF intention, he was quick enough
to notice that he himself was, as it
were, in a witness box, with a ounse
ready enough TO bully. or TO trip up
any contradictory statement.
Not that Luke realized the reason
OF this change. The. thought that he
could he. suspected of a crime WAS as
far removed from his ken as the desire
to visit the oon He could not under
stand the o~ficer's attitude; it puzzled
him. and put him Un his guard--but
II was just the instinct OF self prcser-
walton, OF caution, which comes TO men
who have had 10 fight the world, and
who have met enemies where they least
expected to find one. ?
DO you remembeI," now resumed
Travers. after that slight pause, which
had seemed very long to Luke, but as
n matter OF fact had only lasted a short
minute, whether Q saw Mr.. Philip
de Mountford speaking with anyone
when you left him In the lobby OF the
club"
II told YOU said Luke impatiently,
that he was alone, except for the hall
porter"
Alone in the whole club house,"
Alone" reiterated Luke with mea-
sured emphasis. 'in the lobby of the
Veterans" club"
How man. rooms has the club
II don't know; it was the first rilno
l had ever been there"
Did you know any OF the stare
"No-since l had never been there
before"
You were not known to any member
of the starr"
Not hat / know off,
The Veterans club Is a new one and
it's rules apparently are o very strict.
/ asked IL Mr.. de Mountford was in the
club and IA told that l should find
him in the smoking room, and I { did"
How long did your interview with
Mr.. de Mountford last?"
About three-quarters Of an hour, l
should say"
And it was of a perfectly amicablc
n~ature?"
"Of a perfectly Indifferent nature"
corrected Luke.
And after the interview what did
you do?"
Il walked out OF the club"
But after that 2"
II walked about"
In the fog?" This In an undissufscd
one Of surprise.
In the fog"
I'm what direction"
Really" here rejoined Luke with a
sudden show of resentment, "Mr.-er-
Travers, I fail to see how my move
ments can be of concern TO you"